Europa Barbarorum

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Pindar @ Jan. 13 2004,07:42)]No one seems to have answered my question about depicting the barbarians. I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less from the uncivilized quarters.

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Pindar,
I do not know what problems you have with the representation of Ptolemeic Egypt. The reason why this campaign is centered around the barbarians, is because the RTW-barbarians are not the barbarians as were fighing against Rome. They are just shirtless guys with large swords. Gaulic / Germanic cultures are ignored and thrown together. That is the reason for the campaign.
What are your reasons for an Africa Egyptinum-campaign?

Ludens

P.s. I hope this was sufficiently unbarbaric to mollify master Pindar.

Ok guys I will attempt to search for information about the Celtic tribes of Britain during this period...

Sadly I don't have any books on the subject yet, but I will work on that.

For now I have the joys of the Internet to help http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...c-computer.gif

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]1-Post a link of the current unit/building/info page, so that people will understand what is missing.

2-Limit the people who are in this FOR REAL. Or weeks later we will still be trying to fit a newcomer into a group "which has room for a guy".

3-Among the enlisted people, divide all into groups like "Celtic Buildings", "Dacian units", "Germanic tactics".. The members of the group should ONLY research that field.

4-WHen each field is completed, the reports will be presented (together with historical proofs, or else we will end up with "Cebeian flying purple tiger lancers") and ALL groups will read ALL reports.

5-After final adjustments some volunteers will complie the findings and sent the proposal to CA.

Long live the Barbaroum

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We have a Prototype Guideline now http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-sunny.gif

Good work, Cebei http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...c-thumbsup.gif

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]P.s. I hope this was sufficiently unbarbaric to mollify master Pindar.

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If he didn't think so... ...who's the barbarian now? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-wink2.gif

I think we should have 2(min) or 3(max) person teams. Each team should coordinate among themselves until a prototype research is presented to the rest of the group.

Who will do the Celtic Briton research?
The_Emperor
...


Who will do the Celtic Gaul research?
PSHYCO ???
...


Who will do the Germanic research?
...
...


Who will do the Dacian research?
...
...

Start aplying, boys and girls... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...ns/gc-help.gif

Hey Aymar the link that you have provided me doesnt work in my sig http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...sappointed.gif

ORG says saomethig like "You are not allowed to use that image extension on this board. A valid format is: http://www.domain.com/picture.gif, an invalid format is: http://www.domain.com/picture.one.gif "

Any ideas why I cant attach it to my sig (I mean the Europa Barbarorum sig)?

Thanks,
Rev

EDIT I volunteer myself to do a research on the Dacians. I have a couple of great books that i can start off with and i can always read Tacitus as well http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg.../gc-juggle.gif

EDIT2 Aymar Nevermind, Emperor has helped me fix my banner problem. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg.../gc-party2.gif

I'm going to look up stuff on the Welsh, if that's Ok. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-book2.gif

Right then guys, I have only been searching the net for little while and I have already found some useful stuff...

The following comes from www.romans-in-britain.org.uk

"Although Britain was divided into areas ruled by individual tribes, they all had very similar attitudes to their communities and way of life.

A tribe would be organised into individual kingdoms with each having it's own ruler who was the monarch of the tribe. Around them would be the members, each having their own status within the community and their own responsibilities.

Most of the income for the people came from the land in the form of arable and livestock farming. Growing cereal crops such as wheat and the rearing of livestock of which cattle and sheep where the main source of meat. This was very much widespread throughout Britain and Europe, which made trade with the continent a viable business. If a country lacked certain items, they could buy it from elsewhere or exchange goods with their neighbours. The British preferred to barter in goods rather than money

On the subject of the tribes, Pytheas, a historian of the time recorded :

This wheat the natives thresh, not on open floors, but in barns because they have so little sunshine and so much rain.
He also wrote :

