Bedouin Dynasties

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Historical Background

After the Abbasid Arab caliphate collapsed, several dynasties took over Syria and Iraq.
The Hamdanid dynasty ruled northern Iraq and Syria between 890-1004.The Hamdanid dynasty was founded by Hamdan ibn Hamdun (after whom it is named), when he was appointed governor of Mardin in SE Anatolia by the Abbasid Caliphs in 890. His son Abdallah (904-929) was in turn appointed governor of Mosul in northern Iraq (906) and even governed Baghdad (914). His sons were installed as governors in Mosul and Aleppo. The rule of Hassan Nasir ad-Daula (929-968), governor of Mosul and DiyarbakÄ±r, was sufficiently tyrannical to cause him to be deposed by his own family ! However his lineage still ruled in Mossul, a heavy defeat by the Buyids in 979 notwithstanding, until 990. After this, their area of control in northern Iraq was divided between the Uqailids and the Marwanids. Ali Saif al-Daula 'Sword of the State' ruled (945-967) Northern Syria from Aleppo, and became the most important opponent of the Byzantine Empire's expansion. To stop the Byzantine advance, Said al-Daula converted to Shiism in 969 and put Aleppo under the suzerainty of the Fatimids in Egypt, but in 1003 the Fatimids deposed the Hamdanids anyway.

The army includes contingents of Ghazi warriors - GhazÄ«'s organised themselves into semi-independant bodies which depended upon plunder for their livelihood, and were prone to brigandage and sedition in times of peace, attracting adventurers, zealots and religious and political dissidents of all ethnicities. In time, though, soldiers of Turkic ethnicity predominated, mirroring the acquisition of Mamluks, Turkic slaves in the Mamluk retinues and guard corps of the caliphs and emirs and in the ranks of the ghazi corporation, some of whom would ultimate rise to military and later political dominance in various Muslim states.

Using the army in FoG

There are several ways of using the army.

As a "better" Dailami army, using Dailami foot & Foot Ghazis as the main strike force but with sufficient support troops to allow them to contest open ground against mounted lancer armies
As a Dominate Roman style "mob" army, with massed cheap lancer cavalry to overwhelm the enemy by weight of numbers and attack their flanks - ideally unprotected if your opponent will be armoured.
As a standard arab army with an anvil of cheap supported spearmen, with strong lance or Ghilman cavalry on the flanks

In any of the above, the availability of massed lancer armed light horse allows the army to frighten any enemies likely light horse force.

UK Tournament Results with this army

19 / 27 Bedouin Dynsaties Britcon 2007 15mm (open)

Useful Links

User-contributed links about this army:

Dynastic Bedouin DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
Match reports of a 900 point doubles comp using this army.
Fanaticus banner download page with some banners that can be used for this army
put the link text readers will see in here write some more detail about the link here
Samanids DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus

Allies

The only allied contingent is Kurdish, which allows you to double the number of armoured lancer swordsmen fielded from 12 up to 24.

15mm Manufacturers supplying figures for this army

You can see some of the figures in the Ancients Photo Gallery also on this site. This listing only covers "arabic" figures - Turk/Hunninc/Mongol figures are omitted as nearly everyone does some of them.

Essex Miniatures - many generic Arabs, possibly too generic for todays tastes in their Ancients selection, plus a newer 50-strong Arab range of more tailored figures in their Crusades ranges that may be more suitable
Donnington - 35+ arabs
Museum Miniatures - several nice Arab/Persian/Turkish ranges, often using the same figures in each!
Gladiator Miniatures by Fighting 15's (Previously Black Hat) 33-strong Crusades Moslems Range
Old Glory 15's, several Arab Ranges
Minifigs Venerable Crusader range with Arabs
Irregular Miniatures 39 Arab & Turk figures from a generic range
Lancashire Games - Several large "value" packs of Arab troops
LKM Direct - Freikorps ranges have Medieval Turks
Tin Soldier 16 Arabs in one range
Outpost Wargame Services A specialist in this period/region, 30+ Crusade-period Islamics
East Riding Miniatures Some berbers in a small El Cid Range may be suitable
Khurasan Miniatures again a specialist period for Khurasan, with several Persian/eastern ranges
Viking Forge several Arab & Turkish ranges
Falcon Figures Ottoman range
Battle Line Miniatures 27 Generic Arabs
Eureka - Australian Site Grumpys Miniatures Perian & Afghan Ranges are quite fun
50 Paces.com their website shows an "Arab" range, but no figure codes listed
Legio Heroica 22 Crusades-era Arabs
Mirliton as sold by Vexillia in the UK have a new (June 2010) range of Crusades Era Arabs

Core Troops

The "specialist" manufacturers for this army are generally Outpost & Khurasan, with Museum offering troops in a very similar style. Arabs are one of Donningtons best ranges as well, and Essex have a good selection in their newer (ie not their standard "Arab") ranges. Lancashire Games unusually have some good arab cavalry to bulk out the light horse lancer/swordsmen needed.

