The Wizard
06-12-2005, 17:57
Greetings Europa Barbarorum fans!
As you may have seen, and certainly are seeing now, there has been a change in the EB previews. Khelvan has laid down the previewing baton and passed it on to me. He did a wonderful job and we will all miss him!
Khelvan has gone on to assist in handling more pressing internal matters. Meanwhile, the process of modeling and scripting has entered a new phase, and we are working on a whole slew of new features that will culminate in a new internal release in the not too distant future. It will bring the open beta that much closer!
This week, the EB team is proud to present:
http://img198.echo.cx/img198/8162/logomakedonia17mg.jpg
http://img239.echo.cx/img239/6128/makmap18hy.jpghttp://img35.exs.cx/img35/9620/ebfactionshieldsmacedonfinal2g.jpg
Makedonia. A land of contradictions. A land of soft, rolling lowland and rough, heavily forested highland. A land famed both for its horses and its men. The land whence Philippos and Alexandros marched and made the world tremble in awe. It is a land of endless possibilities, but that knowledge is also known outside of its boundaries.
Whatever the case be, you are the one that controls Makedonia. You control the great estates from where its famous cavalry comes, as well as the tough but unruly men from the hills that fill the ranks of its resplendent infantry. It is you that has taken control of the land which made it even possible for the Seleukidoi and Ptolemaioi to attain the position they have now. Why should they not be subservient to your majesty? The majesty of the Makedonian king? The rightful supreme ruler of the Hellenistic world as master of Alexandros’ birth ground?
All political musings aside, you are one of the great European powers, if not the greatest. From your power base in Makedonia itself, you control large tracts of the traditional Hellenistic world. Such power creates jealousy, however. As a result, your enemies are numerous. To the south, your rule in Hellas proper is contested by leagues of Hellenistic city states in the Peloponnesos as well as in Aetolia. Then there is the perpetual danger emanating from the old powers in the cities of Sparte and Athenai. All want to throw off the shackles of Makedonian rule, and to get it they want to take the rule of Korinthos and the control of the isthmus from you.
Meanwhile, your control of the Greek islands is contested by the Ptolemaioi and their hated ally, that foul city of Rhodes and its statue built of the remains of your father’s siege weapons. They want control of the city of Mytilene on Lesbos, which grants you control of the Thrakian Bosporos and the northern Aigaion.
To the north, there remain the perpetual threats of the Thraikians and the Illyrians, who are still more than ready to come through the mountain passes and raid your lands. To the west, there is a growing power which has already managed to take control of the Hellenistic cities of Megale Hellas. These Romaioi have even managed to defeat a descendant of Alexandros himself! Perhaps they have their hungry eyes directed to your domains as well. What to do against such numerous enemies?
While developing naval strength is a possibility, your infantry is the core of the Makedonian army. Basic hoplite soldiers from the older Hellenic cities under your control are available as are the better equipped sarissa-bearing soldiers, of varying levels of ability and training, for which Makedon is so well-known. The best Makedonian pikemen are, of course, the famous Argyraspidai, or "Silver Shields". Their armor is better and their training is more thorough and they will hold the line in tough situations. You can supplement these with the most elite soldiers, trained in your best barracks, the Hypaspistai. They have shorter spears and function like traditional hoplites except for their mobility and mail armor. They are some of the toughest and most versatile soldiers available to any army in the ancient world, but they are also some of the most costly to train and maintain. Other foot units such as the Thureophoroi are still somewhat experimental and use the almond shaped thureos shield, behind which they attack with javelins and then their short swords. The infantry is also supplemented by inexhaustible supplies of javelin-throwing Akontistai, traditional slingers, Greek archers, higher classed skirmishers known as Peltastai, and even Thrakian Peltastai, which are extremely common and very useful. Following a proud tradition, the Makedonian cavalry are not significantly changed from the days when Alexandros led their charges. Thrakian light cavalry is very effective and mobile, but the men of Thessalia are among the best that the Makedonians are able to muster, trained from birth as they are in fighting on horseback. Alexandros' Hetairoi cavalry were the elite of the Makedonian horse though, and they still are, carrying their twelve foot lances and heavy armor.