They (the British) refuse to accept coin and insist on barter, preferring the exchange necessities rather than fix prices.
It is interesting to note that this attitude to bartering goods was still very strong in the period directly before the first Romans, who were avid coin makers, came to Britain in large numbers. The first coinage that we have evidence if did not appear in Britain until the second century BC. This did not mean that Britain was inhabited by total savages set in their old ways, far from it. Diodorus Siculus said :

The inhabitants of that part of Britain which is called Belerion (Land's End) are very fond of strangers and, from their intercourse with foreign merchants, are civilised in their manner of life. They prepare tin, working very carefully the earth in which it is produced. The ground is rocky, but it contains earthy veins, the produce of which is ground down, smelted and purified. They bear the metal into masses, like astrgali, and carry it to a certain island off Britain called Ictis. Then the merchants buy the tin from the natives and carry it over to Gaul, and after traveling overland for about thirty days, they finally bring their load on horse to the mouth of the Rhone.

In this, the time of the Iron Age, the British were very advanced in the production of items from metal, in particular tin from the mines of Cornwall where the raw materials were abundant. From the metals the Celts could forge and shape nearly anything, especially in bronze, of which tin is a major component They were able to manufacture almost anything from the finest swords, spears and chariots to intricate designs on jewelery worn by the aristocracy. Considering their, by today's standards, primitive tools, their achievements were outstanding.

To mention only two instances of the ancient Celtic crafts would be an understatement. But the two most notable and best preserved items are :

The mirror found at Birdlip, Gloucester, which has the most elaborate workings on the enamel inlays in the handle.
The Mayer Mirror, taken from the River Thames, which is totally stunning.

In time, I will be placing pictures of these items on this page.

Metal was not the only material they could make into artefacts., the British were also very adept at making items of clothing from materials made to a high standard. The cloth trades were more towards the east of Cornwall were the tin mines were less concentrated. The most valuable item of attire was the sagum which was a woolen cloak worn by the Roman upper classes. To own such an item gave the impression of the wearer being in the height of fashion. "

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Hey Aymar the link that you have provided me doesnt work in my sig http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...sappointed.gif

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It's just like posting a picture in the reply screen, except you don't have the buttons to do it. You have to write it yourself. In the reply screen is:

-First you press the Image button - img but with Square Signs

-Then the adress: http://www.metw.net/images/supporter.gif

-Then the Image button again - /img but with Square Signs

In your SIG, because you have no Image button, you have to write the command text, similar to the one which appears when you press the image button.

Here is some more info on the same site...

War and battles

It was not possible to directly compare the strength of one tribe with another since they were all very similar and the only real difference was the actual numbers in each tribe. Without a good knowledge of the opposing tribe, a leader would not potentially sacrifice their own throne for the sake of a needless war,. War was only declared if it was thought necessary and their chances of winning were good. War was common amongst these tribes, but there always had to be a trigger of some sort, such as a raid by an adjoining tribe to steal cattle or women to spark a full scale confrontation.

A young warrior would not be allowed to enter into battle until he had proved his manhood. He managed to prove himself in open display without the need to confront an enemy in battle. as is described below


Celtic equipment

The tribes had basic swords and weapons, along with their own techniques of fighting that developed over time. The ancient Britons had chariots in which they would ride amongst the enemy, hurling their spears into the ranks. It is said these chariots spread terror and confusion amongst the enemy. Indeed during the first Roman expedition of 54 BC. the chariots that were most effective against the Legionaries. The standard Roman battle tactics were designed to be used against ground troops, not such fast moving vehicles of war. Which was why the Romans were reluctant to face an enemy employing a method of fighting they had very little experience of.


Survival of the fittest

These people had a basic attitude to life. They regarded warfare as a part of life, as did many societies of this type throughout the world. It was considered part of their background to have rites that all young men had to perform to pass from adolescence to manhood. This process would show which youths were the fittest and strongest, thereby enabling them to progress into mature warriors. The weaker or puny youths and the physically uncoordinated did not survive and would often be cast out of the tribe. As such they would not survive and so perish when left to fend for themselves. A brutal method, but it ensured that the tribe remained strong and healthy.

