Timurid

Historical Overview Section

The Timurids - 1360-1500
The Timurids origins were as a Mongolian nomadic confederation known as Barlas, remnants of the original Mongol Invasion army of Genghis Khan. After the Mongol conquest of Central Asia, the Barlas settled in Turkistan and intermingled (oo-er missus!!) with the local Turkic population. By the time of Timur (Tamerlane) the Barlas had become thoroughly Turkicized in language and habits, and had adopted Islam. This linked the new empire firmly into the Persian sphere of influence and culture which had dominated Central Asia since the early days of Islamic influence.

Timur was a busy chap and started off by conquering large parts of Transoxiana, and the empire of the Khurasanian Dynasties. Acting officially in the name of the Mongolian Chagatai ulus, he subjugated Transoxania and the Khwarazmians in the years that followed, and then began a campaign westwards in 1380. By 1389 he had removed the Kartids from Herat and advanced into mainland Persia from 1382 sweeping away the Bedouin Dynasties in the process. In 1394/95 he triumphed over the Golden Horde Tatars and enforced his sovereignty in the Caucasus, in 1398 subjugated Multan and Dipalpur in modern day Pakistan and in modern day India left Delhi in such ruin that it is said for two months "not a bird moved wing in the city". In 1400/01 conquered Aleppo, Damascus and eastern Anatolia, in 1401 destroyed Baghdad and in 1402 triumphed over the Later Ottoman Turkish armies in a battle at Ankara. He died on the way to have a pop at the Ming Chinese, although records indicate he may also have been taking backhanders from them for many years, so perhaps he was only going there for the tea and vases? An estimated 17 million people may have died from his conquests.

Two of Timur's four sons (Jahangir and Umar Shaykh) predeceased him and his third son, Miran Shah, died soon after Timur, leaving the youngest son, Shah Rukh to ultimately succeed him. After Timur's death in 1405, his empire fell apart with various tribes and warlords competing for dominance. The Black Sheep Turkmen destroyed the western empire in 1410 when they captured Baghdad, but in Persia and Transoxiana Shāhrukh was able to secure effective control from about 1409. His empire controlled the main trade routes and commercial opportunities between East and West including the legendary Silk Road and became immensely wealthy as a result. One of his descendants Babur went onto found the Mughal Empire in India.

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

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:

• Timurid Army Nicely painted indeed
• Mongol conquest  DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• Mongol Conquest DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• Mongol Conquest DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• Mongol Conquest. DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• put the link text readers will see in here write some more detail about the link here

Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army
Devizes 2024
1 LH Bw Elite
1 HCv Bw Allied Turkish General Ordinary
2 LH Bow
==
1 Lh Bow
1 Full Fat Khans Guard
2 HCv Bo
==
Strategist
3 HCv Full Fat Guard
2 Elephants Armour
1 Trebuchet
4 UnDead Levy
4 LF Bow
1 LH Bow
2 MF Spearmen

Southern league 2023
2 HCv Khans Guard
2 Naffatun
==
2 HCv Impact Elite
2 LH Bow
2 HCv Bow
1 Elite HCv Bow
Brilliant Commander
==
1 LF Bow
2 Archers with Stakes
1 LH Bow
4 HCv Bow Elite
Brilliant Commander

Hugos list from Alicante 2023
2 LH Bw Elite
2 Cv Bw/Impact Ordiunary Included General
==
2 LH Bw Elite
2 Cv Bw/Impact Ordiunary Included General
==
4 Levy
2 LH Bw Elite
4 Impact Bow Med Cv Elite
Strategist
2 Elephants
2 Incendiary LF
2 Medium Spearmen
(This competition mandated a Strategist)

Thomas Mastrieux' Timurid from Alicante
1 HCv Impact/Bw Elite Ordinary General Included
2 MCv Bw Elite
2 LH Bow
==
2 HCv Impact/Bw Elite General Included Ordinary
2 HCv Bow
2 LF Bow
==
4 Levy
2 HCv Impact/Bw
1 LH Elite
2 Elephants
2 Naffatun
2 HCv Bow
(This event mandated a Strategist)

Britcon 2022 (V4)
1360-1405
Competent
1 Timurid nobles* Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
1 Timurid nobles* Heavy cavalry bow
2 Turkomans Medium cavalry bow
2 Turkomans Light cavalry bow Elite
==
Strategist
2 Elephants Elephant
3 Afghan archers Light infantry bow
2 Afghan spearmen Medium spearmen
2 Persian archers Bowmen Mediocre
4 Hostages Levy expendable Mediocre
2 Timurid nobles* Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
==
Ordinary Included
1 Timurid nobles* Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
1 Timurid nobles* Heavy cavalry bow
1 Turkomans Light cavalry bow Elite
1 Turkomans Light cavalry bow Elite

