Sassanid Persian is an archetypal cavalry (Cv) army - lots of medium/heavy cavalry with a selection of other troops, mostly available as options. It's a good army for a beginner, because:

 

• It is mostly comprised of a single troop type, so you are not burdened with learning too much all at once
• Cavalry are a good, flexible troop type with no great weaknesses
• Cavalry are easy to manoeuver and control, and forgiving of mistakes
• There are enough other troops types and allies in the list that, once you have mastered cavalry, you can build your skills in other areas.

 

So, what's in a Sassanid Persian army?

3 Irregular Cv(S) generals

At least 22 Cv(S) or (O), in any mixture

A pallisade to protect your camp

 

That's it for compulsory troops.

Pretty much every Sassanid army I'd actually use also has most of the allowed foot and light troops:

 

0-6 Irr. LH(F)

0-4 Irr. Ax(S)

0-8 Irr. Ps(O)

8-12 Irr. Hd(O)

 

Most importantly, these will increase the break point (BP) of your army, which will be very low if your army is all cavalry or more expensive troops. Also, the Ax(S) and Ps(O) mean you cat potentially contest any bad (rough or difficult) going on the battlefield, although you obviously are not going to win your game there.

 

One point to note is that the rules you are using may influence your choice of cavalry; the support rules for Cv(S) and Cv(O) seem to change with every new version of DBM, and it is important to figure out how best to deploy your cavalry, since they are such a large part of the army.

 

What about attack troops? Well, cavalry are pretty good, but sometimes you want something a bit heavier. The Sassanid Persian list offers:

 

0-6 Upgrade Cv to Kn(X) (which reduces the number of Cv you need, if you think 22 is too many)

0-6 El(O)

 

I'd encourage you to master the Cv before you get into these troops - both are more tricky to use. It's important to note that a Sassanid army wins because of its cavalry, not because of its other troops. If you want to win games with knights and elephants,  the Sassanids are not for you - you'll do better with a Knight-based army or an elephant-based army instead. The Kn(X) are a good choice if you're worried about enemy archers, warbands or blades; the elephants are great against enemy knights or warbands, but are an expensive luxury in what is already a small army.

 

 

So, what does a Sassanid army look like? Let's start with a small one, at 350 AP.

 

 

1        Commander-in-Chief, Irr. Cv(S) 1 @ 19 = 19

1-2     Sub-General, Irr. Cv(S) 2 @ 19 = 38

22-46 Asavran, Irr. Cv(O) 8 @ 7 = 56

         Upgrade any Asavran to Irr. Cv(S) 13 @ 9 = 117

0-6    Upgrade Asavran to Irr. Kn(X) 5 @ 11 = 55

 

0-6    Nomad, vassal or arab Irr. LH(F) 6 @ 4 = 24

0-6    Elephants, Irr. El(O) 0 @ 16 = 0

 

0-8    Archers, Irr. Ps(O) 6 @ 2 = 12

0-4    Daylami, Irr. Ax(S) 4 @ 4 = 16

8-12  Peasant levy, Irr. Hd(O) 8 @ 1 = 8

4-6    Palisade to protect camp 5 @ 1 = 5

 

    Total EE = 46

 

I might organize this as:

 

 Command 1:

1 Commander-in-Chief, Irr. Cv(S)

2 Asavran, Irr. Cv(S)

5 Cataphracts, Irr. Kn(X)

2 Nomad, vassal or arab Irr. LH(F)

4 Archers, Irr. Ps(O)

8 Peasant levy, Irr. Hd(O)

5 Palisade to protect camp

3 Static Baggage

3 Mobile Baggage

16 Total EE:

5.5 BP:

 

 Command 2:

1 Sub-General, Irr. Cv(S)

7 Asavran, Irr. Cv(S)

4 Asavran, Irr. Cv(O)

4 Nomad, vassal or arab Irr. LH(F)

16 Total EE:

6 BP:

 

 Command 3:

1 Sub-General, Irr. Cv(S)

4 Asavran, Irr. Cv(S)

4 Asavran, Irr. Cv(O)

2 Archers, Irr. Ps(O)

4 Daylami, Irr. Ax(S)

14 Total EE:

5 BP:

 

This gives one strong cavalry wing, one wing of cavalry and light troops, and a centre of Kn(X) with assorted support troops.

With a list like this, I typically deploy the Kn(X) in column well back and skirmish in the centre with the LH and Ps and try to win on one or both wings. Often the Kn(X) do not even get to fight until late in the game; their purpose is to threaten and stop your opponent being too aggressive in the centre.  Sometimes the Kn(X) redeploy onto one of the wings; this is pretty easy to do when they are in column.

 

So, what about 400 AP? Well, if you are thinking about 400 AP, you need to think about allies, since three irregular generals at 400 AP really isn't enough. There are a lot of options for allies; I am going to discuss a couple only.

 

 

Chionite Huns basically give you LH(S). Not too expensive, very manoeuverable.

