Medieval Kingdoms Total War: Empire of Trebizond

[Ltd.]

UNITS


Skirmishers

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Militia Archers

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Trebizond Archers

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Guard Archers

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Militia Spearmen

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Scoutatoi Spearmen

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Trebizond Swordsmen

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Mounted Javelin Cavalry

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Kavallarioi

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Trebizond Pronoiaroi

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Megas Komnenos

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As you can see the Trebizondian roster has a better selection of ranged units than their Nicaean relatives who in turn have better infantry and have cataphracts.
Do note that Trebizond will have access to some of the Georgian units and vice versa, due to their close relationship.


Late era units for Nicaea and Trebizond will come later.

[helmersen]

Literally some of the best designed units I have ever seen. Truly amazing work!

[Kjertesvein]

I'll probably just spam the Kavallarioi. Those guys looks like multipurpose type of units and I'm a sucker for that.

​~Wille

[Viva Espana!]

Looks wonderful. The only problem with limiting them from getting any of the traditional "Byzantine" units like Varangians and Cataphracts is... what if the player, as Trebizond, manages to reconquer Constantinople and the Empire of Nicea for the Komnenoi? Then, he's screwed, because he won't have all of the "Byzantine" that the Empire of Nicea possesses.

[Ltd.]

Well, it's not like only the varangians and the cataphracts are worth something.
Besides once you re conquer Constantinople you will have access to mentioned troops as AOR units

[Viva Espana!]

Well, it's not like only the varangians and the cataphracts are worth something.
Besides once you re conquer Constantinople you will have access to mentioned troops as AOR units

Well, I'd reckon they ARE worth something. Varangians and Cataphracts are cool... and Varangians are boss units. But you're saying that if you own Constantinople you can recruit Varangians and Cataphracts?

[Ltd.]

That is what I'm saying, yes

[Viva Espana!]

That is what I'm saying, yes

Could you help me understand how this works? Been a while since I've played Attila.

[Ltd.]

Well, you can tie the recruitment to certain areas, hence AOR = area of recruitment. So, you can make the varangians be recruitable in Contantinople only, or across your empire, if you play as Nicaea, or to Constantinople alone, once you conquered it back, if you play as, let `s say, Trebizond. That shouldn` t be a problem.

[Viva Espana!]

Thanks for explaining that.

[OldStyle]

Some of these units look more Georgian than the Georgian units lol. Very nice roster btw.

[Olligarchy]

I now know which faction I'll be playing as first.

[druzhina345]

The main source for 14th century Trebizond is The Romance of Alexander by Pseudo-Callisthenes, Byzantine Trebizond, Instittuto Ellenico di Venezia codex 5, 14th century
For the 15th century: Byzantine Soldiers on a Tomb in Hagia Sophia, Trebizond, 15th century


I was interested to read that the painted panel of a cassone called the ’Conquest of Trebizond’ is now not thought to represent an imagined final battle between Trebizondians on the left and Ottomans on the right (there was no battle before the capture of Trebizond), but, instead it is a battle between Ottomans on the left (near the image of Constantinople) and Timurids or Turkmen on the right (near Trebizond).

None of the Ottomans seem to wear the ak börk sleeve cap typical of Janissaries, see a woodcut of The Battle of Zonchio (Navarino), 1499 and many latter illustrations of Ottoman Janissaries, but there is also the kuka worn by senior janissary officers and solaks:

Çeverbaşı. Colonel of the Janissaries. Distinctive high white head-dress (kuka) with gold brim and very large plume (süpürge sorguçlu) at top and a smaller plume in a holder.


Solak. Wears the distinctive high white head-dress (kuka) with gold brim and very large fan-shaped plume (süpürge sorguçlu). Two smaller plumes in a holder.
From Hans Sloan's Album, "The Habits of the Grand Signor's Court", SL.5258, Turkey, c.1620

A Turkish Janissary, c. 1480, by Gentile Bellini gives a 15th century European impression of the kuka. See also an Ottoman painting in Khusrau and Shirin, A.H. 904, (1498–99AD) where one rider has a tall white hat with gold rim.