This did not mean that all weaker youths were outcasts. Those showing a high degree of intelligence would be placed under the care of the priests who would nurture and encourage their talents for the good of the tribe. It was through these people that new techniques and advances would come. Others who did not posess the physical build to be a warrior, would be placed on farms. So there was at least something most members could contribute to the tribe.


The Celts in battle

The chariots were the most effective weapon, splitting the enemy ranks and allowing the fast moving warriors to run amongst an opponent's soldiers, slashing at them with highly sharpened swords that dealt out death and severe injury those those unfortunate enough to be a target.

The ultimate prize for a Celt was not the victory, but the taking of a human head from the enemy. It was common belief that the whole nature and soul of the person resided here. If a warrior took a head from an enemy, he believed that he took on the heroic qualities of his victim. Heads were kept as trophies and the slaying of an opponent and the removal of the head by a youth was seen as automatic qualification of manhood and he would be accepted as a full member of his tribe.


Celtic Battle tactics

Each tribe had their own method of fighting battles. By far the most common was in the use of the chariots to charge into the enemy's ranks, swords blazing out death. Once they had done their work, the soldiers would then join the battle at points where their leaders thought they would be most effective. It is important to mention here, that contrary to popular belief, the British chariots did not have swords jutting out from the wheels ready to take the legs off whoever was in range. This is one of those myths that has been around for so long, it has been taken as fact.

An advantage of the Britons trading with Europe was the traveling merchants could also collect information on techniques of fighting used in foreign lands. One such technique, copied from the Germans, used was to ride into the battle on horseback, then to leap from the animal and engage in face to face combat using swords. This was highly effective, as the enemy had expected an attack from warriors on horseback, then had to quickly adapt to a frontal ground advance.

As can been seen, this method of fighting was limited to fast assaults where the battle would last a relatively short time. A longer battle involving greater numbers on each side would soon degrade purely due to the physical exhaustion of all involved.

OK So far we have:

Who will do the Celtic Briton research?
The_Emperor
Big King Sanctaphrax


Who will do the Celtic Gaul research?
PSHYCO ???
...


Who will do the Germanic research?
...
...


Who will do the Dacian research?
Revenant69
...

Start working boys http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...gc-builder.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-book2.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...c-thumbsup.gif


Waiting for more... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...ons/gc-yes.gif

BTW, wasn't there a guy of Dacian ascendancy in the forums?
A guy who uses a Kensai picture for avatar?
Doesn't he want to join? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...ns/gc-huh2.gif

I have books on Celtic Britain left over from a couple of modules I had to do in my degree. May as well put them to use. It will be slow going though - I have a lot of stuff to do now.

Caaaaaaaaaaaan someeeeeeonnneeeeeee pppoooooosssstttt aaaaaa lliiiiiinnnnnnnkkkkk offfffff currreeeeeennnnnttt RTW ffaaaaaccctttiiiiiooooonnnnn innnnfffoooooooooo??

You guys jumped to step two right away http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...c-confused.gif

Late to the party as always http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...ns/gc-beam.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...c-thumbsup.gif

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Who will do the Germanic research?

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Might as well sign up where somebody is needed. Count me in there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Aymar de Bois Mauri @ Jan. 13 2004,21:49)]BTW, wasn't there a guy of Dacian ascendancy in the forums? A guy who uses a Kensai picture for avatar?
Doesn't he want to join?

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Do you mean Nowake? The guy who had Dacian Falxmen as his favourite elite in the colloseum thread? You could PM him, if you wish.

Unfortunatly I am unable to contribute. I know little about ancient history / archeology with the exception of a few topics, and I have my studies to take care off. The study-coordinators have been amusing themselves by ordering us to read several chapters of "Molecular Biology of the Cell" in an apparently random order (it might just be that is was based on the order of the lessons, but I require evidence before accepting that hypothesis).
Sadists.