 

Here's an example Sassanid list at 400 AP with a Chionite ally, and a few elephants:

 

1 Commander-in-Chief, Irr. Cv(S) 1 @ 19 = 19

1-2 Sub-General, Irr. Cv(S) 2 @ 19 = 38

22-46 Asavran, Irr. Cv(O) 8 @ 7 = 56

 Upgrade and Asavran to Irr. Cv(S) 14 @ 9 = 126

 

0-6 Nomad, vassal or arab Irr. LH(F) 4 @ 4 = 16

0-6 Elephants, Irr. El(O) 3 @ 16 = 48

 

0-8 Archers, Irr. Ps(O) 6 @ 2 = 12

0-4 Daylami, Irr. Ax(S) 4 @ 4 = 16

8-12 Peasant levy, Irr. Hd(O) 10 @ 1 = 10

4-6 Palidade to protect camp 5 @ 1 = 5

 

Chionite allies, 359 AD - 553 AD:

1* Chionite ally-general, Irr. LH(S) 1 @ 12 = 12

5-9* Chionites, Irr. LH(S) 6 @ 7 = 42

 

 Total EE = 51     AP = 400

 

I'd probably organize that something like:

 

 Rough ground command:

1 Sub-General, Irr. Cv(S)

4 Asavran, Irr. Cv(S)

4 Asavran, Irr. Cv(O)

2 Archers, Irr. Ps(O)

4 Daylami, Irr. Ax(S)

14 Total EE:

5 BP:

 

 Centre/reserve command:

1 Commander-in-Chief, Irr. Cv(S)

2 Asavran, Irr. Cv(S)

3 Elephants, Irr. El(O)

4 Nomad, vassal or arab Irr. LH(F)

4 Archers, Irr. Ps(O)

10 Peasant levy, Irr. Hd(O)

5 Palisade to protect camp

3 Static Baggage

3 Mobile Baggage

17 Total EE:

6 BP:

 

 Cavalry strike command:

1 Sub-General, Irr. Cv(S)

8 Asavran, Irr. Cv(S)

4 Asavran, Irr. Cv(O)

13 Total EE:

5 BP:

 

 Chionite command:

1 Chionite ally-general, Irr. LH(S)

6 Chionites, Irr. LH(S)

7 Total EE:

3 BP: 

 

Armenians give you a nice selection of troops not too dissimilar from those in the Sassanid list:

 

1      Armenian Ally-general, Irr. Kn(X)

1-4   Cataphracts, Irr. Kn(X)

2-8   Irr. LH(F)

0-6   Archers, Irr. Bw(I) AND/OR Irr. Ps(O)

0-12 Javelinmen, Irr. Ax(O)

0-1   Hiberian cavalry, Irr. Kn(F)

0-2   Hiberian Longchophori, Irr. Ax(S)

 

In the later period, the Kn(X) are replaced by Cv(O)/(S).  This is a good ally if you want more rough ground troops. The Kn(X) general also gives the knights a bit more punch than those in the Sassanid list. A big Armenian ally can really increase the size of a Sassanid army (though with the risk of being unreliable).

 

There are a few other allies and options in the Sassanid list which I will leave you discover for yourself once you have mastered the basics. The one with regular generals works out too expensive, but the additional Daylami Ax(S) option is worth considering. If you want a real challenge, there's an option to have up to 18 elements of impetuous Hd(S), which I've never had the courage (or figures) to try!

 

DBM3.1, 400AP 2/3rd place in an Italian Comp 2007

By Paolo Paglianti (from the yahoo dbmlist)

 

My list contained a small error, I noted it during first game. In any

case, it can be adjusted quickly playing with Ps and Hd. Anyway, the

list was:

 

1 command) Cv(S) CinC, 5 El, 6 Kn, 3 LH and some hd. 15,5

2 command) Cv(S) sub, 8 Cv(S), 7 Ps(O) and some hd (biggest command)

17

3 command) Cv(S) sub, 8 Cv(S), 3 LH(F) and other hd 12,5

 

the error was I got only 4 TF, while I should have taken 6.

 

 The idea was to deploy the bigger Cv(S) command first, using the Ps

to hamper a single piece of difficult terrain. Then the small Cv(S)

command, then the strongest with El and Kn, usually in the centre.

 

n the army, I'd probably move some Cv(S) from the small command to

the centre: in this way, if I have to deploy the Kn/El command on the

wing (maybe facing a Roman with Art), I can expand with one single

PIP the line and prevent people going behind the line, the worst

thing could happen, and what basically I'd try being on the other

side of the table.

 

Another hint is that, while with a regular army you can always check

the flanks with a reasonable set of dices, with an irregular "rigid"

formation like this one, I always finish the game with the flanks

more open than a tin can under a tank. Something hard to accept, but

normally with not too much risk (except when with a single LH(F) they

kill you two El and two Cv(S) - ouch!)

 

I think that for my style of playing, I should choose something maybe

less strong that the "punch" served from Kn/El, but with some Bws, so

I can attack the rough terrains from outside and force the opponent

to exit and battle, or stay and be killed by detail. Probably Late

Imperial with 4 Art in one command behind the others to be moved

where they can hit hard - as I played in Pisa last year - could be

better.

 

 

 

 

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