Chariots Rampant? Evolution

 

The classic chariot was a powerful mobile missile platform. Its Composite Bow outranged the Self Bows of foot archers. 

Imagine standing in the battle line hoping the chariots didn't come for you. 

No one could cope with it and chariot technology was adopted far and wide.  What next?

Someone, somewhere, decided that a chariot with an added close fighter should be able to catch a classic chariot and spear its archer.  

This seemed to have worked. It was likely pioneered by the Hittites. And then?

Four horse chariots appeared with 4, or 3, crewmen only one of which was an archer. The chariot was now able to multi task, missilery and close fighting. No one seems to have thought that increased missilery would adequately protect the chariot against immediate threats. Otherwise we would have 3, or 2, archers and a driver.

Chariots had started off as all-purpose weapons dominating the battlefield with missilery. Now chariots were optimised for seeing off other chariots. The odds presumably being 50/50 on success. Dominance depended upon having more chariots than the other side.

Chariots were expensive, food and lodgings for the crew, ditto the horses. Likewise for trainers and technicians. Five of the latter per chariot seem to have been required.  More chariots meant more expenditure. An Arms Race in fact.

Then came the Sea Peoples and Cavalry and the great days of the chariot were over.

All the same it is quite an evolutionary journey. We need to differentiate between classic chariots and multi- purpose chariots because they did different things. I have not thought yet about how to do this with LRv2. It should be simple enough.

What of the Mycenaean Chariot? No use at all for missilery; it only carried a heavily armoured close fighter. It was very good for tackling other chariots . Maybe that was what it was for. Did the opponents joust? Of course not. 

Rather, you come up alongside and spear the other lad. Better still, if you can cut across behind the foe you can safely spear him in the back. Think dog fight.

If no chariot foes presented the Dendra armoured warrior could dismount, having preserved his energy, and spear a few lesser protected fellows. 

On this page you see my chariot collection so far. I now have enough to test some game concepts.

Chariots Rampant? The Libyans

 

It is said that the Libyans got chariot technology from the Egyptians and swords from the Sea Peoples.  As ever people want the good stuff and manage to secure it.  I wonder if the Egyptians supplied chariot drivers as well as the vehicles.  It would have considerably sped up the process of fielding chariots.

Anyhow, as we have seen chariot units cost 6 Points. Here are the stat's. 

Models per unit	2	points	6
Attack	7+	Attack Value	6
Move	5	Defence Value	5+
Shoot	6	Shoot Value	4+ Range 18”
Courage	4+	Maximum Move	12
Armour	4	Special Rules	Fearsome, Skirmish, Evade

The unit above shows considerable Sea Peoples influence. The warriors wear armour and have bronze swords and shields. No helmets.  The feather plumes worn by Libyan warriors had significant cultural import.  They indicated warrior status. 

This is my sole armoured Libyan foot unit sold by Fighting 15s as the “Mighty Mesh-Wesh”.  The troop type is “Warriors” and they cost 6 points.

Models per unit	12	points	6
Attack	6+	Attack Value	5+
Move	5+	Defence Value	4+
Shoot	6+	Shoot Value	5+ Range 6”
Courage	4+	Maximum Move	8”
Armour	3	Special Rules	Flexible, Wild Charge, Counter Charge versus Infantry, Fast.

I’ve opted for making most of my Libyans Warriors in LRv2 speak.  

These warriors are of the standard type for LRv2. No upgrades, that means we get 2 units of them for 8 points.

Models per unit	12	points	4
Attack	6+	Attack Value	5+
Move	5+	Defence Value	4+
Shoot	6+	Shoot Value	5+ Range 6”
Courage	4+	Maximum Move	8”
Armour	2	Special Rules	Flexible, Wild Charge, Counter Charge versus Infantry, Fast.

 

 

Libyan Archers here. This time I will take them as 2 units of 6 Skirmishers for the final 4 points of our 24 point Libyan Warband. I could equally field them as a unit of 12 Archers.

