Alternative factions

[Greek_fire19]

The only problem with the sabeans is that (i'v only read a few articles on them but this seems to be the general consensus) they were an important trading power on the route from the west to the east, and they had a virtual monopoly on the frankinsense trade, which was used as an incense in temples across the western world, so they were a small put wealthy power, however, they didn't have a particularly large population and would rely mostly on mercenaries. They wouldnt have a particularly diverse or interesting military.

I might be wrong though, I havent seen any studies of them which dwell on their military prowess, except that they were occupied throughout this period with fighting between themselves and one of their neighbour states, whose name I forget

[QwertyMIDX]

They were actually a rather expansionistic power, they conquered all of Southern Arabia at one point and ruled over large parts of Ethiopia as well. Their Military would likely be made up of rather well armed nobels from the cities, some what less well armed citizen soilders (also from the cities), large numbers of Arabia tribesmen who were supplied by the nomadic Arabian tribes that owed alliegence to the Sabeans and perhaps some Ethiopians. Other than the Arabic tribesmen none of the forces they field could even been broadly called mercs, and they aren't really mercs except in the sense that the Sabeans (or some other urban power) would usally give certain tribes gifts in exchange for their allegience.

The 3 other Southern Arabian states at the time were Qataban, Ma'in and Hadramaut with Himyar emerging later.

The Sabeans were indeed generally occupied with trying to restablish dominance over the other southern Arabian kingdoms during this period, and it should be very hard for them to do so, but they had managed to conquer the entire area in the past, and were things to have gone a little differently they could have managed it again.

[Dayve]

Are there enough cities in southern Africa to put in a new faction? It wouldn't be wise because the distance between each city is HUGE... Then again armies in EB can move much further than in any other mod so maybe it is a possibility...

A faction on the Arabian peninsula would be awesome... I've no knowledge at all of any people from this area but i'd definately play a faction there...

[QwertyMIDX]

Their Military would likely be made up of rather well armed nobels from the cities, some what less well armed citizen soilders (also from the cities), large numbers of Arabia tribesmen who were supplied by the nomadic Arabian tribes that owed alliegence to the Sabeans and perhaps some Ethiopians.

Mostly infantry both Urbanized Southern Arabia and Arabic tribal from the north, with some arabic tribal cav (light, also from the north) and probably a small amount of more heavily armored nobel cav from the city. The problem here was that in arabia most soliders play many roles. RTW doesn't handle that so well.

[VandalCarthage]

did they use warriors from the bedouin and other nomadic groups though? like as mercs or tribute for living on "sabean" teritory?

They did actually employ a good many Bedouin tribes in particular.

Fortunately for us, an enormous percentage of Sabaean inscriptions deal with their military, which describe in specific detail tribal levies, levies of conquored subjects, citizen soldiers, citizen soldiers in Africa, elite royal soldiers, Bedouin cavalry, Bedouin mercenaries, general Arab mercenaries, and a variety of cavalry. Though books on the subject aren't well circulated, the Sabaean dialect is one of the best reconstructed dead languages of the South Semitic family.

[MeroFromVero]

The only problem with the sabeans is that (i'v only read a few articles on them but this seems to be the general consensus) they were an important trading power on the route from the west to the east, and they had a virtual monopoly on the frankinsense trade, which was used as an incense in temples across the western world...

Why would that be a problem? One of the big reasons the Casse got factionized was their control of the tin trade, right?

[QwertyMIDX]

Turn your FOW off and look at the area around Marib, there are 3 cities within easy attacking distance of it.