Nerfing Thracians

[vakarr]

I see that the minimum number of massed peltasts in every list where they exist has been increased, without any apparent compensatory improvement to the troop type. Or has there been some invisible upgrade to the troop type? This is one of the worst troop types in a Thracian list. It doesn't behave like peltasts and it is worse than your average hill tribesmen or generic medium foot in combat, while being the same as other troops of the same type (and later Persian kardakes). The Thracian peltasts were highly regarded and if the Thracians are forced to use so many of these rubbish troops (six units at 1600 points) then they should be upgraded to be more Thracian and at least "better than average" or 100% swords. I've only once seen them charge into heavy foot and bounce off without being disrupted, which is, I assume, what they are supposed to do in simulating peltasts that can't shoot. I suppose their chief problem was not fighting the Romans often enough to be given the same status as an Italian hill tribe or whatever. The reduction in points for only having 50% swords doesn't allow you to field enough of them to make up for the difference.

[Karvon]

While I can't address the historical accuracy as to the numbers of these guys, I do find them useful as filler and flankers as they're cheaper than the other options.

Karvon

[vakarr]

It really stinks when you come up against some unnamed hill tribe and they have better troops than you. There are so many examples of superior troops in other lists that are not included in Thracian lists. For example, there's the Irish army which has similar infantry but is allowed to have superior troops. There are many later nomad armies that have superior light horse but there aren't any in the Carthaginian or Thracian armies. Both the Numidian light horse and the Thracian light horse were undoubtedly better than their contemporaries. I really don't understand what those so-called "massed peltasts" are supposed to simulate.

[Karvon]

Yeah, there are certainly other cases for superior lights, such as the Agrarians of Alexander's armies. The Numedian LH is a bit trickier as they massively outnumbered opposing LH in most cases. The ratings are intended for historical matchups, so comparing lists from other time periods is always going to be less accurate.

You can always try out Paul's TT mod, which offers some alternative views on lists.

Regards

Karvon

[SimonLancaster]

When game first came out the Thracians with HW were just average quality. A few years later they were upgraded to above average quality for only 3 pts extra.

[vakarr]

The HW Thracians had a slight improvement in quality because the HW had been nerfed to fit with the Mediaeval game, not because the later period Thracians were somehow better and should get an improvement.