Will you be able to lead these proud soldiers to the same lengths as their ancestors that served Philippos and Alexandros? Will you be able to reestablish Makedonian hegemony over Europe and keep Ptolemaic influence out of the Aigaion? Perhaps you will even be able to avenge your father by tearing down that accursed statue of the Rhodians! There are a great many ways to go, oh king. Choose wisely. There is a fine line to walk between success and failure.
Here are shots of the Makedonians in action:
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/9492/action19sl.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=action19sl.jpg)
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/9929/action22ol.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=action22ol.jpg)
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/8357/action38zn.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=action38zn.jpg)
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/8277/action44ov.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=action44ov.jpg)
Some of the units that you will be able to command as King of Makedonia:
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/4097/hoplitai14jc.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=hoplitai14jc.jpg)
The poorest citizens of the Hellenic and Makedonian cities fought as a militia roughly organized along the lines of other, more professional hoplite soldiers. They are organized in the phalanx and are quite high quality for militia, due to the dogged Hellenic spirit and fighting tradition. They can be expected to hold a line against most light and medium infantry, though they can be cut to pieces by missile troops, as they have virtually no protection from missiles other than their shields. They are still useful against cavalry, because no horse will willingly charge a line of men armed with sharp pointy sticks! Taxeis hoplitai, if used properly, can be an inexpensive and very valuable unit. Against heavier and more professional troops, they are simply outclassed. A wise commander will take this into account.
Historically, the poorest citizens of any polis and the peasants on the estates of Makedonia were called up in defense of their homeland to fight as taxeis (militia). They had been used to devastating effect in many ancient battles while forming the second battle line. They were good and courageous soldiers that fought with a degree of discipline that no average citizen before or since were able to expect without a fair degree of training. They were not cowards and did not break quickly, but were often annihilated if facing good missile troops or heavier, more professional infantry. Peltastai and other units armed with javelins were particularly devastating to the taxeis hoplitai, due to their lack of protection on the battlefield.
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/3102/peltastai11vi.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=peltastai11vi.jpg)
The peltastai are a type of elite skirmisher that sacrifices heavy arms and armor for mobility and range. They are armored in linen and carry a medium sized ovular shield. Originally, they carried a crescent shaped ‘pelta’ that gave them their name, but this was phased out in the fourth century. Their armaments consist of several javelins and a sword. All this makes them light and mobile, but still easily able to engage in melee after their javelins have been thrown. They are a versatile unit but one must remember that their primary arms are javelins, and they are not equipped to stand toe to toe with heavier infantry. Their role is one of speed, harassment, and critical flanking maneuvers.
Historically, the peltastai were often hoplitai or pezhetairoi equipped to fight in the manner of a skirmisher. This meant that they were extremely adept melee combatants as well as being deadly with their javelins. Peltastai were used to great effect on ancient battlefields but by 270 B.C. the thureophoroi was becoming the dominant ‘melee’ skirmisher and the peltastai were carrying more javelins and was used in a manner that was consistent with this. This was simply a matter of specialization, and it did not mean that peltastai would be any less effective if deployed correctly. Their light armament makes them extremely fast, but tends to be to their detriment in melee combat. They were mostly used in the role of supporting missile troops who charged in at the last moment, after they had spent all their javelins. The great Athenian general Iphikrates is credited with the invention of the peltastai as a distinct unit, and it is he that first employed them in this manner to great effect against the heavier armored and better trained hoplites of Lakedaimon.
