Armenian roster

[Vardano]

I just watched youtube preview of Armenia and was surprised how limited their roster is. Armenians had an elite heavy archers with supreme armour and shields which were considered one of the best in that era and past to it. Surprised you did not include Azat Infantry in your roster and made Azat Cavalary as skirmisher unit. Also one of the most fearsome Armenian units were Armenian Heavy Mounted Archers which really could have been challenged only by Parthians cavalary. Some more unique Armenian infantry and cav could be presented in your so much anticipated mod!

Would love to see it happen! Thanks for your work!

[Petellius]

For example with the heavy archers, we tend to just put several units in one if there is no real evidence for separate units. As such those heavy archers will likely be seen in cataphracts ect having bows as well as the usual lances (I am talking about Parthia here but I know it applies to other factions too so it may be the truth here as well).

[Visarion]

@ Vardar some sources please!?

[Willhelm123]

My logic was that the Azats were the lower nobility among a people who favoured horses, so they'd probably just be cavalry. You can always dismount them.

[Vardano]

I'll be in Yerevan sometime before the end of this year and will provide you the sources from professional historians. Right now I don't have it, but Armenian roster is very well reflected in Roma Surrectum mod, for an example. Some great research was done by that team.
There is a marvellous work "Kingdom of Armenia" by Mack Chahin which is very good source about history of Armenia from Urartu era and up to 14th century, but it's imossible to find it in internet. I will soon order that book from Amazon.

[Vardan the Great]

Hey Vardano! I agree with you. Basically Armenian army structure was like having heavy spears in the middle-front line (kentronakan, which means central), heavy cavalry to destroy enemies' lines and light cavalry to chase them. Also Armenian archers were very well known and described by Plutarch when he was crossing the land to reach the black see. (If i remember correctly). This is the most basic concept of Armenian ancient army which I can guarantee and bring tons of details and sources. And surely the other variations (which logically had to exist) were auxiliary forces of the main construction. So naturally it is hard to find some certain description on them. Also I have to mention Armenian swordsmen throwing spears before the charges. Lucullus mentioned them as "imitations if legioneers". Sure Romans would think Armenian (like all others cheated from them). And also one more thing: the pre-Armenian Kingdom (of Assyrian origins) "Urartu" was located more to South, compared to the Greater Armenia (which you call just Armenia, tho there was also Lesser Armenia). They had mostly cavalry units. The Armenian Kingdom later adopted military reforms and included heavy infantry units to use the Mountainous landscape with the most. Here I can assume, that in the era of Hellenism, some influence on the Arm. inf units had the Hellenistic hoplite (phalangs had already existed) .
P.S. The book "Kingdom of Armenia" is really one of the best, good choice. I have already bought it from Amazon.