Slitherine

I am putting together a Skythian list at 800pts and I'm trying to decide whether to take a Greek ally or not. What are the thoughts out there?

At 1000 points I would always take the Greeks, at 600 I would never take them and at 800 it is a tough call which I suspect you know.

The main issue with the Greeks is that while they are decent troops they are not going to give you the edge against many things. Protected spear are OK but need help to win the game for you.

When I looked at Skythians my 800 point list emphasised cavalry (not light horse, you have some LH but at least half the unarmoured cavalry as cavalry) and medium foot. While the MF are not the best they are cheap and plentiful, both things that compensate for their limitations.

The armoured cavalry are really good, I would always take the maximum of them (as bow sword), then see where the rest of the points took me.

Very interesting advice.

Which MF would you raise? Plain bows or the Bow/Spear units, and would you take Poor or Avg?

How would you use them in what looks like a mounted missile army at heart? Pinning? Bait for the enemy heavies?

Mike

I would take the Thracian allies. You don't have to have any Skythian foot, and you get decent allied MF that can hold terrain

Out of interest, what size would you take the mounted BGs at? I figured the Cv is fine at 4, but should the LH be 4 or 6?

4's for 2 reasons, they're easier to get out of the way and concentrate fire with, and when they lose 1 dice per three for disruption they don't get 3 dice anyway

Also in a equal frontage shooting fight with other LH, they won't receive more than 2 hits, so can't lose a base. Whereas 6's can.

lordmarc wrote:I am putting together a Skythian list at 800pts and I'm trying to decide whether to take a Greek ally or not. What are the thoughts out there?

Bosporan might be a better option if you want to use Greeks with LH Bow Swordsmen. The first king of which being Spartocus

Shortly to be taking on Alexander and his Merry Men (800pts) with Skythians and was going for an IC and 3 TC with an all-mounted force, planning to meet him on the steppes! I hadn't considered Thracians as an allied group but in case the steppes don't happen for me, they look a good bet...deduct a TC Skythian, add in an ally TC Thracian with ally force biased towards MF. Hmmm....time for a think! Ta for the good idea!!

Martin

Here are the two lists I worked out.

CinC FC 50pts
Sub FC 50pts
2 x Sub TC 70pts
3 x 4 Armoured Cavalry Cv,Armoured,Superior,Undrilled,Bow,Swordsmen 216pts
4 x 4 Unprotected Cavalry LH,Unprotected,Average,Undrilled,Bow,Swordsmen 160pts
3 x 4 Unprotected Cavalry Cv,Unprotected,Average,Undrilled,Bow,Swordsmen 120pts
6 Slingers LF,Unprotected,Average,Undrilled,Sling 24pts
2 x 8 Foot Archers 1/2 MF,Unprotected,Average,Undrilled,Bow,Light Spear
1/2 MF,Unprotected,Average,Undrilled,Bow 80pts
8 Foot Spearmen MF,Protected,Poor,Undrilled,Light Spear 24pts
794pts

CinC FC 50pts
2 Sub TC 70pts
1 Thracian Ally 25pts
3 x 4 Armoured Cavalry Cv,Armoured,Superior,Undrilled,Bow,Swordsmen 216pts
2 x 4 Unprotected Cavalry LH,Unprotected,Average,Undrilled,Bow,Swordsmen 80pts
4 x 4 Unprotected Cavalry Cv,Unprotected,Average,Undrilled,Bow,Swordsmen 160pts
4 Getae LH,Unprotected,Average,Undrilled,Bow 32pts
4 Thracian Light Horse LH,Unprotected,Average,Undrilled,Javelins,Light Spear 28pts
2 x 8 Thracian Foot MF,Protected,Average,Undrilled,Offensive Spearmen
797pts

If it wasn't for the fact that the Thracians have to be in an allied command I think the second list is better but with an ally general looking after 2 BGs of LH and 2 of MF I think that you will have problems.

Actually looking at the list I think you can't have getae and other in the same allied command but may be wrong.

Yes, I don't think you can have getae as well as non-getae as they are a in effect a different list. This makes it better anyway. Drop the Thracian LH and have a BG of 6 Thracian MF javelinmen @ 5pts each. I would also take one of the BG's as heavy Wpn, better against Thorakitai, so the ally is
1 BG 8 MF Hvy Wpn
1 BG 8 MF Off Sp
1 BG 6 MF Lt Sp
1 BG 4 LH Bow

you spend 799pts

the Lt Sp MF can then support the other 2 MF BG's, just keep the LH BG out of combat or range of enemy shooters.