Historical Overview Section

In the 3rd century, the Auxumite kingdom of Aksum began interfering in South Arabian affairs, controlling at times the western Tihama region among other areas. By the late 3rd century it had begun minting its own currency and was named as one of the four great powers of his time along with the Sassanid Persians, the Principate Romans, and China.

Around 350 AD Aksum invaded the previously-stable Nubian Kingdom (also known as Kush) leading to a collapse of the existing state and a period of fragmented government. Eventually three smaller kingdoms replaced it: northernmost was Nobatia between the first and second cataract of the Nile River, with its capital at Pachoras (modern day Faras); in the middle was Makuria, with its capital at Old Dongola; and southernmost was Alodia, with its capital at Soba (near Khartoum). Nubia was an important crossroads for the Nile civilizations, leading to the emerging Kingdoms being involved in many confrontations with their neighbours - in one of the most important King Silko of Nobatia crushed the Blemmyes, and recorded his victory in a Greek inscription carved in the wall of the temple of Talmis (modern Kalabsha) around AD 500.

The bishops of Alexandria had been active in the region as far back as 373, however the adoption of Christianity is generally demarcated by the actions of a Monophysite priest named Julian, who converted the king and nobles of Nobatia around 545. The neighbouring Nubian kingdom of Alodia was converted around 569 and Makuria may have been converted (to Roman Catholicism) the same year. The records of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria state that in 719, the church of Nubia transferred its allegiance from the Greek Orthodox to the Coptic Church, indicating an ongoing struggle between these two branches of Christianity.

By the 7th century Makuria expanded and became the dominant power in the region. It was a quasi-ally of the Byzantium against the Sassanid Persian Empire of the day and declined after the 7th century due to unknown reasons, but informed speculation suggests the rise of Islam heavily impacted its ability to trade with the Far East in the era when shipping was limited to coastal navigation as well as cut it off from its principal markets in Alexandria, Byzantium and Southern Europe.

Even so, its bowmen were strong enough to halt the southern expansion of Islam after the Arab Conquest had taken Egypt. After several failed invasions, the new Muslim rulers in Egypt agreed to a treaty to allow for peaceful coexistence and trade. This treaty held for six hundred years. Over time the influx of Arab traders introduced Islam to Nubia, and Islam gradually supplanted Christianity in the region. By 1315 Mamluk Egyptian rulers dominated the area and had appointed a Nubian Prince who converted to Islam triggering further conversions amongst the populace. While there are records of a bishop at Qasr Ibrim in 1372, his see had come to include that located at Faras. Archeological evidence demonstrates that by 1350, the "Royal" church at Dongola had been converted to a mosque.

Using the army in ADLG

  • Impetuous Camels are awesome as long as you can avoid getting them shot at,
  • They will also lose (in the end) against Medium and Heavy Knights, and surprisingly quickly if the Kn ights are Elite
  • The Medium Swordsmen should be able to deal with the stuff the Camels can't
  • Youcan afford a lot of losses, but make sure your LF and LF don't get too bandly chewed up so your army falls over before all of the combat troops have gotten engaged.
  • Camel Scouts can nip in an act as a double-bubble overlap, dropping enemy horse by 1 factor, but they are vulnerable to shooting and you will struggle to have enough command to move them separately anyway, so maybe the LH Javelin or Impact are better on balance
  • The army is about numbers - you can get close to 30 elements, of which many can actually fight as well
  • Dont underestimate the bowmen - there are enough threats in the rest of the army for a block of bowmen to be overlooked and manage to do some shooting from the safety of terrain

Useful Links

User-contributed links about this army. Add links in this format:

15mm Manufacturers supplying figures for this army

Look for Moorish, Nubian, Roman-era Numidian and generic early Arab ranges for figures for this army.

Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army
Devizes Winning List 2026
Competent
4 Camels Medium camelry impetuous
3 Nubians Medium Swordsmen Impetuous
1 Nubian Horsemen Light Cavalry Javelin
1 Light Infantry Light Infantry Javelin
2 Archer Light Infantry Bow
1 Bedouin Horsemen Light Cavalry Impact
==
Ordinary
3 Nubians Medium swordsmen impetuous ------
1 Nobles Heavy Cavalry Elite
1 Nubian Horsemen Light Cavalry Javelin ------
2 Archer Light Infantry Bow ------
1 Light Infantry Light Infantry Javelin ----
2 Bowmen Bowmen ------
1 Bowmen Bowmen Mediocre
==
Competent Beja Ally
4 Camelry Medium Camelry Impetuous
2 Bedouin Light Cavalry Impact
3 Light Infantry Light Infantry Bow

For the 2026 Lusitania Challenge I swapped out the Impact LH from Command 1 for a LF Bow, and upgraded the Mediocre archer in Command 2 to Ordinary to give me 3 bowmen. This was as I had found that the block of bowmen had a tendency to get into combat rather more than I had anticipated, and also the 2nd LF in Command 1 was quite hard to get much use out of - having another LF to screen the Camels was better use of the points.

