Results 1 to 18 of 18

Thread: Preview: African Factions

  1. #1

    Default Preview: African Factions

    LYBIAN ROSTER
    (Garamantes, Nasamones, Lybia)


    Lybia actually was a term used by Greeks to define alternatively the whole Africa or its northern coast.
    Lybian peoples were actually of berber stock, in some regions slightly mixed with subsaharian black africans.
    Some Lybian tribes had obtaind an amazing level of technology for their context and enviroment, and for example Garamantes had build a network of subterranean irrigation channels to bring on the surface the water underneath the desert to fertilize their crops, while the Lybian tribes of the coastline had assimilated some aspects from Greek and Carthaginian culture.

    Berber Chariots
    Libyan Skirmisher
    Libyan Hoplites
    Libyan Thyreophoroi
    Berber Slingers
    Berber Archers
    Berber Spearmen

    Berber Camel Archers
    Berber Camel Riders

    _____________________________

    Lybians were well known by all Greek historians and geographers for the use of chariots, both in war and in hunting and sports, and probably it was a trait taken from contacts with ancient Egyptian civilization.
    The use of chariots in Berber Iron Age culture is also attested by cave paintings

    Lybian Chariot Cave Paintings:
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Berber Chariots

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Classical accounts speak about Lybians from northern coasts of Africa fighting with small whicker caetrae an carrying javelins, probably the most common and cheap military equipment.
    These warriors were employed, alone or along with Mauri skirmishers, in the Carthaginian armies.

    Lybian Skirmishers

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    In the coastal areas of Lybia, Lybian tribes came in contact with Greeks and Carthaginians, and benefit from the cultural exchange starting to employ some of their weapons and war customs.

    Lybian Hoplitai

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Lybian Thyreophoroi

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Lybians from the hinterland, from Garamantes and Nasamones, were probably equipped in a more traditional fashion, with less or non greek influences

    Berber Spearmen


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Berber Archers

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Berber Slingers

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Berber Camel Riders

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Berber Camel Archers

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Last edited by Iutland; June 05, 2014 at 02:10 PM. Reason: Merge threads

  2. #2

    Default Re: Lybian roster

    GAETULI ROSTER


    The Gaetuli, often identified with the Mauri, were a group of nomadic berber tribes related to Numidians, that lived on the southern sides of the Aures and Atlas mountain systems to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the oasis of northern Sahara.
    Probably the ancestors of the modern Tuaregh people, some of their tribes were deeply intermingled with subsaharian black peoples, and identified by greek historians with the name of Melanogaetuli (Black Gaetuli).
    They were prized horsemen almost like the Numidians, and known to have provided Hannibal’s army with mercenary archers and skirmishers.


    Mauri Horsemen
    Mauri Skirmishers
    Mauri Archers
    Berber Slingers
    Berber Spearmen

    Berber Camel Archer
    Berber Camel Riders
    ____________________________

    Nearly as skilled as the Numidian horsemen, the Mauri horsemen were so prized that were employed along the Numidians as auxiliaries by the Romans

    Mauri Horsemen


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    The Mauri were also skilled as archers and skirmishers, and Hannibal employed both of them during his campaign in Italy.
    In particular Mauri skirmishers were probably part of the dreaded Hannibal's Lonchophoroi, one of the best skirmisher units of ancient battlefields

    Mauri Archers

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Mauri Skirmishers

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Berber Spearmen

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Berber Camel Riders

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    Berber Camel Archers

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    Berber Slingers


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

  3. #3

    Default Numidian roster

    Numidian Roster

    A berber kingdom divided in numerous nomadic tribes prized for its cavalry, Numidia is a strong ally of Carthage, providing it with fast and effective mounted skirmishers.
    Politically unstable, Numidia is actually divided in two different main tribal groups, the Masaesyli in the west and the Massylii in the east.
    The two tribal groups are constantly quarrying against one another to obtain total control of Numidia, constantly allying with foreign power in exchange of support, and eventually betraying the former ally if someone more profitable came along.
    After changing repeatedly sides during the II Punic War, finally the Massylii allied with Rome and the Masaesyli with Carthage.
    This actually granted Massylii to became the true leaders of Numidia, that become a powerful kingdom of north-western Africa, under the protective influence of Rome.