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/4449/pezhetairoi16qt.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=pezhetairoi16qt.jpg)
Pezhetairoi are the bread and butter military unit of the Successor states. They are well disciplined and highly motivated pikemen that are armed and armored to the teeth. They are armored in a linen cuirass, a Phrygian cap, a bronze greave on the right leg, stout boots, good bracers, and reinforced shoulder pads made from hardened linen (due to their experience with the deadly curved swords of Thraikia). They have Illyrian style round shields attached to their bodies by leather straps that help support the weight of the shield and keep their hand free to grasp the sarissa. They are defensive infantry par excellent. They are the anvil of the two part Makedonian system of warfare, the heavy cavalry being the hammer. They should be used to anchor enemy soldiers while the thureophoroi harass the flanks and the heavy cavalry smashes into the flanks and rear.
Historically, the pezhetairoi are the classic Alexandrian phalanx. They were used to great effect against the Persians, Medes, Baktrians, Indians, Phoenicians, and many, many others. They are an effective force and have not changed much over the centuries. The Romans were able to defeat them as easily as they did for two main reasons. One, the Roman army was at a high state of readiness and tactical prowess after defeating the Karchedonioi. Two, the heavy cavalry arm of the Successor armies had degenerated to the point where they were no longer able to field significant numbers to fulfill their part of the hammer and anvil tactic of Alexandros. There were many small reasons, numbering among them the misuse of the thureophoroi, the under use of peltastai, and the lax state of warfare that the Successor states were used to. In any case, the phalanx was not as anachronistic or inflexible as widely believed; it was simply used in the wrong way. In the thirteenth century onwards, pikemen in similar formations were able to work wonders with more capable generals and a better cavalry arm. Do not under appreciate pikemen, for they are still a war winning force.
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/2148/hypaspists19ww.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=hypaspists19ww.jpg)
Hypaspistai are the elite spearmen of the Makedonian and Seleukid armies. They are armed and armored much as traditional hoplites, but with a few notable differences. Their secondary arm is a Celtic style longsword, adopted from the Galatai. They are armed with the traditional hoplite shield, but are often armored in mail, another symptom of Celtic influence. They are versatile and elite soldiers, often forming the right wing of the Hellenic battle line. Their heavy armor and weapons allows them to fight as elite spearmen or swordsmen, able to fight the hardiest opponents. They should be deployed where the fighting will be at its absolute thickest, as they are able to charge in for a kill once the enemy has exhausted himself on their spear points!
Historically, the hypaspistai were the elite foot guard of the Makedonian king, armed much like fifth century hoplites. Alexandros changed their armor and weapons to allow them to fight in the deserts of the Middle East. When Alexandros was killed and the Seleukids and Makedonians inherited the elite forces, they mostly wiped one another out in internecine squabbling. Still, the tradition was there, and it was re-adopted by the Successor armies in Makedonia and Syria. Their equipment went through a further revolution, re-adopting heavier armor. They now wore the less expensive and easier to produce (in relation to bronze plate) mail armor that only provided a slightly smaller degree of protection. They were last used operationally during the time of Philippos V, due to the expense of keeping such a unit around. The Romaioi never got to feel the bite of the most powerful of the Successor infantry…
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/8509/pheraspidai14ot.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=pheraspidai14ot.jpg)
The pheraspidai are the second part of the Basilikon Agema, or Royal Squadron. They are armed with large hoplite shields and swords and these are augmented by a few heavy javelins for added punch. These men are assault infantry, and are really an arm of the heavy infantry mainly used as a mobile reserve to plug gaps where the fighting is thickest and to storm fortresses. They wear heavy armor and have thick helmets to protect them from the rigors of hand-to-hand combat. They are an elite and expensive heavy infantry that is best used for their original purposes, since they are likely to bolster faltering infantry or slaughter garrison troops with ease.
Historically, the pheraspidai, or shield bearers, were the elite of Alexandros’s assault forces. After his death, they split up and slaughtered one another until being reformed by both the Seleukids and the Makedonians. They were used many times, but their slow but steady decline left them virtually incapable of action when the Romulidai invaded. Perhaps a crafty general can save them from their fate...