Hail Ludens,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Pindar,
I do not know what problems you have with the representation of Ptolemeic Egypt. The reason why this campaign is centered around the barbarians, is because the RTW-barbarians are not the barbarians as were fighing against Rome. They are just shirtless guys with large swords. Gaulic / Germanic cultures are ignored and thrown together. That is the reason for the campaign.
What are your reasons for an Africa Egyptinum-campaign?

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I don't mind, and in fact agree with, more as opposed to less accuracy. So, if the Northern barbarians can be protrayed in a way more in line with the period, all the better. I do dislike revisionist views that try to put forward postitions where barbarians are no longer barbarian, but rather on a civilizational par with everyone else.

Regarding Egypt: I understand that the game will show the faction as for the most part something akin to Egypt's Nineteenth Dynasty instead of a proper Succesor State and thereby Greek. This seems the greater sin.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Cebei @ Jan. 13 2004,16:47)]Caaaaaaaaaaaan someeeeeeonnneeeeeee pppoooooosssstttt aaaaaa lliiiiiinnnnnnnkkkkk offfffff currreeeeeennnnnttt RTW ffaaaaaccctttiiiiiooooonnnnn innnnfffoooooooooo??

You guys jumped to step two right away http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...c-confused.gif

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I'm with Cebei here, people are going off on wild tangents. focus people focus http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...ns/gc-wall.gif

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Teutonic Knight @ Jan. 13 2004,17:52)]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Cebei @ Jan. 13 2004,16:47)]Caaaaaaaaaaaan someeeeeeonnneeeeeee pppoooooosssstttt aaaaaa lliiiiiinnnnnnnkkkkk offfffff currreeeeeennnnnttt RTW ffaaaaaccctttiiiiiooooonnnnn innnnfffoooooooooo??

You guys jumped to step two right away http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...c-confused.gif

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I'm with Cebei here, people are going off on wild tangents. focus people focus http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...ns/gc-wall.gif

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well what sort of faction info would you like me to find and post about? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-book2.gif

can you do Germanic with Stefan?

Yes

sorry but that's all i have to say http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...c-thumbsup.gif

To Cebei:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Caaaaaaaaaaaan someeeeeeonnneeeeeee pppoooooosssstttt aaaaaa lliiiiiinnnnnnnkkkkk offfffff currreeeeeennnnnttt RTW ffaaaaaccctttiiiiiooooonnnnn innnnfffoooooooooo??

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I could only find this, but I remember another somewere in the Colosseum.

Playable Factions


To Ludens:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Do you mean Nowake? The guy who had Dacian Falxmen as his favourite elite in the colloseum thread? You could PM him, if you wish.

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Yes. That's him. Thanks... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...c-thumbsup.gif



OK So far we have:

Who will do the Celtic Briton research?
The_Emperor
Big King Sanctaphrax


Who will do the Celtic Gaul research?
PSHYCO ???
...


Who will do the Germanic research?
Stefan the Berserker
Monk

Who will do the Dacian research?
Revenant69
Nowake ???

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (frogbeastegg @ Jan. 13 2004,21:31)]I have books on Celtic Britain left over from a couple of modules I had to do in my degree. May as well put them to use. It will be slow going though - I have a lot of stuff to do now.

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So you can add me to the Celtic Britain list. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-book2.gif

OK, I am starting off yet another campaign (fractionalist me): Include Ptolemaic Egypt in the list of the Civs who have to have more historical accuracy of the Europa Barbarorum...


...or should we interested into the more civilized parts of the 4th century BC Europe form some "Cultured Europe" pact to advance our aim for historical accuracy for the Ptolemeans, Seleukids and others To-Be-Butchered???

Maybe we can call our little pact Coniuratio Graecum http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...gc-curtain.gif or cubiculum Graecum... err.... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...speechless.gif

Well subjects http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-sunny.gif Nowake http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-sunny.gif talked to Teutonic Knight and he pointed out to this thread, but .. here is nothing - meaning that here is the answer to my enquiry, Teutonic, but not a solution.

Here is a bunch of raw historical information provided by people who don't know very well to what are they aiming for.