    Numidian Noble Cavalry
    Numidian Skirmish Cavalry
    Numidian Skirmishers
    Berber Slingers
    Berber Archers
    Berber Spearmen


    II b.C. Massylian troops


    Berber Camel Archer
    Berber Camel Riders
    Numidian Late Cavalry
    Mauri Skirmishers

    Numidian Elephants
    Numidian Elephants with turret

    Iberian caetrati
    Gallic Swordsmen
    Cohors Numidica


    __________________________

    Numidian nobles were equipped with Hellenistic-like panoply, obtained via Carthage.
    In the noble numidian grave of es-Souma have been found an iron Konos helmet, and the Carthaginian-Numidian relief of Chentouf actually displayed a linothorax and an aspis shield.

    Numidian noble cavalry

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    The backbone of Numidian army was composed by light horsemen that fought as skirmishers

    Numidian Skirmish Cavalry

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Numidians coming from agricultural communities along the Carthaginian border, they fight like skirmishers but on foot, having lost part of their nomadic traditions

    Numidian Skirmishers


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Berber Slingers

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Berber Archers

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Berber Spearmen


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    II b.C. Massylian troops

    With the passing of power in Numidia from Massaesyli to Massyli and the alliance with Rome, Numidian kingdom extent his power toward whole Mauretania, taking under control Gaetulian tribes.


    Berber Camel Archer

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Berber Camel Riders

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Numidian Late Cavalry


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Mauri Skirmishers


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Also Numidians received Roman military counsellor, that helped to form legionary like chosen fighters.
    Actually Suetonius states that Juba had a number of "legions" at his disposal, while Tacitus speaks of the Numidian army of Tacfarinas containing “picked men who were armed in Roman fashion” (Annals, 2.50).

    Roman Gladius from Numidian Grave in Es-Souma, and Montefortino Helmet with Numidian name inscript on it

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Cohors Numidica

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    Furthermore, king Juba managed to reinforce his army with stable mercenary companies of Iberian caetrati and Gaulish warriors, and also capturing and taming elephants for war purpose.

    Iberian caetrati

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Gallic Swordsmen


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Numidian Elephants

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Numidian Elephants with turret


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Last edited by il Pitta; March 31, 2014 at 12:57 PM.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Numidian roster

    With your african rosters I really wanted to play as an african faction for my first Time. Great Job!

  5. #5
    Visarion's Avatar Alexandros
    Artifex

    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Europe
    Posts
    8,055

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    nice

  6. #6

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    KASH ROSTER

    Kash, recorded as Kushite kingdom, is an ancient black African state that developed in 1070 b.C. in the area the Romans called Nubia.
    Strongly influenced by the Egyptian culture, actually the kingdom of Kash was born from the ashes of an ancient Egyptian colony, founded in Nubia during the 16th century b.C. and abandoned with the collapsing of the New Egyptian Kingdom.
    Recorded in old Egyptian accounts as traditional enemies of Egypt, in fact the Kushites were in some ways the heirs of Egyptian culture, and starting from their kingdom in Nubia they were even able to conquest all Egypt after it was occupied by the Lybians tribes of the Meshwesh in the 8th century.
    The Kushite dynasty of Egypt lasts for a century, until it was overthrown by invading Assyrians that placed an Egyptian ruler, Psammetichus I, actually a simple viceroy, and chased the Kushites back to Nubia.
    In VI b.C. the Kushites moved their capital from Napata, that was near the Egyptian border, to the city of Medewi, recorded in classical accounts with the name of Meroe, placed in the southern woodland area of Nubia, and begin to commerce through the Red Sea with Greeks and Sabeans.
    This change of capital has been interpreted, thorough the analysis of classical records, with a change of powers that from the Egyptian-like priest caste of Napata centered more on the figure of the king. Actually Diodorus Siculus wrote about Ergamenes, king of Meroe, whose native name was Arqamani, that slaughtered the priests of Napata and strengthen the power of the crown.
    Arqamani is also recorded for his good relations with Ptolemaike Basileia and for being instructed on greek philosophy.