Britcon 2022 (V4)
1405 Turkman Ally
Ordinary Included
4 Nobles Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
==
Strategist
2 Elephants Elephant
1 Nobles Medium cavalry bow
2 Naffatun Light infantry incendiary
4 Hostages Levy expendable Mediocre
2 Stampeding Cattle Scythed chariot
2 Turkomans Light cavalry bow
2 Afghan Archers Light infantry bow
3 Nobles Heavy cavalry bow
==
Ally, Ordinary Included
1 Turkoman Nobles Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
2 Turkomans Light cavalry bow
1 Turkomans Medium cavalry bow

Britcon 2022 (V4)
1405 Tamerlane
Strategist
1 Timurid Nobles Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
3 Timurid Nobles Heavy cavalry impact bow
4 Turkomans light cavalry bow
==
Ordinary Included
1 Timurid Nobles Heavy cavalry bow elite
3 Timurid Nobles Heavy cavalry bow
2 Turkomans light cavalry bow
==
Brilliant
2 Afgan Spearmen medium spearmen
2 Archers with Caltrops (counts as stakes) Bowmen pavise
1 Elephant Elephant armour
4 Hostages levy expendable mediocre
1 Naffatun light infantry incendiary

258 Timurid (Hood - Britcon 2019)
Competent Included
1 TIMURID NOBLES Heavy cavalry impact bow
1 TIMURID NOBLES Heavy cavalry bow Elite
3 TIMURID NOBLES Heavy cavalry bow ------
2 PERSIAN ARCHERS Mediocre
1 AFGHAN HILLMEN Javelinman
==
Competent Included
2 TIMURID NOBLES Heavy cavalry impact bow
1 TIMURID NOBLES Heavy cavalry bow Elite
2 TIMURID NOBLES Heavy cavalry bow ------
1 TURKOMANS Light cavalry bow Elite
==
Competent Included Unreliable
1 TIMURID NOBLES Heavy cavalry impact bow
1 TIMURID NOBLES Heavy cavalry bow Elite
2 TIMURID NOBLES Heavy cavalry bow ------
1 TURKOMANS Light cavalry bow Elite
2 HOSTAGES

258 Timurid (Pearce x2 - Britcon 2019)
Ordinary Included
4 Timurid Nobles Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
==
Strategist
2 Elephant Elephant ------
2 Afghan Spearmen Javelinmen ------
2 Hostages Levy expendable Mediocre
2 Stampeding Herd Scythed chariot ----
4 Persian Archers Light infantry bow ------
2 Timurid Nobles Heavy cavalry bow ----
2 Turkomans Light cavalry bow Elite
==
Ordinary
2 Timurid Nobles Heavy cavalry bow ------
2 Turkomans Light cavalry bow Elite

258 Timurid Martin
Brilliant
4 TIMURID NOBLES Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
1 TIMURID NOBLES Heavy cavalry bow Elite
1 TURKOMANS Light cavalry bow Elite
1 TIMURID NOBLES Heavy cavalry bow ------
==
Brilliant
2 TIMURID ARCHERS Bowmen ------
2 ELEPHANT Elephant ------
1 AFGANS Medium spearmen ----
2 PERSIAN ARCHERS Light infantry bow ------
2 PERSIAN ARCHERS Bowmen Mediocre
1 AFGAN JAVELINS Javelinmen ------
==
Ordinary Included
Quantity Troop description Troop type Quality
1 NOBLES* Heavy cavalry bow Elite
1 HAND GUNS Light infantry firearm ------
1 TURKOMAN Light cavalry bow Elite
2 HOSTAGES Levy expendable Mediocre

Harrison Pearce's 2nd place Worlds 2019 Army
Ordinary Included
4 Timurid Nobles Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
2 Turkomans Light cavalry bow Elite
==
Strategist
2 Elephant Elephant ------
2 Afghan Spearmen Javelinmen ------
2 Hostages Levy expendable Mediocre
2 Stampeding Herd Scythed chariot ----
4 Persian Archers Light infantry bow ------
==
Ordinary
4 Timurid Nobles Heavy cavalry bow ------
2 Turkomans Light cavalry bow Elite

V2
Ordinary Included
4 Timurid Nobles * Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
2 Turkomans Light cavalry bow Elite
==
Ordinary Included Allied
2 Shock Cavalry * Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
2 Mongol Horsemen Medium cavalry bow ------
4 Mongol Horsemen Light cavalry bow ------
1 Levy Levy ----
==
Strategist
4 Timurid Nobles Heavy cavalry bow ------
1 Persian Archers Light infantry bow ------
2 Hostages Levy expendable Mediocre
2 Stampeding Herd Scythed chariot ----