Do you think that our beloved developers can't find all that you have said untill now on the net or .. wherever? They can, believe me. Our goal is to point out exactly what they neglected or we at least assume they neglected. We have to make clear sugestions, that solve exactly the problem, not to post general historical information which they will never read.

Do you think that their consultants on history don't have knowledge of your info? The problem in that they haven't found a way of implementing it in game or they prefered an aspect in favor of another, so we have to find the solutions they haven't found yet, to use our common sense and point out the advantages that result from heeding our voice.

And we have to pay attention to detail, very much attention, and read with very much attention every historical information in order to extract the essential - how are we going to do that when our little aristocrat Aymar can't read this thread from top to bottom and see that Nowake already joined Europa barbarorum? Just for the record, Aymar http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-wink2.gif

We should form up teams that consult eachother and present here only the final version. And no member should criticise another ones point of view "in public". Believe me, all this would be transformed into rabble in front of the others. So for the moment use pm.

Another thing, the last: can anyone around here raise up a private forum? The simplest one, where we can "talk" in peace and after that come to the .org with clear projects. Nowake thinks that if we are to try and do a better job that CA's historical advisors, we should do this profesionaly, or we are just going to loose our time.

Now, Nowake will work on dacians, but he can also put some of his effort for the gauls and germans, so if you need some help there, just say it, all books by Tacitus and Julius Caesar were devoured by Nowake this summer, including "Germania" and "De bello gallico". Btw, for those researching the germans, bear in mind to look up in the "Annals" which is full of usefull descriptions of the roman campaigns from across the Rhine.


Nowake's two chopped heads ... uhmm, cents, of course http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...ns/gc-wall.gif

On Germanics: That was usually my Resort... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-wink2.gif

But there are two Units we must talk about:

Druids, germanic Ghodi and the Dacian's Highpriests fill exactly the same Function and can be displayed through one Unit only (they even wore the same White-Robes), but they can't be called "Druids" unless naming Ghodis as Druids was historically incorrect...

The early Christians in England called the "Waelsch" ('Foreigners' -> Briton Celts in 450 A.D.) Druids and their Former own Ghodis "Sèarumen". Sèaruman ment something like "hidden man" or "tricky man" in middle-english, so it could be adopted for naming a Unit representing them all... Anyway the word remembers me to something, maybe because a novel-Figure was named after that word (-> Saruman). http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-grin2.gif

How should Barbarian "Emissiarys" be? After what I think they should be Singers like "Barden" or "Minnesänger" in medieval Germany... In Celtic-Language these were called the "Banduri", if I remember correctly. In germanic there are two words for these "Thule" in Scandinavia, and "Skalde" in Germany... Now, there's just the decsision which Name fits best: "Banduri","Thule" or "Skalde"?

alright Nowake,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Do you think that our beloved developers can't find all that you have said untill now on the net or .. wherever? They can, believe me. Our goal is to point out exactly what they neglected or we at least assume they neglected. We have to make clear sugestions, that solve exactly the problem, not to post general historical information which they will never read.

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Yes it's quite obvious that they have all of this material at their disposal. The problem is that they have looked at most of this material and have rejected it on the assumption that the fans wouldn't care how barbarians are portrayed. That's where we come in, we must convince them otherwise.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]We should form up teams that consult eachother and present here only the final version. And no member should criticise another ones point of view "in public". Believe me, all this would be transformed into rabble in front of the others. So for the moment use pm.

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I agree
Do you think each group could start a different thread that only the members of that research group will post in? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-book2.gif

The dacian priests were also elite warriors, fighting on horse (so they can't be depicted as the druids or the ), knew writing, and they were chosen only from the nobility. More info on them later, for know just bear in mind that they were called ktistai http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-wink2.gif


Teutonic, my opinion is that - as for the moment we don't have a private forum - the team members should e-mail eachother the information they have, reach a conclusion and after that post it in a thread dedicated to the specific faction. We'll see how are we going to try to interact with CA later, when we'll have some results.