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/3790/thessalian18bg.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=thessalian18bg.jpg)
Thessalikoi hippeis are drawn from the nobility of Thessalia, a region thoroughly under Macedonian control. They are extremely valuable heavy cavalry, well able to mow through their enemies with a single thunderous charge. While not quite as powerful as the Companion cavalry of Macedon itself, the Thessaloi are well able to give a good account of themselves in battle. Their lances and blades, combined with their shields, make them well able to hold in a melee after the charge has been completed. They have a degree of discipline that is enviable among cavalry warriors.
Historically, Thessalia was famous for its heavy cavalry. Unlike southern Greek regions, the Thessaloi had a wide expanse of plains and were able to breed horses extensively. They were able to keep the other Hellenics at bay even though they were poorer and less populous than their southern neighbors. They were joined with Makedonia during the reign of Philippos, and provided cavalry to fuel Alexandros’s conquests. After Alexandros, they continued to provide heavy cavalry to the Makedonians until the invasion of the Romaioi in 146 B.C. that destroyed much of Thessalia’s infrastructure. There is evidence that heavy cavalry was employed only in smaller numbers at this point, due to cost.
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/2282/hetairoi12dk.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=hetairoi12dk.jpg)
The hetairoi, or companions, were the elite noble heavy cavalry of Makedon and the Successor states. They are an elite heavy cavalry that is second to none and arguably the best cavalry of the period. They fight with a degree of élan, discipline, and simple ferocity that is matched only by the horsemen of Iberia, Karchedon, and the best heavy cavalry of some of the eastern nomadic peoples. They are armored from head to toe in bronze plate, reinforced with mail at key points. Their horses are barded with felt barding and often have bronze plates to protect their heads. Their helmets, with the two plumes, mark them on a battlefield. They are best used as heavy shock cavalry, able to decide many battles with a single charge. They are the second part of the hammer and anvil of Alexandrian battle tactics. They are armed with a xyston and a kopis, and are well able to use both weapons. If these men have any weakness, it is the front of a line of spearmen. Horses simply do not like charging into a row of men armed with big pointy sticks. They are still able to give a decisive blow to the flank and rear of any infantry.
Historically, the hetairoi were first created by Philippos, following the lead of the cavalrymen of Thessalia, to the south. Philippos went one better, armoring them to the teeth and giving them a xyston, a twelve foot long lance tipped with a large steel head. They were armored head to toe in bronze plate, from helms to cuirass to bracers to greaves. Alexandros often replaced this armor with lighter linen when they were traveling, but was quick to replace the bronze in any hard fought engagement. Alexandros added little to their equipment but trained them to ride their horses in such a way that each man was an expert horsemen as well as a shock cavalryman. The successors kept this mold, but added mail reinforcement to the bronze armor at the joints and added felt barding to the horses after encountering horse peoples that did the same. During the third century their usage declined with the Successor’s ability to pay for such heavily armored men. They degenerated to such a point where only a handful were present at major battles, and were far from the war winning force that they had been earlier. Perhaps with a bit of luck and more funding, a good general could use them in their true glory once more…
Some monuments to remind you that not all is blood and gore:
Aigai
http://img290.echo.cx/img290/4112/aigaiscreen34ug.th.jpg (http://img290.echo.cx/my.php?image=aigaiscreen34ug.jpg)
Finally, a few goodies for y’all:
http://img198.echo.cx/img198/8831/logomakedonia1small9ma.jpg
We heartily invite our fans to use these signatures. They are here for you, and we delight to see them used by our great fans!
We hope that you’ve enjoyed this week’s update!
Please note that unless stated otherwise, ALL pictures shown in our previews are of works in progress. We continue to improve on all parts of EB, and we will continue to do so long after our initial release.
Since some areas where these news items are posted cannot handle wide images, we appreciate your restraint from quoting full-size images.
As always, if you have questions or comments, the best place to post them is here, where the EB team is most active:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=70 (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=70)
Or here:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=31
We give special thanks to http://www.imageshack.us (http://www.imageshack.us/) that provides us with a simple, foolproof, and free way to show you all these pictures each week.
Have a great day y’all!
