RTR - Megas Alexandros Week 2 Preview - Athens
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It wasn’t long ago that the Greeks were a mighty people. Their culture has spread all over the Mediterranean world, and so has their influence. Thad all changed when Phillip of Macedon came to power. With his armies he managed to gain control, and beat all Greeks into submission.
Now Phillip is dead, though. The Greeks have a chance to rise once again as a great power. Macedon is threatened from all sides, and Persian gold falls into the hands of its enemies; into your hands.
Even still, this won’t be easy. The Greeks, and especially Athens, have little military power remaining. The best soldiers have already been crushed, and this new King of Macedon may be more capable than his father.
Hope is better than nothing, though, right? The Greeks, or the Athenians, may rise again. A new, and even greater Athenian Empire can be built once those Macedonians are gone. From there, the other Greeks can be dealt with. The Spartans, and the Thebans. Maybe even Persia...
Units
Peltastai
It wasn't until the Peloponnesian War, and with continued contact with the Thracians that proper light armed troops were formed. The psiloi before were generally lacking discipline. Iphicrates of Athens changed all of that as he re-organized them, and invented the Greek peltast. These troops are drawn from the poor of the Zeugitoi class, or the Thetes. They are equipped first with throwing javelins, as well as a heavy spear. For defense they carry the round pelta, and have light, but strong linen armor. These troops are useful for dealing with enemy light troops due to their increased mobility. They can also double as a reliable medium infantry.
Hamippoi
Hamippoi are ruthless, and aggressive light troops that would fight alongside the cavalry in battle. They are armed with only a dagger, and a pylos. They would hold onto the tail of the horse, and run alongside the cavalry. They were extremely useful in Greek armies of the day, and could change the course of a cavalry engagement, such as they did at Mantineia. They were at first common in the armies of Thebes, but after seeing them in service, the Athenians adopted them sometime in the mid fourth century.
Hamippoi are drawn from the poorest, and most desperate classes of society. Xenophon had recommended recruiting them from exiles, and foreigners holding a grudge against the enemy.
Athenaioi Epilektoi
As Greek power spread, so did the need of larger armies. From this, large bodies of conscripts, slaves and mercenaries (particularly in Athens) came into being. However, there was still need for a stronger nuclear, and most of the powerful city-states kept professional bodies of hoplites that were drawn from the highest classes of society. That is exactly what the word Epiklektoi means - professional hoplite. These forces were generally small, even in the large states. Athens kept a body of just 1,000 men during the fourth century. These men are the very best Greece has to offer, though.
The professional Greek hoplite of the day was equipped much the same as the Greek hoplites of old in terms of armor. They still use a long spear (10 feet long for the hoplite), and wear a heavy cuirass for protection. Of course, they also use the large hoplon shield. Now, though, they are equipped with a Phrygian helmet. Hoplites are nearly impossible to beat in a frontal attack (unless of course you have greater reach). They are as well trained as any professional soldiers of the day, even the Macedonian phalanx.
Prodromoi
Cavalry in Greece was drawn from the top two classes in society. This body of light cavalry would have come from the Hippeis. They are not the best cavalry in the world, or Greece, for that matter. Their main objective is to fill the role of a mounted scout, or courier. They are armed with little but two javelins and a sword. They are best used to soften up an enemy force before attack, or to hit the flanks of an enemy, but are not suited to drawn out engagements with enemy cavalry or infantry.
Cataphractos
These troops are drawn from only the richest in Greek society; the Pentakosiomedimnoi. As you can tell, they are far more heavily armored than the Prodromoi. They use the a double sided lance and sword in combat, and are equipped with a double sided lance and small, round shield. They are solid heavy cavalry; well trained and disciplined. They lack some of the natural skill found in Northern Greece, or with the asiatics, but are still powerful in their own right. They are small in number, and expensive, though. They make up but a small part of a Greek cavalry force.
That's all for this week, and the next. You can expect these previews to be bi-weekly now. We are a small team right now, and with summer ending, much of the staff is a bit busier then before.
This week, I'd like to thank the following people for their work:
-Caius, who made the Peltast, Prodromoi, Hamippoi, and Cataphractos.
-Beee and Chilly, who made the Athenian hoplite.
-Najak, who made the preview picture.
-Nickpes and Apostate, who aided did translations of unit names.
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