So, if Revenant69 is a member of my team, he should make his e-mail available (if it isn't already) or send me his adress in a pm (the more "private" solution http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...s/gc-wink2.gif). Then he should mail me whatever he thinks that deserves my atention (in what concerns the dacians http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...gc-tongue2.gif) and Nowake will do the same.


Regards

WEAPONS:

There were two kinds of Swords in usage within the Barbarians:

Longswords

http://www.ratatoskr.de/024103.jpg

These Swords wighted about 1 Kg and were ca. 90 Cm long, a wonderful Weapon but it was very expensive. The roman Gladius was only 68 Cm long, but wighted 2 Kg (double than the Barbarian Sword).

The Sax

http://www.melbar.de/Blankwaffen/Sch...rter/j2044.jpg

The Sax was invented by the Saxons and was a kind of "Saber" and only sharp at on side*, the producement needed less Iron than for a normal Sword which made the Sax a really cheap Weapon most people could afford. Its less wight of about 400 g caused that the fighting style by useing it was very fast (hack, hack, hack... I'LL HIT YOU ONCE ), by length the Sax was with 70 Cm normally.

* The Sax was sharper than a normal sword, Sax -> Cutting Longsword -> Hacking

Oh great, Aymar answered my prayers. Factions are;

Roman: House of Julii
Roman: House of Brutii
Roman: House of Scipio
Roman: The senat and the people of Rome
Macedonia
Egypt
The Seleucid Empire
Carthage
Parthia
Pontus
Gaul
Germania
Britannia
Armenia
Dacia
Illyria
Numidia
Scythia
Spain
Thracia
rebels

http://www.angelfire.com/games5/mzocker/PDVD_001.jpg

20 factions and 12 are playable from the off. Playable factions are:
Confirmed
1.Rome Julii
2.Rome Brutii
3.Rome Scipio
4.Macedonians
5.Carthage
6.Germans
7.Britain
8.Egypt
9.Gaul
10.Spain
11.Selucids
12. Greek

However we still need an "official" confirmation for this.

These lists are just derived from Aymar's link of the forum.

Barbarian units in the RTW official site:

http://www.totalwar.com/community/images/for.jpg

Gallic Foresters
A life spent hunting is an excellent training for war. Personal courage, skill and the readiness to take a life can all be learned during the hunt. Foresters are highly skilled men who have great ability with both bow and spear, learned over many years of hunting. The need to put meat on the King's table for his warriors means that they are valued members of the community as most barbarians are great meat eaters by preference - and this is one of the reasons that they are strappingly large in comparison to Romans

In battle, Foresters are gathered into their own warbands who are not only excellent archers, but can take advantage of every piece of terrain. They are not heavily armoured, but they are flexible, well-able to use arrow fire to weaken an enemy unit before closing to finish the issue in hand-to-hand combat.

http://www.totalwar.com/community/images/daxe.jpg

Chosen Axemen
Double-handed axes are intimidating weapons, and they should be used to hack a hole in an enemy line. These axes are heavy, superbly made, razor sharp and easily capable of cleaving a man down to his breastbone even through armour. Chosen Axemen are an elite among tribal warriors, selected for their physical size, strength, bravery and - some would say - pig-headedness. They are the assault troops of any barbarian army, the men whose only job is to smash any organised resistance and keep on killing until no foes remain.

Fear is completely alien to them, as is any concept of mercy to a foe or a weakling among their own kind. They are fantastically strong men - and need to be to wield their enormous double-headed axes with any degree of skill and control. Some Chosen Axemen are wealthy enough to have mail coats, but most disdain armour as a sign of cowardice. They may also carry swords as reserve weapons.

http://www.totalwar.com/community/images/baraxe.jpg

Barbarian Axemen
Axemen are close combat warriors. It is their task to break open an enemy line or formation so that their brother warriors can exploit the breach. Axemen are powerful warriors chosen for their size and strength to wield the heavy francisca, a single-headed axe that can split a shield, cuirass, helmet or the skull beneath with a single blow. They also carry heavy shields (to bash opponents as much as for protection) and wear helmets but only light armour. Speedy charges are important, but there is a degree of bravado too, in showing contempt for the enemy's best efforts

