Illyrian

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Historical Overview Section

The Illyrians formed several kingdoms in the central Balkans, and the first known Illyrian king was Bardyllis. Illyrian kingdoms were often at war with ancient Macedonia, and the Illyrian pirates were also a significant danger to neighbouring peoples.

At the delta of Neretva, there was a strong Hellenistic influence on the Illyrian tribe of Daors. Their capital was Daorson located in Ošanići near Stolac in Herzegovina, which became the main center of classical Illyrian culture. Daorson, during the 4th century BC, was surrounded by megalithic, 5 meter high stonewalls (large as those of Mycenae in Greece), composed out of large trapeze stones blocks. Daors also made unique bronze coins and sculptures. The Illyrians even conquered Classical Greek colonies on the Dalmatian islands. Queen Teuta of Issa (today Vis) (the Island, not the comic) was famous for having waged wars against the Romans.

In 385 BC, the Molossians were attacked by Illyrians instigated and aided by Dionysius the Syracusan. Dionysius planned to control all the Ionian Sea. Sparta had intervened as soon as the events became known and forced out the Illyrians who were led by Bardyllis. Despite being aided by 2000 Greek hoplites and five hundred suits of Greek armour, the Illyrians were defeated by the Spartans led by Agesilaus but not before ravaging the region and killing 15,000 Molossians. In 360 BC, another Illyrian attack forced the Molossian king Arymbas to evacuate his non-combatant population to Aetolia and let the Illyrians loot freely. The stratagem worked and the Molossians fell upon the Illyrians who were encumbered with booty and defeated them. Apollodorus mentions a war between the Enchelaeae led by Cadmus and Harmonia and the Illyrians. Pausanias mentions a number of Illyrian raids against the Epirotes. Illyrians were also attacked by the Gallic army of Brennus led by Belgius or Bolgious. The Illyrians also attacked the Classical Greek Aetolians when they were about to change strategus and raided the city of Medion taking booty and slaves.

The Illyrians used javelins to thrust offensively at their enemies, and oval shields but no armor or greaves except for the elite. They used Negau helmets, Pot helmets with a rim, wicker helmets with metal plates also called disc and stud helmets. and adopted the Ancient Greek "Illyrian" type helmet. Overall, they functioned as a military variant of the peltasts. They used short spears, single-handed axes that could be hurled, and swords. They used only open faced helmets and they resembled Celtic equipment of the Hallstatt culture to a great degree. From an organizational standpoint, the Illyrians were not a united tribal force and thus fought with a distinct lack of real military coordination. Their fighting techniques seemed to rely heavily on individual accomplishments rather than on coordinated units like the Greek phalanx or the Roman legion. In 359 BC, King Perdiccas III the Early Macedonian King became a Late Macedonian when he was killed by attacking Illyrians in his failed attempt to reconquer Upper Macedonia. In 358 BC, however, Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great, utterly crushed the Illyrians and assumed control of their territory as far as Lake Ohrid with his Alexandrian Macedonian-style army

The Illyrians fought against many ancient peoples, but they ultimately fell to the Mid Republican Romans after the Illyrian Wars during the 1st century BC and failed to breakaway from the Roman Empire during the Great Illyrian Revolt. Illyrian territories would later become provinces of the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire.

Useful Links

User-contributed links about this army:

• Illyrians.org Can you get more relevant than this?
• downloaable pdf about Illyrian Piracy
• Illyrians DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• V2.0 change 1. The following armies (but not ally contingents derived from them) can have up to 1/3 of their battle groups of the specified type upgraded to Superior, representing separately deployed picked warriors. Such battle groups cannot exceed 8 bases. - Illyrian (Warriors)

Using the army in FoG

The Illyrians, despite getting short shrift from the list notes writers, are a sort of proto-Thracian army with the not entirely useless MF Offensive Spear troop type. Maximising the optional troops only soaks up so many points, after which yu can still afford around 50 spearmen, but an IC may be de facto compulsary to ensure you get decent terrain and also to help protect your men from enemy shooting.

