Historical Overview Section
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate gol Empire, ruled by the Mongol House of Hulagu. It was founded in the 13th century and was based primarily in Iran as well as neighbouring territories, such as present-day Azerbaijan and the central and eastern parts of present-day Turkey.
The Ilkhanate was originally based on the campaigns of Genghis Khan in the Khwarazmian Empire in 1219–24 and was founded by Hulagu Khan, a grandson of Genghis Khan. With the fragmentation of the Mongol Empire after 1259 it became a functionally separate khanate.
At its greatest extent, the state expanded into territories that today comprise most of Iran, Iraq, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Turkey, western Afghanistan, and southwestern Pakistan.
Later Ilkhanate rulers, beginning with Ghaznavids in 1295, would convert to Islam.
Using the army in ADLG
- Attacking is always preferred. Attack in plains, rough terrain is not enough of a big deal.
- Players without foot bows will learn why they want them.
- Many steppe armies should be designed with a command that can flank march and you flank march A LOT with it.
- LH are a bit iffy, and may run out of space. Top out around 6 or 7 LH.
- MC is great when elite. You shouldn't plan to fight with it, but they are vicious shooting and with support often can hold up long enough to disengage. But if opponent doesn't have foot bows, then they are awesome.
- MC charging you in flank are pretty darn deadly!
- Knowing when to skeddale is an important factor.
- LH can interpenetrate and be interpenetrated by Cavalry - unlike in many other rules
- In this list the 2 Med Kn help you when in a mounted fight.
- Artillery is something to think about seriously. Once the opponent starts pushing the artillery starts plinking and they fixate on that. You just need to make sure you don't fixate on not losing it.
- You need to have the majority of your army as Medium Cav
- Any (usually 4) 4 Heavy Elite Bow/Impact types should always be taken
- Take less than 10 light cavalry.
- Get good initiative
- Keep as many of your cavalry Elite as possible while keeping your breakpoint above 19-20.
- Elite make your bowfire decent and keeps the Medium Cav alive in melee
Beating Solid Heavy Foot Armies in ADLG With Mounted Shooting
First, decide what is each side’s “theory of victory” in this match-up? If you don’t have conception or plan about how you win you probably won’t…
Huns: If you answer is something like, “run up shoot at the Romans until they break” this might work against some people but it is likely to result in a draw at best. If the answer is “ride around the Romans flank, shoot them a bit, and hope the Romans don’t react so I can flank charge…” again might work against some but still isn’t very robust.
The right answer is a combination of these. Maximize shooting to the extent you can to try and accumulate a lot of damage against the heavy foot army, effectively lowering their break point from 21 to 10-13 or so. Maneuver against one flank that appears most vulnerable and be prepared to sacrifice 3-4 MC into the front of the legions to hold them in place while 2-4 MC work to get on the flanks.
The rest of your army keeps shooting and keeps the bulk of the enemy infantry from participating in the decisive fight. You can also see why I prefer to avoid an army this light. The “heavier” your shooty cav army is the more effective it is going to be at that decisive charge – which is the game winning maneuver. An army with a hammer, like Ghaznavids with their Elite Elephants, Elite M Sw Impact, and Impetuous M Sw are nasty hammer to hit something with while HC Bow maneuver on the flank.
15mm Manufacturers supplying figures for this army
You can see some of the figures in the Ancients Photo Gallery also on this site. The Mongols had many subject troops, so look at the other Arab and East European ranges as well.