Roughly organised into warbands, they are used to hack a way into an enemy line and open a hole for their comrades to exploit. This role is risky, but it is seen as heroic and an opportunity for glory and greatness not to be squandered. Axemen are very brave and are not usually disheartened by their own casualties.


http://www.totalwar.com/community/images/librch.jpg

British Light Chariots
Light Chariots are very fast, very noisy and, when used in large numbers, can drive a frightened or shaken enemy from the field. They are pulled by small, swift ponies and combine the mobility of cavalry with the "staying power" of infantry. Each chariot carries two men: the unarmoured driver concentrates on keeping the vehicles under control, leaving the noble-born warriors to fight using the many javelins that are available on each chariot. Light Chariots are best used to scout ahead of an army as a "reconaissance in force" and to pursue a fleeing enemy. On occasion it may also be worth sacrificing them to break a previously unyielding enemy line.

http://www.totalwar.com/community/images/barar.jpg

Barbarian Archers
Barbarian Archer warbands are composed of fierce, lightly-equipped men who can strike quickly and use terrain to its best advantage. They usually carry a small bow - not the compound bow favoured by the more civilized peoples - and a good selection of hunting and war arrows, designed to cut arteries and pierce armour respectively. They also carry short swords, allowing them to fight hand-to-hand when they must, and they are not armoured, unless an individual has been lucky enough to strip a fallen enemy of gear after a fight. These archers are at their best in wooded country where their keen eye, loose formations and stealthy tactics give them the edge. They can also support charging infantry hordes by expertly unleashing a rain of arrows to dispirit a well-formed enemy line. However, any Archers caught in open ground by heavy troops or cavalry will be in trouble unless they can withdraw to more favourable ground or behind a wall of friendly spearmen. Archers should be used to break up enemy formations, so that heavier troops can do the real killing.

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Dacian Falxmen
The falx is a deadly pole-arm in the hands of an expert. Falxmen should be used to carve a path into an enemy formation. Falxmen fight in loose units, as they need space to wield their weapons to full advantage, and do not bother with shields as the falx requires two hands to use properly. They usually fight bare-chested and wear baggy trousers, with only a skullcap for protection. They are best employed to cut a way into tightly packed enemy units, but can also give a good account of themselves against light cavalry thanks to the reach of the falx. The falx itself is a frightening weapon: a curved cutlass-like blade on the end of a long wooden (almost spear-like) handle. Unlike a cutlass, however, the falx is sharpened along the inner curve of the blade, so that the damage on the blow is done with a pulling motion. When used properly a falx can easily hack off a limb or decapitate an enemy, making anyone unlucky enough to face it unlucky indeed

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Barbarian Cavalry
Barbarian Cavalry ride small, sturdy and sure-footed horses, and are lead by a wealthy clansman or minor noble. They are capable of darting in to an attack, throwing their javelins, hacking through an unwary, unformed enemy and then making their escape before the opposing troops can react. They carry a sword; a clutch of javelins, a very light shield and can ride swiftly and quietly through woods, scrub and over steep hills where other cavalry units would have diificulty. They are best used as scouts, to ambush or skirmish or to drive away enemy skirmishers. They have little experience of formally organised (or "civilized") cavalry warfare, and are unlikely to be very effective in a straight fight against regular cavalry or properly disciplined infantry.

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Woad Warriors
Woad Warriors are powerful and, quite frankly, scary British warriors. They disdain armour and most clothing, preferring to paint themselves with intricate and stylised magical designs in woad (a blue dye) to deflect enemy blows and missiles. The patterns created can be elaborate and almost inhuman, and distinctly unnerving for enemies unused to such barbarous practices. But the belief in their magic also armours them against fear, and makes them savage and dangerous fighters. Woad Warriors carry a long spear and a small shield and can move very quickly across even rough terrain. It is a foolish commander indeed who underestimates their terrifying effect in a battle.

A new forum member posted this:

what?