Allies

• Syracusan : Date restrictions 385 BC Book: Immortal Fire Page: 38 - A unit of spearmen, plus 3x4 cheap LF - but your Illyrians are hardly small are they? Together with the anti-Epirus options it allows a decent amount of spearmen to form the core of the army - make its almost viable
• Paionian : Date restrictions None Book: Rise of Rome Page: 29 - If you can conjure up a plan that relies on dominating the LF battle, this may be for you, but the main Illyrian spearmen are better than anything in this list. Really the Paonians are a right dogs breakfast of rubbish. Move along, nothing to see....

15mm Manufacturers supplying figures for this army

If you want to trawl through generic greek blokes with skirts ad sticks, have a loot at any of the Geek listings, otherwise you may want to start with Thracian ranges and work backwards for some of the less distinctively Thracian troops. You can see many figures in the Ancients Photo Gallery also on this site.

• Essex Miniatures - 5 thracian figure codes, Cv, LH, LF, 2 types of peltast (spear and romphia)
• Donnington - lots of fairly early generic figures, as well as some Thracians
• Museum Miniatures Fairly genric lookimng Thracian / Peltast ranges
• Gladiator Miniatures by Fighting 15's (Previously Black Hat) Hellenistic range
• Old Glory 15's, Classical ranges with Thracians
• Magister Militum Thracians and Early Hellenistics
• Minifigs Various greek type peltasts
• Irregular Miniatures Generics and Thracians
• Lancashire Games generic ranges
• QRF Models Romans, plus a specific Illyrian pack tucked away in the Hellenistic range.
• Corvus Belli Kappadocians maybe?
• Tin Soldier Generic but distinctive figures
• Xyston - Thracians and Kappadocians worth a look
• Isarus - sold by 15mm.co.uk Thracians in the Selucid range
• Outpost Wargame Services
• Hall of Ancient Warriors
• ERM have a Thracian range
• MY Miniatures Generic Macedonian range has some suitable figures

Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army
900 AP list used at Madaxeman Invitational 2009 - army had to include the base Starter army. 2 variant choices allowed
Option 1

• . CNC, Orsino, Duke of Illyria IC - - - - - - CinC 1
• . Sub 1, Sir Toby Belch FC - - - - - - - 1
• Sub 2, Sir Andrew Aguecheek TC - - - - - - - 1
• Sub 3, Malvolio TC - - - - - - - 1
• 10 Light Horse LH Unprotected Average Undrilled Javelins Light spear - - 6
• 1 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 8
• 2 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 8
• 5 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 8
• 6 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 8
• 9 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 8
• 16 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 8
• 3 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 6
• 4 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 6
• 7 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 6
• 8 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 6
• 15 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 6
• 11 Javelins LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Javelins Light spear - - 6
• 14 Javelins LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Javelins Light spear - - 6
• 13 Slingers LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Sling - - - 6
• 12 Light bowmen LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Bow - - - 6

Option 2

• . CNC, Orsino, Duke of Illyria IC - - - - - - CinC 1
• . Sub 1, Sir Toby Belch FC - - - - - - - 1
• Sub 2, Sir Andrew Aguecheek TC - - - - - - - 1
• Sub 3, Malvolio TC - - - - - - - 1
• 10 Light Horse LH Unprotected Average Undrilled Javelins Light spear - - 6
• 1 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 8
• 2 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 8
• 5 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 8
• 6 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 8
• 9 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 8
• 16 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 8
• 3 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 6
• 4 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 6
• 7 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 6
• 8 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 6
• 15 Spearmen MF Protected Average Undrilled - Offensive spearmen Spearmen - 6
• 11 Javelins LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Javelins Light spear - - 6
• 14 Javelins LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Javelins Light spear - - 6
• 13 Slingers LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Sling - - - 6
• 12 Light bowmen LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Bow - - - 6

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