Historical army

[Scippio Hollandia]

I was wondering what where the composition of the armies of the different factions?

This Tread will help players to play more according to history.

[Elohim]

I'd recommend looking for some free wargaming sites, and checking their army composition rules for the period. They're usually fairly accurate

[drak10687]

what wargames would you recommend? I've played a couple, but nothing in the midieval period. What would be pretty realistic ones?

[DaVinci]

Well, i have not a faction-wise and very specific army consistence/deployment description to offer, but for Early Era, you can go with the following thumb-rules:

A) European armies:
- Peasant armies mainly, that means levies (spears, archers), sergeants, militia, as the bulk of the army, and just some woodsmen or so; all these guys are naturally not very experienced and poor equipped with pretty less morale.
- Men-At-Arms as the backbone, for dedicated campaigns such as crusades or the serious conflicts between nations; experienced, brave and loyal native warriors who saw battles before, or just as mercenaries.
- Crossbowmen, some, as crossbows were pretty expensive to produce.
- Some Mercenaries, where and what ever a war-leader can get.
- Some special units, as local swordsmen, axemen or justas mercenaries.
- Pretty less mounted units, just some sergeants and similar people, who were more experienced and loyal
- Knights, some, but not much, mainly mounted, who can then decide/rescue a battle-outcome, if the main battle turns out bad.
- Bodyguards for the king or whateverkind of noble war-leader, naturally less, as they are the cream of the available knights.

Sicily is the only european nation with a real standing army, just their Norman experienced units, saracens and local sicilian-italian units.

B) Eastern European:
- Principle same as above, but with much more light, medium cavalry and bow well experienced warriors.

C) Horde/Steppe
- Mounted units, less foot/infantry, mainly bow well experienced units.

D) West Muslim (Moors), partly standing army
- Many foot units (levies), skirmishers (javellin, slingers, less archers)
- Mounted units, horse and/or camel
- Mercenaries (ie. jinetes).
- Good crossbowmen
- Some elite spear/sword units
- Some elite cavalry and bodyguard units.

E) East Muslim (Saracen, Seljuk), partly standing army
- Levies, any kind
- Saracens, bow and swordsmen, infantry.
- Many mounted units, Seljuks: horse archer oriented
- Ghulam Cavalry, elite, plus the bodyguards

F) Byzantium
After the defeat vs. the Seljuks at Manzikert, the traditional strong and well organised east-roman army was shrinked, many mercenaries of Asia Minor (ie. Armenians) went back home. However, Byzantium is the only nation besides Sicily and Muslim lands with a standing army.
- Spearmen inf, militia
- Bowmen, partly mounted, mercenaries
- Infantry mercenaries
- Light, medium and heavy cav, mercenaries
- Professional infantry/cavalry plus elite guard units, but pretty less at this time
- Bodyguards

[Elohim]

It's been years, but I'd recommend

Warhammer Historical (not really GW, so it's okay, lol)

www.freewargamesrules.co.uk - probably something on there...

Sorry I can't be more helpful, but my memory is awful