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Army of Cyrene - III-I century BC
#1
Hello,

I've been working on a non-profit hobby project for quite a while now - a mod for the Rome II game, introducing the Cyrene faction. The game starts at 278 BC, three years before Magas attacked the Ptolemaic Kingdom and the game can advance about 100-150 years. Cyrene's independence under Magas' rule was short, but the player can change that! Therefore, the following army composition was created with the idea that Cyrene not only survived as an independent Succesor Kingdom, but expanded and thrived.

The army's compromised of:
1. Macedonians - Magas' retinue and Cleruchs from Macedon, lured by Cyrene's rich soil.
2. Greeks - denizens of the Pentapolis Greek colonies (Cyrene, Apollonia, Ptolemais, Barca, Berenice and
3. Jews - Jewish military settlers sent to Cyrene by the Ptolemies.
4. Libyans - native population of the North African region.

All of the following units are recruited from four population classes:

I. Kleruchoi (Macedonian and other military settlers, their wealth places them in the upper strata of the society)
II. Politai (Greek citizens as well as members of the Jewish upper class)
III. Laoi (Native population, poorer Greeks and Jews)
IV. Xenoi (Everyone else, including slaves; no units are recruited from this population)

Each population class' numbers grow with time, but the higher the population class, the slower the rate of growth. In short - there will be few Kleruchoi and their numbers will be hard to replenish.

With that in mind, here's my current army composition (population class from which the unit will be recruited is noted next to the unit name), I'd really love to hear your thoughts! I tried to be historically accurate, but given the fact that the game offers a what-if scenario, some creative license was used. That said, most of it is based off of sources, which I can provide if anyone would like to see them!


All of these units are based on the wonderful Divide et Impera mod you can find here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisp...pera-(DeI).
Units marked with an * are work in progress and are using DeI assets as placeholders.



GENERAL BODYGUARDS
-
Cyrenaean
Royal Pikemen (Kyrenai Agema Phalangitai)
[Kleruchoi]

http://i.imgur.com/yWlokF3.jpg
--
*Cyrenaean Sacred Squadron (Kyrenai Hiera Ile)
[Kleruchoi]

http://i.imgur.com/c6LPZhA.jpg
--
Cyrenaean Royal Guard (Basilikoi Epilektoi Hoplitai)
[Kleruchoi]

http://i.imgur.com/naP0bq7.jpg
--


MELEE INFANTRY
-
*Cyrenaean Swordsmen (Kyrenai Machairophoroi)
Thureos Reform
[Politai]

http://i.imgur.com/F0gzHPz.jpg
–-
Cyrenaean Thorax Swordsmen (Kyrenai Thorakitai)
Thorax Reform
[Politai]

http://i.imgur.com/yg9aqok.jpg
–-
Thracian Cleruch Falxmen (Kyrenai Kleruchoi Rhomphaiaphoroi)
[Kleruchoi]

http://i.imgur.com/ws4Tn9c.jpg
--

Cyrenaean Libyan Swordsmen (Kyrenai ??? Machairophoroi)
[Laoi]

http://i.imgur.com/Uy3fdRL.jpg
--

HOPLITE/PIKE INFANTRY
-
Cyrenaean Cleruch Pikemen (Kyrenai Kleruchoi Phalangitai)
[Kleruchoi]

http://i.imgur.com/4RZHhaC.jpg
--
Cyrenaean Iphicratean Pikemen (Kyrenai Iphikratous Phalangitai)
[Politai]

http://i.imgur.com/UBKN62i.jpg
--
Cyrenaean Hoplites (Kyrenai Hoplitai)
[Politai]

http://i.imgur.com/PYvXhoy.jpg
--

Cyrenaean Light Hoplites (Kyrenai Ekdromoi Hoplitai)
[Politai]

http://i.imgur.com/0X7zxQJ.jpg
--
Cyrenaean Jewish Thureos Spearmen (Kyrenai Iudaioi Thureophoroi)
Thureos Reform
[Politai]

http://i.imgur.com/9cXPkJX.jpg
--


MISSILE INFANTRY
-

*Cretan Cleruch Archers (Kretai Kleruchoi Toxotai)
Thorax Reform
[Kleruchoi]

http://i.imgur.com/WCui7Kp.jpg
--

*Cyrenaean Late Peltasts (Kyrenai Peltastai)
Thureos Reform

[Politai]

http://i.imgur.com/Ip4dGGF.jpg
--
Cyrenaean Archers (Kyrenai Toxotai)
[Politai]

http://i.imgur.com/c3ncITU.jpg
--
*Cyrenaean Jewish Slingers (Kyrenai Iudaioi Sphendonetai)
[Laoi]

http://i.imgur.com/b9oLgFc.jpg
--
Cyrenaean Libyan Javelinmen (Kyrenoi Libikoi Akontistai)
[Laoi]
--

SHOCK CAVALRY
-

*Cyrenaean Royal Squadron (Kyrenoi Ile Basilike)
[Kleruchoi]

http://i.imgur.com/267Dbew.jpg
[i]--[/i]
Cyrenaean Jewish Light Lancers (Kyrenai Judeoi Sarissophoroi)
[Politai]

http://i.imgur.com/lDsA7qo.jpg
--

MELEE CAVALRY

-
*Cyrenaean Spear Cavalry (Kyrenai Lonchophoroi)
Thureos Reform
[Politai]

http://i.imgur.com/mBPNeLS.jpg
--

MISSILE CAVALRY
-
*Cyrenaean Tarantine Cavalry (Kyrenai Tarantinoi Hippeis)
Thureos Reform
[Politai]

http://i.imgur.com/cggz9Ix.jpg
--
*Cyrenaean Jewish Horse Archers (Kyrenai Judeoi Hippotoxotai)
[Politai]

http://i.imgur.com/squMveo.jpg
--
Cyrenaean Libyan Horse Javelinmen (Kyrenoi Libikoi Hippakontistai)
[Laoi]
--
ELEPHANT

-
*Cyrenaean North Aftican Elephants
[Kleruchoi]

http://i.imgur.com/IXXzdS1.jpg

------------------------------------------

Few ideas I'm considering:

1. Ioudaioi Ekatontamachoi (as seen here: http://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/thread-16413.html), replacing the Machairophoroi. Not sure if the time period's right for that, though.

2. Having the Marmaridae and Nasamones and perhaps other Libyan tribe units in the roster, instead of the generic Libyans. The Marmaridae providing the skirmishers - javelinmen and light cavalry, while the Nasamones would bring the swordsmen and spearmen to the roster. They'd look different too.

3. Cyrene's independence under Magas didn't last long - but the players can change that...with that in mind, I'm thinking including more and more Libyans into the armed forces would quickly become a necessity - as it happend in Egypt with Machimoi. With that assumption, what kind of Libyan units would make sense?
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Messages In This Thread
Army of Cyrene - III-I century BC - by Magas of Cyrene - 06-28-2017, 08:38 PM

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