Medieval Kingdoms Total War : Turcopersian Atabegates news

High Era

General units :

Atabeg's Ghulaman (high)

Ghulaman (sing. Ghulam) were the elite soldiers of medieval Muslim armies. Taken as slaves, mostly from Turkish groups in the steppes at this time of history, purchased, raised as Muslims and trained for warfare, they are fearsome slave-soldiers whose loyalty only lies to their master, as they have neither family nor local support, relying solely on his success for their own fortunes. As time went on since the Abbasid implementation of the Ghulam system, they grew into some form of praetorian guard, playing kingmaker for the Caliphate. Regardless, Muslim rulers found Ghulaman to be indispensable for both their protection and to counter-balance the ambitions of powerful amirs. Many dynasties came from freed Ghulaman, Mamluks, who were put into important positions of power and emancipated during power struggles, notable examples including Egypt, Northern India and Khwarazm.

Skirmisher Infantry Units :

Fars Archers (high)

Archers are some of the most common skirmishers in medieval warfare. Equipped with recurve bows, but also swords and shields, Fars archers prefer to fire arrows from afar, but can also fight in close combat. Lightly armoured, they fight from behind ramparts or a sturdy line of spearmen.

Melee Infantry Units :

Qolloghchi Infantry [high era Daylami Mercenaries]



One of the military classes noted as part of the Turkoman armies were the Qolloghchi, 'servants'. While the actual makeup of this Qolloghchi class is not clear, Arabic soldiers were an integral part of armies such as the Jalayirids and, later, the Qara Qoyunlu and Aq Qoyunlu. Auxiliaries from subject Arabic nobles in Iraq-i Arab formed an important part of the infantry, which was not commonly formed by turks.

Skirmisher Cavalry Units :

Ghulaman (high)



Ghulaman (sing. Ghulam) were the elite soldiers of medieval Muslim armies. Taken as slaves, mostly from Turkish groups in the steppes at this time of history, purchased, raised as Muslims and trained for warfare, they are fearsome slave-soldiers whose loyalty only lies to their master, as they have neither family nor local support, relying solely on his success for their own fortunes. Trained in Furusiyya, they were excellent cavalrymen, capable of mounted archery as well as fighting with all sorts of weapons from horseback, such as lances, swords, maces and axes.

Melee/Shock Cavalry Units :

Ghulam Lancers (high)



Ghulaman (sing. Ghulam) were the elite soldiers of medieval Muslim armies. Taken as slaves, mostly from Turkish groups in the steppes at this time of history, purchased, raised as Muslims and trained for warfare, they are fearsome slave-soldiers whose loyalty only lies to their master, as they have neither family nor local support, relying solely on his success for their own fortunes. Trained in Furusiyya, they were excellent cavalrymen, capable of mounted archery as well as fighting with all sorts of weapons from horseback, such as lances, swords, maces and axes. Much like the Frankish knights, the Ghulaman were capable of heavy lance charges to break formations and rout opponents.

Late Era

General units :

Atabeg's Ghulaman (late)

Skirmisher Infantry Units :

Fars Archers (late)



Melee Infantry Units :

Qolloghchi Infantry (late)

Hormuz Pirates (late)

Skirmisher Cavalry Units :

Ghilman (late)



Melee/Shock Cavalry Units :

Camel Cavalry (late)



Ghulam Lancers (late)

General units :

Atabeg Malik Hazarasp



Atabeg's Bodyguards



A ruler's askar is his retinue. Amongst his askari, one would find his most trusted soldiers and the elite of the army, including the commanders. Kurdish horsemen were well-known, especially in the Ayyubid army, for being heavy cavalry, using spear or sword, and wearing a mix of fabric and mail or dir hauberks (metal scale armour).

Foot Missile Units

Shabankara Tribesmen



The Shabankara confederation formed a significant regional power in the Western Iranian region. Settled mostly along the Zagros Mountains, the Shabankara Kurds were a major player in the Seljuk fractioning, fighting the Atabegs in their immediate vicinity and maintaining a large amount of autonomy. The Hazaraspid Atabegs of Luristan successfully defeated the confederation and absorbing much of their territory, themselves descendants of Kurdish chiefs of the confederation.

Skirmish Cavalry Units

Shabankara Cavalry



The Shabankara confederation formed a significant regional power in the Western Iranian region. Settled mostly along the Zagros Mountains, the Shabankara Kurds were a major player in the Seljuk fractioning, fighting the Atabegs in their immediate vicinity and maintaining a large amount of autonomy. The Hazaraspid Atabegs of Luristan successfully defeated the confederation and absorbing much of their territory, themselves descendants of Kurdish chiefs of the confederation.

