Ancient Indian archers

1. Indian archers should be Bw (O), not Bw (S)

2. The Bw (X) option should not be permitted

Bw (S) or (O)

Lists affected: Early Achaemenid Persian, Republican Indian (mercenaries), Classical Indian

Early Indian archers were originally classified as Superior Bows because they used big powerful bows shooting long heavy arrows that could penetrate any armour or shield, and Arrian claims that all Indian infantry carried long swords used two-handed (see Arrian's Indike 16, online at http://www.und.ac.za/und/classics/india/arrian.htm ).

However, ancient opinion was divided on the effectiveness of the bows. Quintus Curtius (8.14.18-19) disparaged the Indian bow, saying it and its arrows were too heavy to aim effectively – Ne sagittarum quidem ullus erat barbaris usus. Quippe longas et praegraves, nisi prius in terra statuerent arcum, haud satis apte et commode inponunt - "The barbarians were unable even to use their arrows because of their length and weight: it was awkward and difficult to fit them to the bow without first setting it to the ground".

Although Arrian claims the big swords were universally carried, they are rare in Indian art, are not mentioned in any of the Alexander-historians’ battle-accounts, and are not illustrated in the contemporary poortrayal of an Indian archer in the "elephant medallions" (see Frank L Holt, Alexander the Great and the Mystery of the Elephant Medallions (2003), plates 6-10). This may cast doubt on how universal, or how important, the two-handed swords really were.

In any case, the archers seem reluctant to use them – "this, when they have a hand-to-hand fight - and Indians do not readily fight so among themselves - they bring down with both hands in smiting". This does not fit the Bw(S) requirement to "fight indefinitely hand-to-hand".

The infantry, archers included, were also the lowest arm of Indian armies in terms of prestige. Making them Superior is widely seen as distorting the tabletop performance of Indian armies.

Dropping Bw (X)

Lists affected: Republican Indian, Classical Indian, Graeco-Bactrian and Graeco-Indian, Kushan

The Exception Bows classification is for archers with front ranks armed with pike or spear, plus a large shield or pavise. This was allowed as an option for Indian archers on the basis of a passage in Arthasastra Book X, which says "...In an array of infantry, men dressed in mail armour in front, archers in the rear, and men without armour on the wings..." (see http://www.mssu.edu/projectsouthasia/history/primarydocs/Arthashastra/BookX.htm ). It was assumed that if the armoured men were contrasted with the archers, they were not archers themselves, but shield-bearers capable of giving a Bw (X) classification.

This is now thought to be an inadequate basis for allowing such an option, since we do not know how the armoured men were armed, whether they in fact did form a front rank of a composite unit or should be treated as separate elements, or indeed whether this formation was ever used in practice.

Both changes have been adopted in DBMM: see Appendix IV to the draft rules - available from http://www.phil-barker.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ or the Files section of http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/DBMMlist/