Bronze-Age LH(F) Scouts
Under Discussion
Author: Tom Adamson
Proposal: Remove LH (F) scouts from Book 1 armies that predate the development of true cavalry, and remove LH(I) scouts from early armies.
* Reason
* Suggested Changes
* Discussion
Reason:
These represent people who haven't developed proper riding techniques. They don't have remounts or any other excuse to move faster than chariots. We have no evidence to support them fighting as mounted skirmishers. Even the early LH(I) which are based on the rulebook definition of scouts riding equids, camels etc.. are too generous. This proposal may affect the play balance of some of these armies but will improve historical access.
In general I suggest that very early troops should be classed as Ps(O) if equipped with a bow or sling and Ps(I) otherwise. In both instances pay 1AP extra to be mounted. For armies with camels then LH(I) is reasonable, for later chariot based armies LH(I) can be acceptable, though both still move faster than chariots.
Armies with Irr LH(I) in book 1
No's: 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17
Armies with Irr LH(F)
No's 3, 5, 8, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 29, 31, 34, 39
List 24 Hittites, has Reg LH(F)
List 34 Hebrew has Irr LH(O) or LH(F)
List 3 Nubian has Irr LH(F) as its only mounted troop!
List 10 Melnkhkhan and Pre-Vedic Indian only allows LH before 1900BC
Suggested:
Replace LH with Irr Ps(O) mounted on equid, ass etc @3AP in lists 1, 3, 5,
6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 15.
With time limited camel mounted LH(I) upgrade in lists 6 and 8.
Replace LH(F) and LH(O) with LH(I) in lists 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 25, 29,
31, 34 and 39.
Discussion
Some reservations to this proposal centre on the Iron Age lists (e.g. Urartians, Neo-Hittites).
Karl Heinz Ranitzsch (TNE Message 580)
Historically, I think Urartians (39/3) might be allowed proper LH(F).
They are very late (from 880) and, IIRC, had to contest with Skythian
raids, so they might have learned something. Not sure whether this
can be documented, though.
A similar, but weaker, argument could be put forward for keeping LH
in late-period Neo-Hittite (31) and Early Neo-Assyrian (25) armies.
Duncan Head (TNE message 582)
Oh yes: Neo-Hittite art shows horse-archers shooting behind them
while mounted - classic LH (F) "Parthian shot". See the figure in
AANE - from Tell Halaf, IIRC??
This implies that the later Iron Age lists ought to be dropped from the proposal.
Stronger reservations have been expressed by Charles Rivers (TNE Message 573).
The following points were made:
* There is no known date for the development of true cavalry and early equid riding may have been more widespread than previously thought.
* Thus the proposal depends too much on an arbitrary decision on when "true cavalry" and "proper riding techniques" originated.
* That against historical opponents, the current classification achieves the correct effect of these troops.
DBMM note: DBMM has introduced a change to DBM lists for use with DBMM that accomplishes much (but not all) that is porposed here:
"Change all LH (F) before 500BC referred to as “scouts” to LH (I)."
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