Caucasus armies - Post info here.

[Geronimo2006]

We're having difficulties finding images/sources of the armies of the Causasus states like Georgia, Chechnya etc. in the 17th century. If you have information to contribute to this please post here thank you.

[YourStepDad]

This is all I could get, I hope its of at least some usefulness.

Georgian miniatures from a mid 17th century manuscript of Shota Rustaveli's poem, The Knight in the Panther's Skin.

[poa]

to my knowledge it was exclusively light cavalry shooting arrows from the horse, short bows so poor range

[Otto Flik (qwert)]

[Geronimo2006]

Great thanks

[Otto Flik (qwert)]

Petyhorcy (singular: Petyhorzec, by.Пяцігорцы) was a type of 16-18th century medium-armoured cavalry in Great Duchy of Lithuania and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Initially it was formed from Circassians who came to Lithuania from under the rule of the Russian Tsardom (and hence were sometimes referred to simply as Czerkiesi - Circassians). The name is a corrupted Russian-language reference to a region of "Pyatigorye" ("Five Mountains", Beshtau) in Caucasus, which corresponds to the city of Pyatigorsk.[1]Initially formed by Caucasian mountaineers, the light cavalry units were with time also joined by Lithuanian Tartars and local landed gentry. Much like other steppe units, the petyhorcy units were initially armoured only in light misiurka (chainmail cap) and karwasz, a type of steel arm protectors. The offensive armament included a lance, possibly identical to the long lance used by Polish Winged Hussars. The first such units were formed during the reign of king Stefan Batory. A commander of one of such units, cerain Temruk Szymkowic, was recorded as a rotmistrz already during the reign of Sigismund August, but it is uncertain whether he commanded a circassian unit at that time.
With time the unit type evolved into medium cavalry, almost identical to Polish pancerni. The armour used by those later units included a full chainmail armour with misiurka and arm protectors and often also a kalkan, a round Turkish-style shield. In the 17th century the chainmail was gradually replaced by cuirasses. The offensive armament in use by Petyhorcy included a 3 to 4-metres-long lance of bear spear (rohatyna), as well as a Polish sabre, two pistols and a musket carbine or an eastern-type bow.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petyhorcy

http://dariocaballeros.blogspot.com/...zy-kossak.html

[LinusLinothorax]

Got some further 17th century Georgian stuff.

"Georgian Prince on Horseback" by Don Christoforo de Castelli

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Here a couple depictions of Saint George from a Georgian manuscript:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Conclusion: Georgian nobles made use of chainmail armour, sabres and small bucklers. All in all very Turkized in appareance.

[Geronimo2006]

Thank you.

Following further research I am considering adding Circassia as a faction. Input welcome.

[Nesij]

Well let me start by general balance situation in the region at 1609 and the regional balance of power.
I will help with the unit rosters also...

Circassia (a loose "Tribal Confederation"), Georgia (was actually split since 1460s; Kartli, Abkhazia and Mingrelia are independent but large parts under Persian control in 1609), Gazikumukh Shamkalate (Covering Chechnya-Dagistan).

Circassia and Gazikumukh were somewhat past their peak 50 years ago (weakened by fighting each other, also, Circassia was fighting against Ottoman-Crimean forces, Gazikumukh had to deal with Persian and Russian incursions but Georgia was basically in her dark ages, way past her Pre-Mongol invasion peak of 4 centuries (Golden age of Georgia). Eastern Georgia was pretty much a battlefield for the Ottoman and Persian Empires to fight on at this point in time.

I suggest ideally you include 5 independent states in the Caucasus in total: Mingrelia, Kartli Abkhazia, Gazikumukh, Circassia.
Power ranking would probably be Gazikumukh, Circassia, Kartli, Mingrelia, Abkhazia.

I can write the unit rosters quite easily. There is some possibility to share units between factions: Abkhazian and Mingrelians can fight together in the same army. Circassian armies were aided by Abkhazian and Dagistani (Gazikumukh) Infantry, Eastern Circassians can be part of Gazikumukh armies.

How many different cavalry and infantry units do you need? Can you give me some general guidelines please?

I need to do more research on Gazikumukh and Georgia... but at the top of my head here is what their unit rosters strength and weakness would probably be like: Fantastic > Excellent > Good> Average
I can start immediately on Circassian and Abkhazians.

Circassia: Fantastic Heavy Cavalry, Good Light Cavalry--- Good Light Infantry/Skirmishers, swordsman, axeman--- lack real pikeman and heavy infantry.
Abkhazia: Good Cavalry --Excellent Light Infantry/Skirmisher---Good Swordsman--- lack solid pikeman
Mingrelia: Excellent Cavalry -- Excellent Light Infanry/Skirmisher --- Excellent Swordsman --- Average Pikeman and excellent Heavy Infantry
Kartli: Almost identical to Mingrelia.
Gazikumukh: Good Cavalry-- Excellent Horse Archers -- Good Light Infantry/Skirmisher, Average swordsman, lack pikeman and heavy infantry

I got lots of pictures dont worry.
To be continued...