Models per unit	6	points	2
Attack	7+	Attack Value	6+
Move	5+	Defence Value	6+
Shoot	7+	Shoot Value	5+ Range 12”
Courage	5+	Maximum Move	8”
Armour	1	Special Rules	Hard to Target, Skirmish, Evade; Fast.

As most of my Libyan units are unenhanced by upgrades we get more warriors on the battle field.  That seems about right to me.

For bigger games the Libyans can team up with the Sea Peoples as they did historically. Mine will have to fight the Hittites as I have no Egyptians.  Another view of the Skirmishing archers below.

It occurs to me in passing that in15mm this outfit is quite affordable . Two chariots, 12 archers and 36 warriors.  Of course when I bought these they came in packs of 10 figures.  All the same it is a heartening thought.

 

Chariots Rampant? The Infantry

Lion Rampant v2 (LRv2) introduces the concept of Strength Points. This is an alternative to figure removal. I want multi figure bases, so far so good.

What of Bronze Age infantry? Diverse to be sure. The militia of the Palace Culture, full time professionals, wild tribesmen. 

Then there is armament. For some there is armour. Bowmen, do they line up in rank or run about skirmishing. Luckily LRv2 can accommodate all of this and more. Choices to be made, all of them subjective.

I’m was inclined to go for 4 figures a base for the look of the thing. Three figures a base would better enable “Wall of Spears” . Two bases wide and two deep. 

Resolution came in the Goblinoid frames of my Gladiator Bronze Age figures. For them three is company enough on a single base.  Note, I'm following Keith at Bydand blog's example with these rounded edge bases. 

Let us have a go at a Hittite Guard unit. Pretty much unarmoured saving a helmet and small shield.  Used to fighting and capable. They can throw javelins and fight close up. I’m opting for LRv2 Light Infantry so:

  

Models per unit	12	points	6
Attack	6+	Attack Value	4+
Move	5+	Defence Value	4+
Shoot	6	Shoot Value	5+ Range 6”
Courage	4+	Maximum Move	8”
Armour	2	Special Rules	Veteran, Javelins

 

Now some Hittite archers. As we have a pretty elite force in mind let us make them veterans.

Models per unit	12	points	6
Attack	7+	Attack Value	6
Move	6+	Defence Value	5+
Shoot	6+	Shoot Value	4+ Range 18”
Courage	4+	Maximum Move	8”
Armour	2	Special Rules	Veteran

 

Now, on to the soldiers of the provinces.  Light infantry once more with 2 units. These fellows can do well on the defensive forming a “Wall of Spears”.

Models per unit	12	points	3
Attack	6+	Attack Value	5+
Move	5+	Defence Value	4+
Shoot	-	Shoot Value	-
Courage	4+	Maximum Move	8”
Armour	2	Special Rules	Wall of Spears

 

If we add a Chariot Unit for the final 6 points we have a complete LRv2 “Warband” of 24 points.  Our General can be found in one of the 2 chariots. It is a nicely balanced force.

Now, it happens that I have another unit of Hittite chariots. To field that I would need to lose my versatile Guard unit or both of the “Wall of Spears” units or my veteran archers.

That said 2 units of chariots supported by Guards and archers strikes me as the sort of force a palace might rapidly deploy against raiders.

Where to next on this one?  Libya I think. I bought a lot of Bronze Age figures years ago for a good price. 

I also have a fair few Assyrians or Neo Assyrians I'm never sure which they are. They are still unpainted and from Colonel Bill. Mainly Chariot Miniatures with a few Essex I think. Very nice figures and whither Chariot Miniatures now?

I have worked out how to rate the Assyrian 4 Horse Chariots. I will simply treat as single model as the equivalent of a two model 2 Horse Chariot unit.

I'm resisting the urge to start painting them immediately. 

In my experience you cannot go wrong with Colonel Bill. Good price, good service, swift delivery.  We must speak as we find. On that note Lion Rampant v2 continues to impress. A happy purchase.