Tribesmen



Turcoman tribes flooded into the Iranian region following the Seljuk conquests. Originally the most reliable soldiers for Seljuk rulers, the Turcomans of Iran quickly became a liability, sometimes organizing into large masses of unruly and rebellious soldiers. They were, however, tied to the local amirs due to grazing land rights and owed military service, usually being used as light cavalry and a vanguard, showering enemies with arrows.
High Era

General units :

Atabeg's Bodyguards (high)



A ruler's askar is his retinue. Amongst his askari, one would find his most trusted soldiers and the elite of the army, including the commanders. Medieval retinues for Muslim rulers generally included a fair number of Ghulaman, slave-soldiers trained by their masters to become reliable and loyal soldiers.

Melee Infantry Units :

Hazaraspid Askari (high)



A ruler's askar is his retinue. Amongst his askari, one would find his most trusted soldiers and the elite of the army, including the commanders.

Skirmisher Cavalry Units :

Savaran (high)



Iranian Savaran (horsemen) have existed since Antiquity, becoming most famous as the heavy cavalry of Arsacid and then Sassanid Iran. While the Arab conquest of Iran changed it forever, Iran helped shape the Muslim world. One such thing was the tradition of aristocratic heavy cavalry, changing to the medieval concept of the Faris. Further influence by Central Asian military culture, they now wear heavy lamellar armour or mail. Capable in ranged combat as well as fighting with the lance and shield, Savaran are the continuation of Iranian military tradition dating from over a thousand years.

Hazaraspid Mounted Askari (high)

A ruler's askar is his retinue. Amongst his askari, one would find his most trusted soldiers and the elite of the army, including the commanders.

Late Era

General units :

Atabeg's Bodyguards (late)

Skirmisher Infantry Units :

Shabankara Tribesmen (late)

Kurdish Infantry (late)



Hazaraspid Askari (late)



Skirmisher Cavalry Units :

Kurdish Mounted Skirmishers (late)

Savaran (late)



Hazaraspid Mounted Askari (late)

Savaran

Early Era

High Era



Late Era



Iranian Savaran (horsemen) have existed since Antiquity, becoming most famous as the heavy cavalry of Arsacid and then Sassanid Iran. While the Arab conquest of Iran changed it forever, Iran helped shape the Muslim world. One such thing was the tradition of aristocratic heavy cavalry, changing to the medieval concept of the Faris. Further influence by Central Asian military culture, they now wear heavy lamellar armour or mail. Capable in ranged combat as well as fighting with the lance and shield, Savaran are the continuation of Iranian military tradition dating from over a thousand years.

Khorasani Muttawwi'a

Early Era



High Era

Late Era



Muttawwi'a (volunteers) were traditionally soldiers assigned to guard the borders of Islam, stationed in forts (ribats). In the history of Muslim Khorasan, it became normal for men to go on Jihad, not as conquering Ghazi, but rather as defenders of their home, finding in Islam the justification to bear arms and armour as semi-professional urban militias and fort garrisons. The local rulers of Khorasani silk road metropolises like Bukhara, Samarqand, Nishapur, Merv and Herat could muster a huge number of volunteers to man their walls in times of need.

Khorasani Piyadegan

Early Era



High Era



Late Era

Khorasan, with its long history of metal working and arms manufacturing, gave Eastern Iran its reputation for being on the cutting edge of military technology in the Muslim world. With the wealth of silk road trade stimulating the local economies, emirs of Khorasan could field some well-equipped foot soldiers (piyadegan) for campaigns or to defend their territory.

Khorasani Archers

Early Era


High Era



Late Era



Khorasan, with its long history of metal working and arms manufacturing, gave Eastern Iran its reputation for being on the cutting edge of military technology in the Muslim world. Local garrisons and raised infantry could be equipped with better armour and weaponry than everywhere else in Greater Iran.

Savaran

Early Era



High Era



Late Era



Iranian Savaran (horsemen) have existed since Antiquity, becoming most famous as the heavy cavalry of Arsacid and then Sassanid Iran. While the Arab conquest of Iran changed it forever, Iran helped shape the Muslim world. One such thing was the tradition of aristocratic heavy cavalry, changing to the medieval concept of the Faris. Further influence by Central Asian military culture, they now wear heavy lamellar armour or mail. Capable in ranged combat as well as fighting with the lance and shield, Savaran are the continuation of Iranian military tradition dating from over a thousand years.

