Later Dynastic Egyptian

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Historical Overview Section

Egyptians from 664-525BC and 405-343BC (The Early Achaemenid Persians conquered them between these dates)

The 26th Dynasty

The Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt was the last native dynasty to rule Egypt before the Early Achaemenid Persian conquest in 525 BC (although others followed). The Dynasty's reign (c. 685-525 BC) is also called the Saite Period after the city of Sais, where its pharaohs had their capital.

The Dynasty really started to rock and roll under Psamtik I who was recognized as sole king over all of Egypt after the Neo-Assyrian Empire invasion. Whilst the Neo-Assyrian Empire was preoccupied with revolts and civil war over control of the throne, Psamtik threw off his ties to the Assyrians, and formed alliances with Gyges, king of the Lydians and recruited Classical Greek mercenaries to resist further attacks from the Neo-Assyrian Empire. With the sack of Nineveh by the median, Skythian or Saka, and Neo-Babylonian Empire in 612 BC and the resulting fall of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, both Psamtik and his successors attempted to reassert Egyptian power in the Near East, but were driven back by armies of the Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadrezzar II. With the help of Greek mercenaries, Apries was able to hold back attempts by the Neo-Babylonian Empire to conquer Egypt, but it was the Early Achaemenid Persians who conquered Egypt, and their king Cambyses II carried Psamtik III to Susa in chains.

The 28th-31st Dynasties

The Twenty-Eighth Dynasty of Egypt had one ruler, Amyrtaeus, who was a descendant of the Saite kings of the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty, and led a successful revolt against the Early Achaemenid Persians on the death of Darius II. The dynasty lasted from 404-398BC. Nepherites I founded the Twenty-ninth Dynasty of ancient Egypt by defeating Amyrtaeus in open battle, and later putting him to death at Memphis (Egypt, not Tennessee). Nepherites son Psammuthes was in turn overthrown by a Viking called Hakor, who claimed to be the grandson of Nepherites. Hakor successfully resisted Early Achaemenid Persian attempts to reconquer Egypt, drawing support from Classical Greek Athens and from the rebel king of Cyprus, Evagoras. Although his son Nepherites II became king on his death, the younger Nepherites was unable to keep hold on his inheritance. The Thirtieth Dynasty then followed as Nectanebo I's deposed the previous Pharaoh.

Nectanebo I had gained control of all of Egypt by November of 380 BC, but spent much of his reign defending his kingdom from an attempted Early Achaemenid Persian reconquest with the occasional help of Classical Greek Sparta or Athens. After his father's death, Teos invaded the Early Achaemenid Persian territories of modern Syria and Israel and was beginning to meet with some successes when he lost his throne due trouble at home in the shape of his brother, who managed to get the army to place his own son Nectanebo II on the Pharonic throne. Teos fled to the Early Achaemenid Persian court.

The next Early Achaemenid Persian Emperor Artaxerxes (they came along like buses in those days you know) then attempted an invasion of Egypt in the winter of 351/350 BC, but failed so spectacularly that his defeat prompted revolts in Classical Greek Cyprus, Phoenicia, and Cilicia. Nectanebo gave support to these revolts, but Artaxerxes eventually suppressed them all and was once again able to invade Egypt in 343 BC. This second invasion proved successful, and Nectanebo was forced to withdraw from his defenses in the Nile Delta to Memphis, where he saw that his cause was lost. He thereupon fled south to Nubia, where he is assumed to found refuge at the court of King Nastesen of Napata. Nectanebo has been considered the last native pharaoh of Egypt, and his flight marked the end of Egypt as an independent entity.

Using the army in FoG

Chariots in 6's are incredibly unwieldy, and so you are almost certainly looking at 2x4.
You really are looking at maxing out the armoured Greek mercenary spearmen to make something half decent from the list.
2x6 Superior Nubian bowmen also look quite interesting.
also See more detailed discussion with army list below.

UK Tournament Results with this army

17 / 22 Late Dynasty Egyptian Oxford Doubles 2008 (IF)

Allied Contingents

Greek, Kyrenean : Date restrictions From 570 BC Book: Immortal Fire Page: 22 - 5 Heavy Chariots could be fun, but more spearmen is a bit dull
Libyan, Late : Date restrictions Only 30th Dynasty from 360 BC Book: Immortal Fire Page: 24 - 11 Light Chariots? Well, in period they can frighten enemy Cavalry & LHâ€¦

Useful Links

User-contributed links about this army:

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Allies

Put information on allied contingents here - including recommendations on which to use, and why

15mm Manufacturers supplying figures for this army

The army is a mix of Egyptians and hoplites. You can see some of the figures in the Ancients Photo Gallery also on this site