On the cassone a mounted figure & infantryman to left of centre both have white caps that fold over at the top. Although one hat is gold, both hats of two warriors on the far left seem to have a slight folding over of the tip of their hats. A mounted figure on the left wears a pointed white cap with plume.

The gold coloured hats may be based on Peyks. In a painting of the siege of Rhodes Peyks marching before the Sultan wear a thimble-shaped tall cap called a külâh-i peyk, Solaks are beside the Sultan. The külâh-i peyk was often made of brass.

A detail of the left of the ’Conquest of Trebizond’ Cassone.
A detail of the centre of the ’Conquest of Trebizond’ Cassone.
A detail of the right of the ’Conquest of Trebizond’ Cassone.

MIRROR SITE
A painted panel of a cassone called the ’Conquest of Trebizond’

Druzhina345
15th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

[Kjertesvein]

I fought as Trebizond vs Aragon (Jeyger, the YTer). My sword brother was Sly (Teutonics) fighting Splooge (Serbia) in the distance. I feel as though the faction performed to my expectations. I used my horse archers to occupy 2-3 units throughout the battle, while I was able to position my 800 strong army on a hill. My Aragonese opponent numbering 1000, included high-tier units fought til the end. I liked it a lot.

The battle starts at 6:42

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DofaL3zmnsQ

~Wille

[+Marius+]

The battle starts at 6:42

Every time I see horse archers with lances on their backs;

[KAM 2150]

If we take coins as real evidence, then Greco-Bactrian cavalry used bows and lances, with lances being stashed in some kind of a pouch behind a rider, like they would stack a javelins.

http://i.imgur.com/oHm1LP6.jpg

[+Marius+]

If we take coins as real evidence, then Greco-Bactrian cavalry used bows and lances, with lances being stashed in some kind of a pouch behind a rider, like they would stack a javelins.

http://i.imgur.com/oHm1LP6.jpg

That is not a lance.

One thing to hold a javelin in a pouch, another thing to strap a damn cavalry lance on your back.

[KAM 2150]

Judging by the size that is in fact a lance or at least a spear. It is already taller then the rider and for it to not fall down, pretty lengthy part has to be sheated. Probably it was just art thing anyway. Although carrying a lance on the back is awkward to say the least (just like back scabbards, but even more clumsy), but it would work with sort of lance/spear pouch attached to saddle. Plus there are many definitions of what is a lance, Kontos was rather short cavalry lance, around 2 meters in length, used by Parthians and other Steppe Tribes, but Hellenic Xyston would be around 3.5 meter long and that would be damn hard to have even with neat saddle pouch.

These guys get the idea
http://velizariy.kiev.ua/about/pic/hero8l.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lBgF_j_AF5...olovetz+2+.jpg

Just to be specific, I do not post those as sources, more of a curiosity thing.

[+Marius+]

Judging by the size that is in fact a lance or at least a spear.

The shortest end of lances go 3m to my knowledge(under the definition), and that is far bellow 3m.

Although carrying a lance on the back is awkward to say the least (just like back scabbards, but even more clumsy)

Which is why it was not done, ever.

Plus there are many definitions of what is a lance, Kontos was rather short cavalry lance, around 2 meters in length

Kontos is 4m.

but Hellenic Xyston would be around 3.5 meter long and that would be damn hard to have even with neat saddle pouch.

That 3.5 is the shortest proposed length, they went up to 6m.

These guys get the idea
http://velizariy.kiev.ua/about/pic/hero8l.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lBgF_j_AF5...olovetz+2+.jpg

Just to be specific, I do not post those as sources, more of a curiosity thing.

Sure, post me a single depiction of it being used in battle.

Otherwise, I will just continue vomiting every time I see it.

[KAM 2150]

Damn, you must be fun at parties...I was expecting you to write something like that so I ESPECIALLY wrote at the bottom that those are not the sources, just curiosity pictures and you still had "fun" reply ; P Dunno if you noticed in my posts above but I stated that those bactrian coins are rather artistical vision rather then rock solid evidence and we are basically on the same side of the argument.