Desert Axemen, who are these guys?

**Red Harvest** · 10-09-2004, 07:33

Can anyone explain who the "desert axemen" are meant to represent? I'm looking for some sort of historical understanding. Do they make any sense as a unit? Their defensive stats are incredible for what would appear to be an offensive unit. They have an image of a shirtless guy with a little shield, yet they have a defensive stat of 18? 11 of that is armour, same as the Sacred Band infantry or the Armoured Hoplites.

I was picturing them being a bit like ghazi infantry from MTW...great offense, but die like flies. Obviously, that has proven to be wrong, but does it make any sense? Should their armour be defensive skill instead?

**Thoros of Myr** · 10-09-2004, 07:38

They are very strong from chopping down all those huge forests in the desert :)

I didnt know desert axemen were in the game....

**Red Harvest** · 10-09-2004, 07:56

Originally Posted by Thoros of Myr

They are very strong from chopping down all those huge forests in the desert :)

I didnt know desert axemen were in the game....

Well, how did you think it became a desert? Deforestation! Those burly armoured axemen chopped down all the trees. When they ran out of trees they joined the army...the rest is...err...history?

**hoom** · 10-09-2004, 08:07

Dunno about this time period, but Egypt certainly used combat axemen.
Now I understand why my Legions have issues with them almost as much as the chariots...
11 Armour

**Basileus** · 10-09-2004, 09:57

oh the Desert (Cataprhact) Axemen

, most of the battles ive lost have been against armies with these guys in.

**Longasc** · 10-09-2004, 11:06

I cannot come up with any historical unit coming close to these guys.

Come on, bare nippled berserkers, these guys would have been mentioned permanently...

**Oaty** · 10-09-2004, 12:58

Well the Sahara used to be a forest back around 10,000 BC, so I guess after that they became mercanaries since there axes had no other purpose

**Saracen** · 10-09-2004, 16:50

Considering their cost/upkeep vs other units including more elite units I reduced their armor to 8 which is much more in line. These were a common Egyptian soldier not special but with the original armor they were more like the Eqyptian "Sacred Band"!