Post by Xoel on Jan 3, 2011 22:48:39 GMT 12
The Classical Period (and Archaic also) of Greek history is famous for it's tight phalanx warfare. This form of battle proved to be superior to all other formations of the time, evident especially at Thermopylae, the famous battle in which the Spartiate army of around 1000 killed thousands upon thousands of Persians. Therefore, I want to reflect this in Reign of Olympia, without having to do any real coding.
Unlike most other weapons, the spear and shield will not have any Agility prerequisites. In most poleis, all citizens were required to have minimal training in hoplite-warfare. I'll go into detail on the armies of our two main cities.
Athenai: During the Peleponesian War, all Athenian citizens were required to have minimal training as a hoplite, and also could be called to the battlefields at any time. Unlike Spartiates, they had to pay for their own weapons and armour. In Reign of Olympia, spears and a tatty old shield will be cheap, with better equipment getting more and more expensive. STR dictates armour inhibitions, with most castes capable of wearing at least leather into battle.
Lakedaemon: Lakedaemon was famous for it's professional Spartiate hoplites. Whilst helot slaves tilled Laconia's soils and local Peroikoi crafted weapons and armour, the Spartiate caste spent all day training for war. Each Spartiate was allocated some Laconian land and helots, in return he was expected to provide supplies for his mess hall. The Spartiates perfected the phalanx, and could bring many well-trained phalanxes to any battlefield in Greece. The Sciritae also provided a fairly elite force, often used for scouting as well. As Spartiates considered it shameful to use archery, they made the helots and Peroikoi take the role of archers for them. The Laconian army was so powerful that Lakedaemon never had walls, and for the entire Hellenistic, Classical and Archaic age the city was never invaded, not even by Alexander the Great.
Of course, while hoplite/phalanx warfare dominated the battlefields, shortswords and bows were still used. In skirmishes one would expect to find this sort of weaponry, whilst archery provided support also in large battles.
Daggers were rarely used, sometimes by scouts and by the occasional assassin.
Unlike most other weapons, the spear and shield will not have any Agility prerequisites. In most poleis, all citizens were required to have minimal training in hoplite-warfare. I'll go into detail on the armies of our two main cities.
Athenai: During the Peleponesian War, all Athenian citizens were required to have minimal training as a hoplite, and also could be called to the battlefields at any time. Unlike Spartiates, they had to pay for their own weapons and armour. In Reign of Olympia, spears and a tatty old shield will be cheap, with better equipment getting more and more expensive. STR dictates armour inhibitions, with most castes capable of wearing at least leather into battle.
Lakedaemon: Lakedaemon was famous for it's professional Spartiate hoplites. Whilst helot slaves tilled Laconia's soils and local Peroikoi crafted weapons and armour, the Spartiate caste spent all day training for war. Each Spartiate was allocated some Laconian land and helots, in return he was expected to provide supplies for his mess hall. The Spartiates perfected the phalanx, and could bring many well-trained phalanxes to any battlefield in Greece. The Sciritae also provided a fairly elite force, often used for scouting as well. As Spartiates considered it shameful to use archery, they made the helots and Peroikoi take the role of archers for them. The Laconian army was so powerful that Lakedaemon never had walls, and for the entire Hellenistic, Classical and Archaic age the city was never invaded, not even by Alexander the Great.
Of course, while hoplite/phalanx warfare dominated the battlefields, shortswords and bows were still used. In skirmishes one would expect to find this sort of weaponry, whilst archery provided support also in large battles.
Daggers were rarely used, sometimes by scouts and by the occasional assassin.