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View Full Version : Hegmonia Faction Preview 2: Athens



spirit_of_rob
02-13-2006, 15:44
Faction Preview:

The City of Athens

Models: Dark Fenrir, Skins: Spirit_of_Rob, Additional art: Lupus

https://img162.imageshack.us/img162/1766/athenaiconfaction0ek.jpg

The faction icon is the owl and the olive leaf which are symbols of the city and the goddess Athena.
-"At Marathon for all Hellenes the Athenians fought, and low the Medians' gilded power they brought..."

Epigram for the fighters in the battle of Marathon.
Athens

Everybody is familiar with the celebrated glory of ancient Athens and the cultural achievements of the Athenians, who prevailed in the Hellenic world to become the common culture of most Greeks, and later form the base of western civilization. Before the classical ages, Athens did not possess much of the prestige it gained after the Persian wars and the golden age of Pericles, which allowed them to lead a big league of Greeks, (The Delian League) and become rich and prosperous in 5th century BC.

Until the 8th century the aristocratic rulers merited lifelong authority. That system was changed after riots from the poor people, however the masses were never fond of the landowners, and eventually Drakon was assigned to write down laws of the state. Those laws were very cruel and the farmers needs were not met so in 594 Solon, one of the 7 sages of ancient times, was elected to to be the new lawmaker. Solon not only freed all the Athenians who had become slaves due to their debts, but also placed the foundations for the democratic system of government, by setting the first gathering of people (Ekklesia tou Demou). He was also the man to inspire his countrymen to recapture the island of Salamina from the Megarians, and also encouraged the first sacred war, which resulted with the complete independence of Delphi. Despite the wise laws of Solon, neither the aristocrats nor the poor people were satisfied and soon misrule and discontent showed up once more, with "paedieis" (people of plains), "paralioi" (people of seashore) and "diakrioi" (mountaineers) fighting each other in violent quarrels.

Peisistratos, an energetic noble man who was a cousin of Solon, took advantage of the situation and occupied the Akropolis, and became a tyrannt who was loved by the masses. Peisistratos mastered political skills, eloquence and protected the arts and literature, thus he proved to be a great leader. He reorganized the economy of Athens, and with his own money, constructed roads, supplied plenty of water to the city, while he reorganized the Panathenean celebrations and beautified Athens by building many temples. His major achievement was to collect the Homeric epics and write them down unified, while in the government he made sure that Solon's laws were preserved. Peisistratos created the first effective fleet for Athens, but also maintained good relations with Argos, Sparta and with the Ionians of Asia Minor. When he died, power was handed on to his sons Hippias and Ipparchos, but Hipparchos was murdered because of a personal conflict, and Ippias eventually ended up betraying his country and assisting the Persian invasion after being expelled from Athens.

Later, another aristocrat, Kleisthenes, after defeating his political enemies and gained full power, evolved the democratic system through many reforms that uplifted the moral of the Athenians, who became true citizens divided into 10 "phyles" (tribes) and many municipalities. Each one of them supplied citizen-soldiers to fill the ranks of the Athenian Army with brave warriors for when the city was in need. At that time Athenians defeated both the Thebans and the Chalkidians of Euboia, where they imposed settlers coming from Attica and the properties of the defeated nobles were confiscated.

Athenians are Ionian Greeks akin to their brothers on the islands of the Aegean and the coasts of Asia Minor. They believed they were autochthons, offsprings of the people who were managed and organised by the mythological king Kekrops/Erectheus, who started Zeus' worship and also counted the population of Athens that turned out to be 20000 at that time, before known history. During his reign, the goddess Athena and Poseidon were competing for the protection of the city and each one offered presents. Poseidon struck the rock at the Acropolis with his trident (the three marks can be seen behind the Erectheion temple) and a spring with salted water gushed up. With the blow also leaped the first horse, ready to serve man faithfully, while Athena offered an olive tree. The legend tell us, that all the men of Athens voted for the gift of Poseidon and all the women, for the gift of Athena, and because there was one woman more than the men, the goddess Athena was selected, and from her, the city took her name. The goddess also is the protector of Athens and is named "Promachos" (champion fighter) and "Apteros Nike" (Nike without wings), she is worshipped in times of peace and wartime. Kekrops, whose grave was preserved in the Acropolis till 4th century BC, was supposed to be half man and half dragon. His lower part of the body which was a serpent, symbolized that the Atheneans rose from the earth they inhabited, which means autochthon because the snake theme is strongly related with the earth/chtonic element. Many famous mythological kings succeded him like Amfiktyon, Ericthonios and Thesseus, who killed minotaur and took part in the argonautic expedition along with the other Greek heroes, but also was a social reformer and achieved to increase his territory. The last king of Athens was Kodros. During his reign, a powerful force of Dorians from Korinthos and Argos invaded Attica and a delphic oracle had promised them success to their expedition, provided that they will not injure Kodros. When this was learned by Kodros, he disguised himself as a peasant or a woodsman and went to the enemy camp, provoking a quarrel with the Dorians and was killed. When the Dorians learned that the dead man was Kodros, they left Athens. After his heroic sacrifice, the Athenians did not permit anyone else, to bear the title of king.

