New army lists to fill the gaps in ancient Italy

[colleonimancanti]

As it currently stands, the game lacks a fair representation of the people that inhabited north-estearn Italy and the Alps before the first century AD. So, to fill this gap, I've come up we the following army lists. The Hernici list I made instead focuses on a (potential) new unit type. As with all ancient italian lists, the earliest date for them is 490 BC.

Veneti 490-391 BC
Veteran Armoured Cavalry 2+0/6
Citizen Hoplites 2+0/10
Italian Foot 2+0/16
Light Javelinmen 1+0/6

The Veneti were renowned horse breeders, such that their horses were even exported to Greece. Most of their infantry fought like other italian tribes, except for their best infantry, which fought as hoplites. This is because their style of fighting was influenced by the Etruscans, which the Veneti bordered. Veneti hoplites should not be raw, since they are shown marching in front of other infantry, which indicates a higher level of prestige. Even though the hoplites are shown as armed with both a thrusting spear and a javelin (as are etruscan hoplites in contemporary art), they should not be represented by veteran italian foot.

Veneti 390-226 BC
Veteran Armoured Cavalry 2+0/6
Thureophoroi 2+0/20
Italian Foot 0/10
Light Javelinmen 1+0/6

With the Gallic invasion of northern Italy, the thureos came into wide adoption, completely replacing the aspis in the 4th century BC. At this point, most of the infantry fought as thureophoroi. Livy reports that in 302 BC the youth of Patavium (modern Padua) defeated a spartan invasion fleet led by Cleonymus.

Veneti 225-91 BC
Armoured Noble Cavalry 2+0/6
Warband (Loose Order) 0/6
Thureophoroi 2+0/20
Slingers 1+0/3
Light Javelinmen 0/3

From Polibius we know that in the second century BC the Veneti's material culture was very similar to that of the Gauls, indicating a strong adoption of Gallic gear. As such, Cavalry and Light Javelinmen are replaced with the Gallic equivalents. Italian foot are replaced by an equal number of men fighting as loose warbands. For the rest of their history, the Veneti always had friendly relationships with the Romans. This alliance between the two peoples started when the Roman asked for aid against the Gauls in 225 BC. As socii, the Veneti never revolted against the Romans, neither during the Punic Wars nor during the Social War. In 91 BC, the Veneti sent slingers to aid the Romans in battle. As such, Veneti and Romans should be able to ally each other.

Hernici 490-306 BC
Armoured Cavalry 1 + 0/1
Veteran Italian Foot 0/3
Italian Foot 7 + 0/27
Hernici Light Foot 1 + 0/6

Hernici Light Foot: slingers with the light spear capability. Same model as the Velites. Point cost: 28 pts.

The Hernici were an italian tribe living in central Italy, bordering the Romans and Latins. They were assimilated by the Romans in 306 BC, and it seems that they gained Roman citizenship before 225 BC. During the Samnite Wars, they fought for both sides at different intervals. As such, they should be able to ally both the Romans and the Samnites. The Hernici were renowned for their Light Foot. In the Aeneid, the Hernici Light Foot are depicted as wearing wolf pelts and leaving one of their feet naked, whilst wearing a boot on the other (in order to gain an adequate grip on all surfaces). As for their equipment, they were all armed with slings and with one or two javelins.

- Raeti / Euganei 490-15 BC
Noble Cavalry 0/2
Axemen 2 + 0/8
Irregular Foot 7 + 0/35
Light Javelinmen 4 + 0/14

The Raeti inhabited the central and eastern Alps and had a language similar to that of the Etruscans. The Euganei were an offshoot of the Raeti that inhabited the eastern pre-Alps. They were renowned raiders and wine makers. They fought in a manner similar to the Ligures (which at one point inhabited the western Alps), but some of their warriors wielded the hellebardenaxt, a large axe that could be wielded with one or two hands. Units were most warriors are armed with this weapon are represented as axemen. They were finally conquered by Augustus in 15 BC. This list should replace the Ligurian list with the generic irregular foot.

[rbodleyscott]

Very interesting.

It is very unlikely that I will have time to add new ancient Italian armies any time soon.

In the meantime, there is nothing to stop you making a mod with them in.