Elephants

[Pharnakes]

A while ago somebody was asking why the Qarthadastim couldn't recruit armoured elephants. The team replied that was because they had no evidence that the Qarthadastim ever armoured their elephants. Anyway, What I was wanting to ask is; does that mean that other factions that do use amoured elephants (ie, hellenistic factions) can or will be able to, recruit amoured elephants in Numidia?

[Krusader]

A while ago somebody was asking why the Qarthadastim couldn't recruit armoured elephants. The team replied that was because they had no evidence that the Qarthadastim ever armoured their elephants. Anyway, What I was wanting to ask is; does that mean that other factions that do use amoured elephants (ie, hellenistic factions) can or will be able to, recruit amoured elephants in Numidia?

Nope. Forest Elephants were as far as our evidence shows not armored for any battles. Apparently only Indian ones were.

[Pharnakes]

Any theories why? (too small and weak, or what?)

[blank]

Any theories why? (too small and weak, or what?)

I can't make out over the net if you're joking or not. If you're not, then the African forest elephant is the largest elephant species.
If you are, then:
Forest elephants for whatever reason were very rarely used in battle at all (apparently they were not available enough), and thus an armored version would be even more unlikely.

[Pharnakes]

I thought that the affrican forest elephant was seperate from the african plains elephant (that is the largest speicies). Didin't the Romans more or less exterminate the forset elephant, so that now only the pigmy and plains elephants are left in africa?

[The Celt]

He's right. Forest Elephants(Aka "Bush" Elephants) are/were a separate species to the African Plains Elephants. And, as far as I know, those Bush Elephants were very small and couldn't support any kind of Metal armor.

In fact, doesn't a Roman historian mention how the Numidians would paint the outsides of their Howdahs?(Basket Tower thing the Archers/Peltasts ride in) They would paint them so that they looked like they were made of brick to fool their enemies into thinking their Elephants were stronger than they looked. I think it was Polybius who mentioned it but knowing him it could be entirely made up.(Would've been pretty smart of the Numidians if they could've done it though. )