Kurdish Mounted Skirmishers

Early era

Late era

Kurdish tribesmen were great cavalrymen and fought as both heavy cavalry and light cavalry. Light cavalrymen wore little to no armour and carried the typical shields of swift eastern horsemen, such as small leather or wicker shields. Javelins were a common weapon of mounted skirmishers and raiders.

Fars Archers

High Era



Late Era



Archers are some of the most common skirmishers in medieval warfare. Equipped with recurve bows, but also swords and shields, Fars archers prefer to fire arrows from afar, but can also fight in close combat. Lightly armoured, they fight from behind ramparts or a sturdy line of spearmen.

Kurdish Infantry

Early era

Late era

Kurds are fiercely independent, as was demonstrated during the Seljuq period. The Shabankara leaders regularly caused problems for the Seljuq leaders and the successors of the Atabegate period. Where they lack in higher quality equipment from richer neighbours, they make up with fearless determination.

Shabankara Tribesmen

Early era

Late era

The Shabankara are a confederation of major Kurdish clans in Western Iran, along the Zagros mountains. The Hazaraspids are a Shabankara dynasty that took power in Lurestan and can rely on tribesmen from those mountainous areas as a source of reliable manpower. Lightly armoured, tribesmen can use the terrain to their advantage, ambushing enemies, launching javelins before charging with axe and shield.

Daylami Cavalry

Early Era



High Era



Late Era



At the start of Buyyid domination of Western Iran, Daylami cavalry was essentially mounted infantry, carrying soldiers to the battlefield where they dismounted for combat. As time went on, a mounted contingent fought alongside the Ghulam cavalry as skirmishers, using the traditional Daylami weapon, the zupin shortspear. At the end of the Buyyid dynasty, Daylami cavalry had shifted from mounted skirmishers to something closer to a heavy cavalry role, wearing mail armour, using sipar shields and carrying a tabarzin (saddle axe) along with their zupin.

Daylami Skirmishers

Late Era



Being a group from a mountainous area, Daylami had made their name as excellent foot soldiers. The common soldier in the medieval era was a lightly armoured infantryman, relying on large, colourfully painted turs shields for protection, and zupin shortspears as heavy javelins and spears.

Daylami Mercenaries

High Era (Qolloghchi Infantry)



Late Era (Qolloghchi Infantry)



The collapse of the Shi'a Buyyid dynasty in the 11th century led to the elite Daylami soldiers to find employment elsewhere. From Egypt to India, the Daylami infantry was known for being the best of the best, used mostly for palace guard duties. They were still known for their high quality as soldiers during the Seljuq period. They typically used nachakh battle axes and maces, sometimes swords for the wealthier individuals. Despite wearing mail and metal helmets, their shields, the large januwiyah, was their main form of protection, fighting in a tight shield wall formation.

Afghan Spearmen



In the typical deployment of the armies of the Afghan Ghurid dynasty, the spearmen stood behind the skirmishing javelinmen as the first line of infantry. They were equipped as heavy infantry with mail armour over fabric armour, sipar hardened leather shields and long, thrusting spears.

Afghan Mountain Tribesmen



Afghanistan is a mountainous region and, during the medieval era, filled with both large cities like Kabul and Ghazna and rural communities dominated by tribal groups. Unlike urbanized communities, tribesmen were difficult to have direct control over and military leaders would generally have to personally or through representatives seek out the tribal leaders to convince them to join their cause. Plunder or pay was usually a convincing argument. They were fierce warriors, with great knowledge of terrain and a skillset that could easily translate to the battlefield.

Afghan Infantry



While an elite core of heavily armoured infantry was kept in the center of the Ghurid deployment as a reserve, most infantry would be lightly armoured Afghans, equipped with typical Muslim shields made of hardened leather and a vast range of weapons, such as swords and nachakh axes. Their role was to support the first line of armoured spearmen.

Afghan Tribesmen


Afghanistan is a mountainous region and, during the medieval era, filled with both large cities like Kabul and Ghazna and rural communities dominated by tribal groups. Unlike urbanized communities, tribesmen were difficult to have direct control over and military leaders would generally have to personally or through representatives seek out the tribal leaders to convince them to join their cause. Plunder or pay was usually a convincing argument. They were fierce warriors, with great knowledge of terrain and a skillset that could easily translate to the battlefield.