    Kushite Archers
    Kushite Spearmen
    Kushite Axemen
    Kushite Swordsmen
    Kushite War Elephants

    Blemmy Skirmishers

    Blemmy Camel Archers

    ________________________

    Kushite Archers

    The Aethiopians also use bows, which are four cubits long, are made of wood, and are hardened by fire
    Strabo, geography, XVII, 2, 3

    Nubian archers were known to be quite skillful, and even in the distant past the Pharaohs recruited them in their armies.
    They are also known to use poisoned tip arrows

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Kushite infantry is described as quite uneffective and not very disciplinate, at least by the roman point of wiew:

    “...they were badly marshalled and badly armed; for they had large oblong shields, and those too made of raw ox-hide, and as weapons some had only axes, others spears, and others swords.”
    Strabo, geography, XVII, 1, 54


    Kushite Spearmen

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Kushite Axemen

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Kushite Swordsmen

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 






    Kushite War Elephants


    The use of war elephant is attested among the Kushites in the Aethiopica (
    John M. Kistler, "War Elephants", p.171), and furthermore, actually the war elephants used in Ptolemaic Egypt were captured and trained by the Kushites.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    The Blemmyesare recorded as a nomadic people, and the first that had trained the camel in Eastern Africa.
    They were neighbour of the Kushites, and while the Meroitic Kingdom occupied more or less the fertile lands nearby the Nile, the Blemmy tribes dwelled in the eastern desert.


    Blemmy Skirmishers
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Blemmy Camel Archers



    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

  7. #7

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    BLEMMYES ROSTER

    Blemmyes are recorded as a nomadic people, and the first that had trained the camel in Eastern Africa.

    They were neighbour of the Kushites, and while the Meroitic Kingdom occupied more or less the fertile lands nearby the Nile, the Blemmy tribes dwelled in the eastern desert.
    They were feared for their attitude to ambushes.

    Apart from some slightly arab influences, they are unchanged nowdays, known with the Arab name of Beja.





    Blemmy Archers
    Blemmy Skirmishers
    Blemmy Spearmen
    Blemmy Swordsmen
    Blemmy Camel Archer



    Blemmy Archers

    As for the Kushites, Blemmy archers are recorded to use poisoned tip arrows


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Blemmy Skirmishers

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Blemmy Spearmen

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Blemmy Swordsmen

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Blemmy Camel Archer



    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Last edited by il Pitta; September 15, 2014 at 09:01 AM.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    AKSUM ROSTER

    The Kingdom of Aksum starts forming itself between the III and the II b.C. from the merging of the so called "proto-Axumite kingdoms", the remnants of the collapse of the of the previous Aethiopian-Eritrean kingdom of D'mt.
    Even if the D'mt heritage is sure, it is believed that in its ethnogenesis Aksum benefits from Sabaean elements coming fro Arabia Felix

    Aksumite Archers
    Aksumite Skirmishers
    Aksumite Spearmen
    Aksumite Swordsmen
    Aksumite Nobles
    Aksumite War Elephants
    Aksumite Cavalry
    Arab Spearmen
    Arab Warriors

    ____________________

    Aksumite Archers

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Aksumite shields, both round and oblong (even if the round model was far more common) were normally made with the skin of rhino or elephant, drenched with water and then left under the sun to dry and stiff.
    The round shield were left nailed to the ground but with a small pole in the center, under them, to obtain a curved shape.





    Aksumite Skirmishers


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Aksumite Spearmen

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Aksumite Swordsmen

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Aksumite Nobles

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    Aksumite Cavalry

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Aksumite War Elephants

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    As merchants, owning trading posts on the eritrean coast, Arabs from Saba became an important element of Aksumite kingdom, especially for its economical growth


    Arab Spearmen

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Arab Warriors


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

  9. #9

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    No female units for Kush?




  10. #10

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    Nope.

    In general I'm quite unconfortable with female warrior units... most of them are result of bad or captious analysis of the historical accounts.
    About Kush we have some accounts about various Kandakes, that actualy were queens, that in some occasions dressed themselves for battle and lead their armies, but is the same thing for the celtic warrior queens (Boudica, the Princess of Vix, ecc.): specific particular cases, and related to queens, that shouldn't be taken as a justify for a female battle unit.

    About female warriors in CAC, we will have some MIXED units with female warriors (mounted archers) within the SARMATIANS, that are attested both by accounts and by archaeological findings.

    We are also discussing about the opportunity to have some female units as GARRISON ONLY for some barbarian cultures.
    However they will be something like a last resort and poor unit (as was historically), nothing "xena-like".

  11. #11

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    I said it before but I say it again: mixed garrison units sound great

  12. #12
    Campidoctor
    Civitate

    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    1,947

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    Is there no way to make the Aksumite units more Semitic-looking, as their current physical appareance is anthropological wrong? Just google "Tigray people" to see how they looked like.