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Essex Miniatures - lots of Egyptians and Sea People, large Hellenistic range- Saite Egyptian spearmen which could work.
Gladiator Miniatures by Fighting 15's (Gladiator Games) Egypt/Biblical is a specialist period for Black Hat - some fairly chunky Egyptians and Libyans, also Greek Hoplite ranges
Donnington 60+ Hellenistics, including some Egyptian style hoplites
Xyston Some of their Greeks are creeping up the scale, but generally OK to mix with others
Old Glory New Kingdom and Sea People ranges, various Greek ranges
Magister Militum Their Chariot ranges were the original Biblical specialists - large variety, plus plenty of decent hoplite figures plus assorted allies/mercenaries - do Saite Egyptian spearmen which could work.
Museum Some Egyptians, around 30 codes listed for various Hellenistic armies, but some codes are duplicated
Minifigs UK Egyptians, 45 codes in their Hellenistic & Alexandrian ranges
Irregular Minis Egyptians, 26 figures codes for Hellenistics
Lancashire Games Libyan range plus other generic figures, 14 Hellenistic/Macedonian range figure codes
Peter Pig NK Egyptians,
LKM/QRF Auxumites might work for Libyans at a pinch, some figures in the Hellenistic Greek range will work as skirmishers. Nubian range also available.
Viking Forge Egyptians
Battle Line of New Zealand Egyptian range
Brial Hallâ€™s Hall of Ancient Warriors New Kingdom Egyptians
Falcon Figures Egyptians and Sea Peoples
MY Miniatures Egyptians and Libyans/Sea Peoples
Tin Soldier 32 codes in a Hellenistic range
Viking Forge 17 figure codes in Hellenistic & Alexandrian ranges
Battle Line Miniatures 43 codes in their Hellenistic range, which also covers hoplite armies

Core Troops

Which troops are absolutely needed for this army, and what are your thoughts on how to organise, paint and buy them.

Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army

Late Dynastic Egyptian 26th Dynasty 798 pts, 74 bases, 13 BGs

Prince Ptomaine TC - - - - - - - - 1x35=35
Marshal of the Horse TC - - - - - - - - 1x35=35
Marshal of the Foot TC - - - - - - - - 1x35=35
Herocles - - TC - - - - - - - - 1x35=35
1 1st Light Horse LH Unprotected Average Undrilled Jav/LSp- - 4x7=28
2 1st Light Horse LH Unprotected Average Undrilled Jav/LSp- - 4x7=28
3 1st Libyan Javelinmen LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Jav/LSp - 6x4=24
4 1st Nubians LF Unprotected Superior Undrilled Bow - - 4x6=24
5 2nd Greeks HF Armoured Average Drilled Offensive spearmen 8x10=80
6 2nd Greeks HF Armoured Average Drilled Offensive spearmen 8x10=80
7 2nd Nubians LF Unprotected Superior Undrilled Bow - - 4x6=24
8 3 Javelinmen MF Protected Average Drilled Lt spear 6x6=36
9 3 Egyptian Spearmen HF Protected Average Drilled Defensive spearmen 6x7=42
10 3 Greeks HF Armoured Average Drilled Offensive spearmen 8x10=80
11 4 Chariots HCh - Superior Drilled Bow - - - - 4x22=88
12 4 Chariots HCh - Superior Drilled Bow - - - - 4x22=88
13 4 Egyptian Archers MF Unprotected Average Drilled Bow -- - 6x6=36

26th DYNASTY: This list offers up to 32 armoured drilled mercenary Greek hoplites and the required Bow and required Egyptian foot are average and can be used on the flanks of the offensive spears, or in rear support and move out to the sides if needed. The superior heavy shooting chariots are fun solid flank protection — like Knights they throw 2 dice so a BG of 4 can keep 2 BGs of opposing Cavalry tied up with shooting and melee for a while. The army is pretty much all drilled and fairly tough against shooting so you can focus on pushing the hoplites at the enemy with TCs in the front against tough opponents. The list above was originally 2 Chariot and one Shooty Cav BG and 3 Offensive Armoured Spear BGs for an assault+pinning force of Spears with enough serious mounted to be dangerous, all supported by another spear BG, a LH brigade, and a bunch of LF for skirmishing and with the MF BGs for rear support or terrain use as mentioned. I dropped shooty cavalry to strengthen the Spear force. The IC was nice to hold the line in tough CTs and to rally and bolster, but I dropped him to get 4 TCs as I don't really need to win initiative.

TERRAIN DOCTRINE: We want open ground but not too wide - bad going is usually better as more difficult as that limits the enemy as well as us. Drilled troops can circle past terrain quite well. Will take a look at Neo-Assyrian Allies when the list comes out.

DEPLOYMENT DOCTRINE:

Q1:Standard skirmisher start.
Q2: 2 Greek BGs in the likely center (though it could turn out to be a wing) plus LF quite likely in front of them.
Q3: Flesh out the heavy infantry positions, likely in one big block with the Javelin MF as rear support and the defensive spears most likely in reserve, echelon back on the weak wing of the hoplites, or to face Knights or Elephants in support of the Chariots (since their lighter armour does not matter in that case).
Q4: Chariot force goes down either split or massed on a wing. They cover a frontage of 4 so can face off two opposing shooty Cav BGs. They like to shoot; don't want to fight serious foot. The Bows are deployed to work with the Chariots or with the LH, or tucked back for rear support and awaiting opportunities. Previously I put the Chariots down in Q3, with the MF and a hoplite BG last, but trying this instead since the position for the MF other than bows is pretty obvious by Q3.

TEMPLATE: Name of Army / Date

Using asterisks inthe edit mode creates a bulleted list in the actual site
This is a lot easier to do than easier than setting up tables
For FoG I suggest listing your army in order or march
with troop desctiptions on each line, for example
4 HF Armoured Average Drilled Impact Foot Swordsmen
8 LG Undrilled Unarmoured Poor Bowen
Dont forget to include your Generals !!!

Include any notes you want here, including comments on how to use - or play against - the army.