Just a few decades before the outburst of the Ionian revolt against Persian authority, Athens could not even gain an easy victory over its neighbours Megara and Aegina. In the upcoming Persian invasion the Athenian hoplite is called to the defence of his state, against a numerous foe. If the Lakedaemoneans (Spartans) refuse to send forces on a long distance expedition in order to appear as protectors of all Greeks, not only the Dorians as they did in the past, it will be Athens' duty to secure the Ionians.During the Persian Wars the city of Athens itself will be destroyed and despite this, it will become the major force in both the Hellenic and the rest of the world.

When the Persian king Dareios, learned about the burning of Sardis, (during the Ionian revolt at the beginning of the 5th Century) in great rage he asked who was responisble. He was informed that the Athenians were responsible, he asked "...and who are they?" Upon been informed, he shot an arrow into the sky, vowed to have revenge against the Athenians and ordered one of his servants to remind him, three times every day during dinner:
-"My lord, remember the Athenians...!"

Locations/Regions around Athens

https://img397.imageshack.us/img397/7254/00076yy.jpg
https://img397.imageshack.us/img397/1508/00082ey.jpg
Faction Units

https://img524.imageshack.us/img524/8/athenspreview0cb.jpg

From left to right:
Top Row: Athenian logades, Athenian Hoplite 1, Acropolis Guard, Marine Archer
Bottom Row: Family Bodyguard, Elite Marine, Athenian Hoplite 2 Athenian Cavalry

Athenian logades:

https://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c78/spirit_of_rob/th_Athenian_Loagades.jpg (https://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c78/spirit_of_rob/Athenian_Loagades.jpg)
These are the elite hoplites of Athens, selected by the citizens on the basis of their abilities morale and equipment. While they are armed in the standard hoplite fashion, they're equipment is of the highest quality.

Athenian Hoplites :

https://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c78/spirit_of_rob/th_AthenianHoplite.jpg (https://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c78/spirit_of_rob/AthenianHoplite.jpg)
The backbone of this faction's units are regular Athenian hoplites, who are citizen soldiers of Athens serving their homeland in times of war, and though they are not professional soldiers, they are quite disciplined and organized, able to perform strategical plans and movements -of course there is no question about their courage and valor. (there are two such units in the plate so we have an alternative option)
Their equipement and shield designs are of the Ionian style rather than the Dorian style. The first one has a lion on the shield, and wears decorated linothorax along with a chalkidean style semi-open helmet.


Athenian Acropolis Guard:

https://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c78/spirit_of_rob/th_Athenian_Acrop.jpg (https://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c78/spirit_of_rob/Athenian_Acrop.jpg)
We have also included a guard of the Acropolis so that we have got a devoted/ceremonial unit with excellent moral, giving Athens a bigger variety of hoplites.
The term Acropolis guard is common, and we have based our unit on the Athenians who refused to leave Athens when Themistocles persuaded his compatriots to leave the whole town to the Persian invaders! (and thus actually delivered it to them) Amongst them were some old and poor Athenians, BUT also there were the guards of Acropolis along with priests,clerks and the people in service of the goddess. Those lads as mentioned by Herodotos, gave a good performance against the Persians and held them back for quite long. When eventually a Persian corp climbed from an unguarded path, ALL of the remaining defenders commited suicide (by jumping down the side of the Acropolis) rather than face being captured !

Athenian Marine Archers:

https://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c78/spirit_of_rob/th_Athenian_Marinearc.jpg (https://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c78/spirit_of_rob/Athenian_Marinearc.jpg)
Next come the Athenian archers armed with bow and sword.
In the battle of Plataia, the only Greeks who brought archers were the Athenians. These troops mostly served in the navy, but obviously they could fight on land when necessary. We chose to give them enough protective equipement for body and head, since there are enough artifacts and foundings that suggest so.
They have been givin Linothorax armour and the chalkidean style semi-open helmet.