  13. #13
    Dontfearme22's Avatar Campidoctor
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Not Earth
    Posts
    1,729

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    Quote Originally Posted by LinusLinothorax View Post
    Is there no way to make the Aksumite units more Semitic-looking, as their current physical appareance is anthropological wrong? Just google "Tigray people" to see how they looked like.
    So you dont have to:
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 







    Seems fine to me...

  14. #14
    Campidoctor
    Civitate

    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    1,947

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    Just compare the noses, the skin colours and the lips, and you will spot the differences. If that's not enough for provement just type "Tigray people" into Google and scroll down.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Aksumites were Semitized Cushites, and giving them ordinary black African skins is just as wrong as giving Roman skins to berbers.
    Last edited by LinusLinothorax; November 27, 2014 at 04:47 PM.

  15. #15
    Prince of Judah's Avatar Senator
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Margaritaville, FL
    Posts
    1,483

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    Sadly I've long withdrawn myself from TWC. I'm posting here because it is really frustrating to see not a single mod which corresponds with good research on Meroe. First of all, there is no justification for war elephants for any east African faction. Yes, they rode on elephants. But there is no evidence they ever used them in warfare. Next to nothing is known about the military of Axum until the 4th or 5th centuries AD. Meroe SHOULD have pikemen. Strabo uses the word 'kontous' which means lance, for Nubian infantry alongside a variety of other weapons. Kontous must be interpreted as as 'pike' because Strabo is talking about infantry. He wrote this about Nubian raids in 25 BC in his geography. If we go by logical implication, the mountains of slag pits found in Kush during the Meroitic period implies they would have had at least a decent arsenal of iron weaponry. Evidence of armor is extremely scarce. That does not mean you shouldn't give them armor. But no faction should be using Iron Age Egyptian armor. come on... Really? Why does every mod do this? Leather and hide. Maybe Linothorax or chainmail in limited amounts. There is a body of circumstantial evidence for the use of pikes and I can talk about it on steam. But I don't go on TWC a whole lot. THere is too much bloody politics.

  16. #16

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    “...they were badly marshalled and badly armed; for they had large oblong shields, and those too made of raw ox-hide, and as weapons some had only axes, others spears, and others swords.”
    Strabo, geography, XVII, 1, 54

    "The Kushites used war elephants long before Macedon, according to Arrian ... the Sufra Great Enclosure may have been a center for training war elephants, as there are ramps allowing them to move easily between buildings. Unfortunately, our understanding of the Kushites is sparse and few records exist. As to the time when Kush used war elephants, the evidence cannot prove a pre-Ptolemic tradition of the practice."

    - Kistler, John M. War Elephants. University of Nebraska Press, 2007.



  17. #17
    Prince of Judah's Avatar Senator
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Margaritaville, FL
    Posts
    1,483

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    your quotation of Strabo is wrong. I did not know that Arrian said that about Kush however Arrian is FAR later than Strabo.

    The word used is kontous, not dory. If you want a literal translation, it would be 'lance.' But pike is more appropriate because Strabo is talking about Infantry.

    http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/...abo/17A3*.html
    This translation uses the word 'pikes.' Perseus tufts has the Greek and the word used is not spear.
    http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/...3Asection%3D54
    Last edited by Prince of Judah; December 06, 2014 at 05:38 PM.

  18. #18

    Default Re: Preview: African Factions

    If you want a striclty correct meaning of "Kontos", it would be referred to a two handed lance used by cavalry.

    The simple fact you find it used for infantry is strange.

    However, as various terms related to weapons (especially polearms), sometimes is used in a quite generalistic manner.
    Again, Arrian used "kontos" to define apparently even the roman pilum (cfr. Ektaxis kata Alanoon, Acies 16-17).

    It shouldn't appear too much strange, we have large examples of same terms used in different meanings: the "Lankia", a long thrusting spear akin to the Dory, that Diodorus referred to the Celts became in other author, in the akin term "Longche" a small thrusting an throwing spear, and in Arrian again is even a javelin,
    The fact that a term normally (but not always) used to define a two handed CAVALRY spear is used for infantry units, in my point of view isn't enough to affirm that the author meant necessary "Sarissa"... furthermore, I don't think there is any evidence of a macedonian style phalanx within the Kushites...

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •