Steppe/Nomad MIC & Recruitment

[Team Sleep]

Hello friends.
I've been out of the EB loop for sometime due to a busted computer . But I still have questions.
I've generally stayed away from nomad/steppe factions due to their extensive reforms. However I am still intrigued with the factions.

I searched the forums for specific questions in regards to units/recruitment with these factions but I haven't found the streamlined answer I need.

So, here is what I know & want to know. Please feel free to correct me where I'm wrong & give some insight on the questions I have. I would appreciate it much.

There are two main types of government you can have. Nomadic or Settled.

1) What are the tiers of MIC in a nomadic government?
2) What are the tiers of the MIC in a settled government?


3) What are all the units that can be recruited from all tiers of MIC from a nomadic government? (Please be faction specific).
4) What are all the units that can be recruited from all tiers of MIC from a settled government (Please be faction specific).

I realize this is a tall order But I would appreciate the help.
When i get my comp back up and running I'm thinking of starting a nomad faction; obviously after review reforms and unit recruitment etc.

Thank You, Friends.

[athanaric]

There are two main types of government you can have. Nomadic or Settled.

Three, actually. "Nomadic", "Pastoralist", and "Allied". The latter is a normal Type IV government.

3) What are all the units that can be recruited from all tiers of MIC from a nomadic government? (Please be faction specific).

No need to be faction specific since it's similar for all three factions. There's a cheap and easy to install line of MIC, called "camps", which allow you to recruit:
t1:
- foot archers with long range bows and somewhat decent swords (Sarmatian, Saka, or Mardian foot archers - depending on faction; also some similar archers like the Skythian ones, depending on region);
- "militia" HAs who're equipped identically to the foot archers (Sarmatian, Saka, or Parthian ones - again, also regional options);
t2:
- "semi-professional" HAs with long range bows as well as spears and small shields (Aorsi, Saka, or Dahae riders plus regional variants). "Saka Riders" are different in that they have longer range, lower ammo supply, better armour value and overhand spears, meaning they're less suited for charging but better in missile exchanges.
- for the Saka, light lancers with some armour and a lance and axe (ideal for backing up your heavy cavalry)
- for the Sauromatae, Roxolani Riders, who're lightly armoured HAs/lancers
- in some regions, Dahae skirmishers who're great against elephants and as AP support.

the easternmost fringe regions also have Yuezhi HAs.


Then there's a more expensive line of camps (elite herds -> tier 1 royal camp -> ...), which allow for heavy cavalry. These are:

Sauromatae
t1: Early Sauromatae Nobles (armoured HAs who also carry lances)
t2: Aorsi Nobles (a heavier version of the Saka Riders)
t3: Roxolani Nobles (heavily armoured HAs/lancers)

Saka
t1: Early Saka Nobles (identical to the Sauromatae guys except for slightly longer range and lower ammo supply)
t2: Saka Cataphracts (armed with lance and sagaris, good vs armour)
t3: no additional unit, i.e. useless

Pahlava
t1: Parthian Lesser Nobles, a better version of the Roxolani Riders
t2: Parthian Noble Cataphracts, equipped with lance and longsword
t3: Parthian Cataphracts, equipped with lance and mace (and better morale)
Parthian Armoured HAs - Cataphracts with bows and lances

Some regions also offer Dahae, Yuezhi (Saka only), and Alan Nobles.

The nomadic factions can also recruit each other's light cavalry, but only in the "homeland territory" of the conquered faction. As a matter of fact, the Saka can recruit the complete Sauromatae roster except for the Early Sarmatian Nobles (who're almost identical to their Saka counterpart, so you won't need them anyway).

4) What are all the units that can be recruited from all tiers of MIC from a settled government (Please be faction specific).

The main difference is that the Nomad Camp is replaced with a "settled community", which takes longer to implement.

Sauromatae
t1 settled: Sauromatae Foot Archers (see above)
t2 settled: Sauromatae Spearmen (somewhat weak, like Pantodapoi, but still useful)

Saka
t1 settled: Saka Foot Archers (see above. The longest ranged archers in the game, BTW)
t2 settled: Saka Spearmen (somewhat weak, like Pantodapoi, but still useful)

Pahlava
t1 settled: Mardian Archers (see above)
t2 settled: Parthian Spearmen (very useful close order spearmen with some armour)

In some regions, there are also Skythian Foot Archers and Skythian Axemen available from the Settled Community.

The second line of "settled" MIC, the "King's Herds" (recruitment of noble cavalry), is identical to its "Nomadic" counterpart except for the name.


With the Allied government installed, you'll have access to typical units of conquered peoples (Greek, Getai, Germanic, Persian and Indian infantry is especially useful. Also, Slavic Spearmen). The Saka even have unique auxiliaries - a heavier version of Classical Hoplites as well as two Indo-Hellenic elite units, one of whom is the Baktrian elite infantry with a different colour scheme).

As for refoms, the Saka ones are very easy. The Sauromatae have no reforms. For the Parthian reforms and further questions, please check out Casual Tactician's thread.