Some historical info please?

[Sertorio]

Greetings, since EB seems to devote to beeing an historical mod i would like to get some info about the armys of Alexander and Persia.

1. I find some pictures presenting Macedonians dressed in red or violet colours as well as coloured linotoraxs. Are they both correct ? I aware that ancient armys didnt present uniformity.

2. What was the main composition for the Persian Army? I know that i can research this, but if there is anyone willing to give some insight, please do.

3. I know that Alexander Army was mainly composed of phalangites, heitairoi, agriani infantry, tessalian cavalry and hoplites from greek cities. Is there any other type of unit i am forgeting ? I have very little information about peltasts or slingers for example.

4. Equipment. Regarding helmets i go for phrygian, thracian or calcidian over corintian....correct ?

If any can provide info or link where i can research please do.
Reason i am asking this is because im learning to mod on an Alex platform and i want to be the most historical possible.

Thanks

[Boriak]

1. Uniformity is a limitation of the RTW engine, I believe. The EB team plans to address this in EB2 where the engine is M2TW.

For the rest, check the EB bibliography.

[Sertorio]

Thanks

[Manuel I Komnenos]

1. I find some pictures presenting Macedonians dressed in red or violet colours as well as coloured linotoraxs. Are they both correct ? I aware that ancient armys didnt present uniformity.

Violet (porfyra, later used by the Byzantines) was widely used as a color by the Macedonian Court and the closest Hetairoi of the King.

3. I know that Alexander Army was mainly composed of phalangites, heitairoi, agriani infantry, tessalian cavalry and hoplites from greek cities. Is there any other type of unit i am forgeting ? I have very little information about peltasts or slingers for example.

The phalangites were probably divided in two distinct units, the pezhetairoi and the asthetairoi. There are many theories regarding the two units and the most accepted one is that the pezhetairoi were from Lower Macedonia (which was coastal) while the asthetairoi were from Upper Macedonia (which was mountainous).

The hypaspists was the Royal Foot Guard and numbered 3.000 men, divided in 3 chiliarchies. The 1st Chiliarcy was also called Agema and was the most elite. It would guard Alexander's tent or fight around him in case he dismounted his horse.

As for cavalry, there were the Hetairoi, which was the heavy Macedonia cavalry. It numbered some 1800-2000 men and was composed of the aristocracy and the friends of the King.

As for lighter units, Alexander had Cretan archers, Rhodian slingers, Thracian and Agrianian acontistai and light Thracian and Paionian cavalry.

As for helmets, the Attic, Phrygian and Thracian, Boetian (mainly by the cavalry) and the Spartan Pylos were widely in use.