Family Member Bodyguards:

https://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c78/spirit_of_rob/th_Athenian_Bodyguard.jpg (https://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c78/spirit_of_rob/Athenian_Bodyguard.jpg)
These Hoplites are the closest followers of the Strategos (General), usually amongst those who have done well out of the new democratic system of Athens, and they are highly motivated, as they have a lot to lose if Athens falls.

Athenian Elite Marines:

https://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c78/spirit_of_rob/th_AthenianEMarine.jpg (https://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c78/spirit_of_rob/AthenianEMarine.jpg)
These are elite hoplites who are loaded on to the ships or specially trained soldiers to do two main jobs, protect the crew from boarders and capture enemy ships.
Since many battles in that era are fought simultaenously on land and sea, it is not unusal to see them fighting on land more than occasionally, as they might be brought in as relief troops if the naval battle finishes prior to the land battle, this is especially the case, as it was quite common that sea battles would take place near the coasts.
There will also be ZoR marines for every southern hellenic faction recruitable with a port, who will not have real body protective equiopement, and will fight with sword and throw their short spear, BUT the naval factions like Athens will also have a faction unit, an elite marine armed with short spear who also threw a short spear prior to charging. (akin to Vanilla Roman troops)
Athenian Hoplite 2:

This second version has a bird symbol on the shield. They wear simple linothorax armour and the heavier corinthian helmet.
Athenian Cavalry:

Athenians will also have a small size unit of light cavalry best used for little raids, skirmishing and engaging light or disorganized enemy troops.
Auxilia Units

The auxilia troops such as javelineers, stonethrowers, servants, light/ekdromoi hoplites, slingers and scout cavalry will be available from the ZoR, and will be the same for most of the southern Helllenic factions (except for Sparta and Crete who will have their own system)
Also Athens, will have as starting provinces, Plataia and Eretria, and obviously will command from the beginning of the game, city hoplites from these two allied cities!
so here is the:

Platean hoplite:
https://img4.imageshack.us/my.php?image=plataea1zt.jpg
(this unit will be redone)

We have not only made impressive units but accurate ones as well.
These are a unit from a poor city which, despite lacking wealth, produced brave hoplites! These soldiers marched –like the loyal and devoted allies they were- to Marathon to assist the Athenians against the numerous Persian invaders !
The Platains didnt hesitate even to challenge the strongest Boeotian city -the city of Thebes!

They are armed with a regular boeotian shield which differs from an hoplon-argolic shield, and are equipped with the simplest version of boeotian helmet, and just poor and ineffective protective arms, they are courageous though, and have good morale.

Eretrian hoplite: skin by Hades (color may change from purple to a less noble one)

http://syjame.free.fr/rtw/h/eretria_hoplite_m.jpg (http://syjame.free.fr/rtw/h/eretria_hoplite.jpg)

Eretrian hoplites are the citizens of the city of Eretria, but also include the Athenian settlers sent to Eubean captured territories.On the shield is the typical Eretrian symbol.
We hope you have enjoyed this preview of our Athenian faction. Constructive comments are appreciated as always.

spirit_of_rob.
If you would like to learn more about Hegemonia-City States, visit us at our development forum (http://s14.invisionfree.com/Hegemonia_forum/index.php).
Thank you,
The Hegemonia Team

spirit_of_rob
06-15-2006, 18:02
We have some some reskins for the first faction that was completed Hope you like :)

Athenian Hoplite

https://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i13/_SoR_/Athenian.jpg

Athenian Logades

https://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i13/_SoR_/Athenian_logades.jpg

Athenian General Guards

https://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i13/_SoR_/11c7662d.jpg

Teleklos Archelaou
06-15-2006, 18:33
Nice work Rob. :2thumbsup: Love those plumes!

GiantMonkeyMan
06-17-2006, 09:13
yes great work guys! keep it up :thumbsup:

spirit_of_rob
06-17-2006, 12:16
Thnanks guys there should be some updates to the ionians going up today :)

Old_King_Coal
05-30-2009, 21:06
brilliant stuff! I absolutely love the work that's been done on Hegemonia. I just want to know, would you be prepared to share that map that you use? I am working on a similar mod, Strategos Total war but I have no skill or experience making maps. I would greatly appreciate it if you might allow me to use your map.

Jakob09
03-15-2011, 16:44
Looks absolutly fantastic, espacially the Marines!

Jakob09
03-15-2011, 20:46
Hi there, is there anyway you cn send my the marine units so i could yous them for my rtw mod?

Sanzam
11-21-2011, 16:03
Hey, guys, when the game will be released, or, if it alredy is, can you give me link for download?