- Essex Miniatures Ilkhanid Mongols in their Crusades range, 9 Mongols in their ancients range
- Donnington 30+ Mongol figures
- Black Hat (Gladiator Games) 5 Ilkhanids in their Crusades range
- Old Glory 9 Mongols
- Museum Many Mongol and other figures
- Irregular Minis 13 Mongols in their Asian and Turk ranges
- Lancashire Games 5 Mongols in their Ancients ranges, some tatas in their Renaisance range
- Isarus (more former TTG figures) 19 Mongols
- Viking Forge Mongol range with 5 figures
- Brian Hall’s Hall of Ancient Warriors 6 Mongols
- Battle Line (NZ) former TTG Ranges, as above
- Outpost - Central Asian Turk range
- Khurasan - Many Central Asian types
- Legio heroica Turcomans in their Crusades Arab ranges, and a new Mongol range too
- Navwar Turcomen in their Persian range
- SHQ Miniatures/Kennington Yuan, Ming & Mongols
- Legio Heroica new range (as of 2010) of Mongol cavalry
- Alain Touller Alain Touller - true 15mm figures from France - lots of variety in their "Peuples des steppes" range, alhough the future of this range is uncertain after Alain sadly passed away
Useful Links
User-contributed links about this army. Add links in this format:
- name of link description of link
as an example
- Arab Conquest Arab Conquest army on Fanaticus
Army Lists
Sample army lists for this army
Olkhanid Devizes 2024
Brilliant
2 Frankish mercenaries Medium knight impact Elite
1 Mongol Shock Cavalry Heavy Cavalry Bow Elite
2 Mongol Cavalry Light cavalry bow ------
1 Mongol Cavalry Light cavalry bow Elite
1 Mongol Shock Cavalry Heavy Cavalry Impact Bow Elite
1 Artillery Park Heavy artillery ----
1 Mongol Cavalry Medium Cavalry Bow Elite
1 Mercenary Crossbow Crossbowmen ----
==
Ordinary Included Armenian Ally
2 Armenian Nobles Medium knight impetuous Elite
4 Armenian spearmen Heavy spearmen ------
2 Bowmen Light infantry bow ------
1 Bowmen Bowmen ----
==
Ordinary Included
1 Mongol Shock Cavalry Heavy Cavalry Impact Bow Elite
1 Mongol Cavalry Light cavalry bow Elite
1 Mongol Cavalry Medium Cavalry Bow Elite
Ilkhanid v4 Brixham 2022
Brilliant
4 Shock cavalry Heavy cavalry bow Elite
2 Mongol horsemen Light cavalry bow ------
==
Brilliant
2 Shock cavalry Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
1 Mongol horsemen Light cavalry bow Elite
2 Franks or Hospitaller mercenaries Heavy knight impact Elite
==
Competent
2 Shock cavalry Heavy cavalry bow Elite
4 Mongol horsemen Light cavalry bow ----
255 Ilkhanid Jamieson
Brilliant
2 Khan's guard Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
1 Mongol horsemen Medium cavalry bow Elite
1 Mongol light horsemen Light cavalry bow Elite
2 Mongol light horsemen Light cavalry bow ------
1 Franks Crossbowmen ----
1 Dismounted horsemen: archers Bowmen ----
==
Competent
2 Khan's guard Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
2 Hospitallers Medium knight impact Elite
1 Dismounted horsemen: bow skirmishers Light infantry bow ------
1 Mongol light horsemen Light cavalry bow Elite
1 Mongol light horsemen Light cavalry bow ----
==
Golden Horde Ally
Ordinary Included Ally
2 Shock cavalry (one with included general - Britcon 2019)* Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
1 Mongol cavalry Medium cavalry bow Elite
1 Mongol cavalry Medium cavalry bow ------
1 Mongol light cavalry Light cavalry bow ----
255 Ilkanid Britcon 2018
Strategist
4 Khan's Guardsmen Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
2 Mongol Horsemen Medium cavalry bow Elite
2 Mongol Horsemen Light cavalry bow Elite
1 Dismounted Horsemen Light infantry bow ------
==
Ordinary
3 Mongol Horsemen Medium cavalry bow Elite
2 Mongol Horsemen Light cavalry bow Elite
==
Ordinary
3 Mongol Horsemen Medium cavalry bow Elite
2 Mongol Horsemen Light cavalry bow Elite