Sincerely,
The Europa Barbarorum team
As you may have seen, and certainly are seeing now, there has been a change in the EB previews. Khelvan has laid down the previewing baton and passed it on to me. He did a wonderful job and we will all miss him!
Khelvan has gone on to assist in handling more pressing internal matters. Meanwhile, the process of modeling and scripting has entered a new phase, and we are working on a whole slew of new features that will culminate in a new internal release in the not too distant future. It will bring the open beta that much closer!
This week, the EB team is proud to present:
http://img198.echo.cx/img198/8162/logomakedonia17mg.jpg
http://img239.echo.cx/img239/6128/makmap18hy.jpghttp://img35.exs.cx/img35/9620/ebfactionshieldsmacedonfinal2g.jpg
Makedonia. A land of contradictions. A land of soft, rolling lowland and rough, heavily forested highland. A land famed both for its horses and its men. The land whence Philippos and Alexandros marched and made the world tremble in awe. It is a land of endless possibilities, but that knowledge is also known outside of its boundaries.
Whatever the case be, you are the one that controls Makedonia. You control the great estates from where its famous cavalry comes, as well as the tough but unruly men from the hills that fill the ranks of its resplendent infantry. It is you that has taken control of the land which made it even possible for the Seleukidoi and Ptolemaioi to attain the position they have now. Why should they not be subservient to your majesty? The majesty of the Makedonian king? The rightful supreme ruler of the Hellenistic world as master of Alexandros’ birth ground?
All political musings aside, you are one of the great European powers, if not the greatest. From your power base in Makedonia itself, you control large tracts of the traditional Hellenistic world. Such power creates jealousy, however. As a result, your enemies are numerous. To the south, your rule in Hellas proper is contested by leagues of Hellenistic city states in the Peloponnesos as well as in Aetolia. Then there is the perpetual danger emanating from the old powers in the cities of Sparte and Athenai. All want to throw off the shackles of Makedonian rule, and to get it they want to take the rule of Korinthos and the control of the isthmus from you.
Meanwhile, your control of the Greek islands is contested by the Ptolemaioi and their hated ally, that foul city of Rhodes and its statue built of the remains of your father’s siege weapons. They want control of the city of Mytilene on Lesbos, which grants you control of the Thrakian Bosporos and the northern Aigaion.
To the north, there remain the perpetual threats of the Thraikians and the Illyrians, who are still more than ready to come through the mountain passes and raid your lands. To the west, there is a growing power which has already managed to take control of the Hellenistic cities of Megale Hellas. These Romaioi have even managed to defeat a descendant of Alexandros himself! Perhaps they have their hungry eyes directed to your domains as well. What to do against such numerous enemies?
While developing naval strength is a possibility, your infantry is the core of the Makedonian army. Basic hoplite soldiers from the older Hellenic cities under your control are available as are the better equipped sarissa-bearing soldiers, of varying levels of ability and training, for which Makedon is so well-known. The best Makedonian pikemen are, of course, the famous Argyraspidai, or "Silver Shields". Their armor is better and their training is more thorough and they will hold the line in tough situations. You can supplement these with the most elite soldiers, trained in your best barracks, the Hypaspistai. They have shorter spears and function like traditional hoplites except for their mobility and mail armor. They are some of the toughest and most versatile soldiers available to any army in the ancient world, but they are also some of the most costly to train and maintain. Other foot units such as the Thureophoroi are still somewhat experimental and use the almond shaped thureos shield, behind which they attack with javelins and then their short swords. The infantry is also supplemented by inexhaustible supplies of javelin-throwing Akontistai, traditional slingers, Greek archers, higher classed skirmishers known as Peltastai, and even Thrakian Peltastai, which are extremely common and very useful. Following a proud tradition, the Makedonian cavalry are not significantly changed from the days when Alexandros led their charges. Thrakian light cavalry is very effective and mobile, but the men of Thessalia are among the best that the Makedonians are able to muster, trained from birth as they are in fighting on horseback. Alexandros' Hetairoi cavalry were the elite of the Makedonian horse though, and they still are, carrying their twelve foot lances and heavy armor.