Army Lists

Hamanid as used by me & Adam at Godendag 2009, Usk - the Hamanid 965 period. Comment on the Hamanid Match Reports here on this comments page :

1 Infantry Bowmen LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Bow - - - 8
2 Arab Slingers LF Unprotected Average Undrilled sling - - - 4
3 Bedouin Infantry MF Protected Average Undrilled - Light spear Swordmen - 8
4 Bedouin cavalry Cv Unprotected Average Undrilled - Lancers Swordmen - 4
5 Bedouin cavalry Cv Protected Average Undrilled - Lancers Swordmen - 4
6 Bedouin cavalry Cv Protected Average Undrilled - Lancers Swordmen - 6
7 Bedouin cavalry Cv Protected Average Undrilled - Lancers Swordmen - 6
8 Bedouin cavalry Cv Protected Average Undrilled - Lancers Swordmen - 6
9 Khurasani Ghazi Archers LH Unprotected Average Undrilled Bow - - - 4
10 Khurasani Ghazi Archers LH Unprotected Average Undrilled Bow - - - 4
11 Bedouin cavalry (LH) LH Unprotected Average Undrilled - Lancers Swordmen - 4
12 Bedouin cavalry (LH) LH Unprotected Average Undrilled - Lancers Swordmen - 6
13 Bedouin cavalry Cv Protected Average Undrilled - Lancers Swordmen - 6
14 Hamanid Ghazi Lancers Cv Unprotected Superior Undrilled - Lancers Swordmen - 6
15 Hamanid Ghazi Lancers Cv Unprotected Superior Undrilled - Lancers Swordmen - 6
16 Bedouin Archers MF Protected Average Undrilled Bow - - - 8
- Bedouin CinC IC - - - - - - CinC 1
- Bedouin Sub TC - - - - - - - 2
- Bedouin Super-Sub FC - - - - - - - 1

900 AP Hamanid as used by Nik Gaukroger & Ray Duggins at Usk 2009 - same period. A match report of the game between these two armies is here.

4 LF average Slingers
10 Mob
4 LH, Lancer, Sword, Unprotected
6 LF, Bw
4 LH, Lancers, Swordsmen, Unprotected
4 LH, Lancers, Swordsmen, Unprotected
4 LH, Bow Unprotected
4 LH, Bow Unprotected
6 Dailami, Impact Foot, Mediums, Drilled, Armoured, Superior, swordsmen
6 Dailami, Impact Foot, Mediums, Drilled, Armoured, Superior, swordsmen
4 Cv, Protected, Average, Lancer, Swordsmen
4 Cv, Protected, Average, Lancer, Swordsmen
6 Dailami, Impact Foot, Mediums, Drilled, Armoured, Superior, swordsmen
8 Ghazis, Medium Foot, Protected, Superior, Undrilled, Impact Foot Swordsmen Ghazis
4 Undrilled Armoured, Khurasanian ghazi cavalry, Bow, Swordsmen, Superior
4 Undrilled Armoured, Khurasanian ghazi cavalry, Bow, Swordsmen, Superior
Generals (IC & 2 TCs)

800 AP version

1 LF Bowmen LF unprotected Average Undrilled bow - - - 8
2 LF Archers LF unprotected Average Undrilled bow - - - 6
3 Slinkers LF unprotected Average Undrilled sling - - - 4
4 Deaf Spearmen HF Protected Average Undrilled - defensive spearmen - - 6
4.1 suporting LF LF unprotected Average Undrilled bow - - - 3
5 Deaf Spearmen HF Protected Average Undrilled - defensive spearmen - - 6
5.1 suporting LF LF unprotected Average Drilled bow - - - 3
6 Berber Arab Lancers LH unprotected Average Undrilled - lancers Swordsmen - 4
7 Berber Arab Lancers LH unprotected Average Undrilled - lancers Swordsmen - 4
8 Berber Arab Lancers LH unprotected Average Undrilled - lancers Swordsmen - 4
9 Ghazis Cv armoured superior Undrilled bow Swordsmen - 4
10 Ghazis Cv armoured superior Undrilled bow Swordsmen - 4
11 Ghazis Cv armoured superior Undrilled bow Swordsmen - 4
12 Berber Arab Lancers Cv unprotected Average Undrilled - lancers Swordsmen - 4
13 Dailami MF armoured superior Drilled - Impact foot Swordsmen - 4
13.1 supporting light archers LF unprotected superior Drilled bow - - - 2
14 Dailami MF armoured superior Drilled - Impact foot Swordsmen - 4
14.1 supporting light archers LF unprotected superior Drilled bow - - - 2
Generals TC - - - - - - - 1
Generals TC - - - - - - - 3

Interesting option with Dailami supporting the more stolid foot

800AP Iqaylid 997AD version used by Alan Cutner in Scottish Open 2010

1 Bedouin Cavalry LH Unprotected Average Undrilled - Lancers Swordsmen 4
2 Bedouin Cavalry LH Unprotected Average Undrilled - Lancers Swordsmen 4
3 Bedouin Cavalry LH Unprotected Average Undrilled - Lancers Swordsmen 4
4 Bedouin Cavalry LH Unprotected Average Undrilled - Lancers Swordsmen 4
5 Bedouin Archers LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Bow - - - 6
6 Kurdish Cavalry Cv Armoured Superior Undrilled - Lancers Swordsmen 4
7 Kurdish Cavalry Cv Armoured Superior Undrilled - Lancers Swordsmen 4
8 Bedouin Arm. Cav. Cv Armoured Superior Undrilled - Lancers Swordsmen 4
9 Bedouin Arm. Cav. Cv Armoured Superior Undrilled - Lancers Swordsmen 4
10 Bedouin Arm. Cav. Cv Armoured Superior Undrilled - Lancers Swordsmen 4
11 Dailami MF Armoured Superior Undrilled - Impact Swordsmen 4
11.1 ...supporting archers LF Unprotected Superior Undrilled Bow - - 2
12 Dailami MF Armoured Superior Undrilled - Impact Swordsmen 4
12.1 ...supporting archers LF Unprotected Superior Undrilled Bow - - 2
13 Dailami MF Armoured Superior Undrilled - Impact Swordsmen 4
13.1 ...supporting archers LF Unprotected Superior Undrilled Bow - - 2
Generals TC - - - - - - - 3
Kurdish Ally General TC - - - - - - - 1

Agressive, high quality option.