Will you be able to lead these proud soldiers to the same lengths as their ancestors that served Philippos and Alexandros? Will you be able to reestablish Makedonian hegemony over Europe and keep Ptolemaic influence out of the Aigaion? Perhaps you will even be able to avenge your father by tearing down that accursed statue of the Rhodians! There are a great many ways to go, oh king. Choose wisely. There is a fine line to walk between success and failure.
Here are shots of the Makedonians in action:
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/9492/action19sl.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=action19sl.jpg)
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/9929/action22ol.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=action22ol.jpg)
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/8357/action38zn.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=action38zn.jpg)
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/8277/action44ov.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=action44ov.jpg)
Some of the units that you will be able to command as King of Makedonia:
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/4097/hoplitai14jc.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=hoplitai14jc.jpg)
The poorest citizens of the Hellenic and Makedonian cities fought as a militia roughly organized along the lines of other, more professional hoplite soldiers. They are organized in the phalanx and are quite high quality for militia, due to the dogged Hellenic spirit and fighting tradition. They can be expected to hold a line against most light and medium infantry, though they can be cut to pieces by missile troops, as they have virtually no protection from missiles other than their shields. They are still useful against cavalry, because no horse will willingly charge a line of men armed with sharp pointy sticks! Taxeis hoplitai, if used properly, can be an inexpensive and very valuable unit. Against heavier and more professional troops, they are simply outclassed. A wise commander will take this into account.
Historically, the poorest citizens of any polis and the peasants on the estates of Makedonia were called up in defense of their homeland to fight as taxeis (militia). They had been used to devastating effect in many ancient battles while forming the second battle line. They were good and courageous soldiers that fought with a degree of discipline that no average citizen before or since were able to expect without a fair degree of training. They were not cowards and did not break quickly, but were often annihilated if facing good missile troops or heavier, more professional infantry. Peltastai and other units armed with javelins were particularly devastating to the taxeis hoplitai, due to their lack of protection on the battlefield.
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/3102/peltastai11vi.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=peltastai11vi.jpg)
The peltastai are a type of elite skirmisher that sacrifices heavy arms and armor for mobility and range. They are armored in linen and carry a medium sized ovular shield. Originally, they carried a crescent shaped ‘pelta’ that gave them their name, but this was phased out in the fourth century. Their armaments consist of several javelins and a sword. All this makes them light and mobile, but still easily able to engage in melee after their javelins have been thrown. They are a versatile unit but one must remember that their primary arms are javelins, and they are not equipped to stand toe to toe with heavier infantry. Their role is one of speed, harassment, and critical flanking maneuvers.
Historically, the peltastai were often hoplitai or pezhetairoi equipped to fight in the manner of a skirmisher. This meant that they were extremely adept melee combatants as well as being deadly with their javelins. Peltastai were used to great effect on ancient battlefields but by 270 B.C. the thureophoroi was becoming the dominant ‘melee’ skirmisher and the peltastai were carrying more javelins and was used in a manner that was consistent with this. This was simply a matter of specialization, and it did not mean that peltastai would be any less effective if deployed correctly. Their light armament makes them extremely fast, but tends to be to their detriment in melee combat. They were mostly used in the role of supporting missile troops who charged in at the last moment, after they had spent all their javelins. The great Athenian general Iphikrates is credited with the invention of the peltastai as a distinct unit, and it is he that first employed them in this manner to great effect against the heavier armored and better trained hoplites of Lakedaimon.
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/4449/pezhetairoi16qt.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=pezhetairoi16qt.jpg)
Pezhetairoi are the bread and butter military unit of the Successor states. They are well disciplined and highly motivated pikemen that are armed and armored to the teeth. They are armored in a linen cuirass, a Phrygian cap, a bronze greave on the right leg, stout boots, good bracers, and reinforced shoulder pads made from hardened linen (due to their experience with the deadly curved swords of Thraikia). They have Illyrian style round shields attached to their bodies by leather straps that help support the weight of the shield and keep their hand free to grasp the sarissa. They are defensive infantry par excellent. They are the anvil of the two part Makedonian system of warfare, the heavy cavalry being the hammer. They should be used to anchor enemy soldiers while the thureophoroi harass the flanks and the heavy cavalry smashes into the flanks and rear.
Historically, the pezhetairoi are the classic Alexandrian phalanx. They were used to great effect against the Persians, Medes, Baktrians, Indians, Phoenicians, and many, many others. They are an effective force and have not changed much over the centuries. The Romans were able to defeat them as easily as they did for two main reasons. One, the Roman army was at a high state of readiness and tactical prowess after defeating the Karchedonioi. Two, the heavy cavalry arm of the Successor armies had degenerated to the point where they were no longer able to field significant numbers to fulfill their part of the hammer and anvil tactic of Alexandros. There were many small reasons, numbering among them the misuse of the thureophoroi, the under use of peltastai, and the lax state of warfare that the Successor states were used to. In any case, the phalanx was not as anachronistic or inflexible as widely believed; it was simply used in the wrong way. In the thirteenth century onwards, pikemen in similar formations were able to work wonders with more capable generals and a better cavalry arm. Do not under appreciate pikemen, for they are still a war winning force.
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/2148/hypaspists19ww.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=hypaspists19ww.jpg)
Hypaspistai are the elite spearmen of the Makedonian and Seleukid armies. They are armed and armored much as traditional hoplites, but with a few notable differences. Their secondary arm is a Celtic style longsword, adopted from the Galatai. They are armed with the traditional hoplite shield, but are often armored in mail, another symptom of Celtic influence. They are versatile and elite soldiers, often forming the right wing of the Hellenic battle line. Their heavy armor and weapons allows them to fight as elite spearmen or swordsmen, able to fight the hardiest opponents. They should be deployed where the fighting will be at its absolute thickest, as they are able to charge in for a kill once the enemy has exhausted himself on their spear points!
Historically, the hypaspistai were the elite foot guard of the Makedonian king, armed much like fifth century hoplites. Alexandros changed their armor and weapons to allow them to fight in the deserts of the Middle East. When Alexandros was killed and the Seleukids and Makedonians inherited the elite forces, they mostly wiped one another out in internecine squabbling. Still, the tradition was there, and it was re-adopted by the Successor armies in Makedonia and Syria. Their equipment went through a further revolution, re-adopting heavier armor. They now wore the less expensive and easier to produce (in relation to bronze plate) mail armor that only provided a slightly smaller degree of protection. They were last used operationally during the time of Philippos V, due to the expense of keeping such a unit around. The Romaioi never got to feel the bite of the most powerful of the Successor infantry…
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/8509/pheraspidai14ot.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=pheraspidai14ot.jpg)
The pheraspidai are the second part of the Basilikon Agema, or Royal Squadron. They are armed with large hoplite shields and swords and these are augmented by a few heavy javelins for added punch. These men are assault infantry, and are really an arm of the heavy infantry mainly used as a mobile reserve to plug gaps where the fighting is thickest and to storm fortresses. They wear heavy armor and have thick helmets to protect them from the rigors of hand-to-hand combat. They are an elite and expensive heavy infantry that is best used for their original purposes, since they are likely to bolster faltering infantry or slaughter garrison troops with ease.
Historically, the pheraspidai, or shield bearers, were the elite of Alexandros’s assault forces. After his death, they split up and slaughtered one another until being reformed by both the Seleukids and the Makedonians. They were used many times, but their slow but steady decline left them virtually incapable of action when the Romulidai invaded. Perhaps a crafty general can save them from their fate...
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/3790/thessalian18bg.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=thessalian18bg.jpg)
Thessalikoi hippeis are drawn from the nobility of Thessalia, a region thoroughly under Macedonian control. They are extremely valuable heavy cavalry, well able to mow through their enemies with a single thunderous charge. While not quite as powerful as the Companion cavalry of Macedon itself, the Thessaloi are well able to give a good account of themselves in battle. Their lances and blades, combined with their shields, make them well able to hold in a melee after the charge has been completed. They have a degree of discipline that is enviable among cavalry warriors.
Historically, Thessalia was famous for its heavy cavalry. Unlike southern Greek regions, the Thessaloi had a wide expanse of plains and were able to breed horses extensively. They were able to keep the other Hellenics at bay even though they were poorer and less populous than their southern neighbors. They were joined with Makedonia during the reign of Philippos, and provided cavalry to fuel Alexandros’s conquests. After Alexandros, they continued to provide heavy cavalry to the Makedonians until the invasion of the Romaioi in 146 B.C. that destroyed much of Thessalia’s infrastructure. There is evidence that heavy cavalry was employed only in smaller numbers at this point, due to cost.
http://img284.echo.cx/img284/2282/hetairoi12dk.th.jpg (http://img284.echo.cx/my.php?image=hetairoi12dk.jpg)
The hetairoi, or companions, were the elite noble heavy cavalry of Makedon and the Successor states. They are an elite heavy cavalry that is second to none and arguably the best cavalry of the period. They fight with a degree of élan, discipline, and simple ferocity that is matched only by the horsemen of Iberia, Karchedon, and the best heavy cavalry of some of the eastern nomadic peoples. They are armored from head to toe in bronze plate, reinforced with mail at key points. Their horses are barded with felt barding and often have bronze plates to protect their heads. Their helmets, with the two plumes, mark them on a battlefield. They are best used as heavy shock cavalry, able to decide many battles with a single charge. They are the second part of the hammer and anvil of Alexandrian battle tactics. They are armed with a xyston and a kopis, and are well able to use both weapons. If these men have any weakness, it is the front of a line of spearmen. Horses simply do not like charging into a row of men armed with big pointy sticks. They are still able to give a decisive blow to the flank and rear of any infantry.
Historically, the hetairoi were first created by Philippos, following the lead of the cavalrymen of Thessalia, to the south. Philippos went one better, armoring them to the teeth and giving them a xyston, a twelve foot long lance tipped with a large steel head. They were armored head to toe in bronze plate, from helms to cuirass to bracers to greaves. Alexandros often replaced this armor with lighter linen when they were traveling, but was quick to replace the bronze in any hard fought engagement. Alexandros added little to their equipment but trained them to ride their horses in such a way that each man was an expert horsemen as well as a shock cavalryman. The successors kept this mold, but added mail reinforcement to the bronze armor at the joints and added felt barding to the horses after encountering horse peoples that did the same. During the third century their usage declined with the Successor’s ability to pay for such heavily armored men. They degenerated to such a point where only a handful were present at major battles, and were far from the war winning force that they had been earlier. Perhaps with a bit of luck and more funding, a good general could use them in their true glory once more…
Some monuments to remind you that not all is blood and gore:
Aigai
http://img290.echo.cx/img290/4112/aigaiscreen34ug.th.jpg (http://img290.echo.cx/my.php?image=aigaiscreen34ug.jpg)
Finally, a few goodies for y’all:
http://img198.echo.cx/img198/8831/logomakedonia1small9ma.jpg
We heartily invite our fans to use these signatures. They are here for you, and we delight to see them used by our great fans!
We hope that you’ve enjoyed this week’s update!
Please note that unless stated otherwise, ALL pictures shown in our previews are of works in progress. We continue to improve on all parts of EB, and we will continue to do so long after our initial release.
Since some areas where these news items are posted cannot handle wide images, we appreciate your restraint from quoting full-size images.
As always, if you have questions or comments, the best place to post them is here, where the EB team is most active:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=70 (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=70)
Or here:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=31
We give special thanks to http://www.imageshack.us (http://www.imageshack.us/) that provides us with a simple, foolproof, and free way to show you all these pictures each week.
Have a great day y’all!
Sincerely,
The Europa Barbarorum team