Madaxemans Totally Different List - not used
6 Camels Medium camelry impetuous ------
2 Scouts on Camels Light Camelry Bow Mediocre
1 Light Infantry Light Infantry Javelin ------
3 Archer Light Infantry Bow ----
Competent General Christian al-Bale
==
Competent General T'eh-Ray Christian
2 Nubians Medium Spearmen Mediocre
2 Camelry Medium Camelry Impetuous ------
3 Archer Light Infantry Bow ------
2 Bedouin Swordsmen Medium Swordsmen ------
1 Light Infantry Light Infantry Javelin ----
1 Bowmen Bowmen ------
1 Bowmen Bowmen Mediocre
==
Ordinary Included Chris T'ian
3 Nobles Heavy Cavalry Elite
2 Nubian Horsemen Light Cavalry Javelin ------
2 Bedoun Horsemen Light Cavalry Impact ------


PAW v4 2023
Ordinary
6 Warriors on camels Medium camelry impetuous ------
2 Scouts on camels Light camelry bow Mediocre
4 Light infantry bow Light infantry bow ------
==
Brilliant
6 Warriors Medium swordsmen impetuous
2 Light infantry Javelin Light infantry javelin
2 Light infantry bow Light infantry bow
2 Nubian horsemen Light cavalry javelin
==
Ordinay Beja Ally
5 Warriors on camels Medium camelry impetuous
1 Light cavalry Light cavalry impact
3 Light infantry bow Light infantry bow



161 Christian Nubian, (Proudfoot - Britcon 2019)
Ordinary Included
4 Warriors on Camels Medium Camelry Impetuous
3 Light Infantry Light Infantry bow
2 Light Camelry Light Camelry Bow
==
Brilliant General C in C
4 Warriors on Camels Medium Camelry Impetuous
1 Bowmen Bowmen
1 Bowmen Bowmen mediocre
3 Light Infantry Light Infantry bow
2 Bedouin Warriors Medium Swordsmen
1 Nubian Horsemen Llight Cavalry javelin
1 Bedouin Horsemen Light Cavalry Impact
==
Ordinary General
1 Nubian Horsemen Medium Cavalry
6 Nubians Medium Swordsmen Impetuous
2 Light Infantry Light Infantry Javelinmen


161 Christian Nubian (Johnston - Britcon 2019)
Competent
5 warriors on camels Medium camelry impetuous
4 Nubians Medium swordsmen impetuous
2 light infantry javelins Light infantry javelin
1 light infantry bow Light infantry bow
1 nubian horsemen Light cavalry javelin
==
Ordinary
4 Nubians Medium swordsmen impetuous ----
2 light infantry bow Light infantry bow ----
1 Nubian noblesmen Heavy cavalry Elite
1 nubian horseman Light cavalry javelin ----
==
Competent Beja Ally
5 warrior on camels Medium camelry impetuous ----
1 arab and bedoiin Light cavalry impact ----
3 light infantry bow Light infantry bow ----


2019 3rd place at Roll Call
4 warriors on camels Medium camelry impetuous
3 light infantry bow Light infantry bow
2 bowmen Bowmen
1 light infantry javelin Light infantry javelin
1 scouts on camels Light camelry bow
Competent
==
3 Nubian noblemen Heavy cavalry Elite
1 Nubian horsemen Medium cavalry ------
1 Nubian horsemen Light cavalry javelin ----
Ordinary
==
4 warriors on camels Medium camelry impetuous ----
3 light infantry bow Light infantry bow ----
2 Nubians Medium spearmen Mediocre
2 bowmen Bowmen ----
1 light infantry javelin Light infantry javelin ----
1 scouts on camels Light camelry bow ----
Competent

2019 4th place at Roll Call
4 warriors on camels Medium camelry impetuous ----
4 Nubian MF Impetuous Swordsmen
1 light infantry bow Light infantry bow ----
1 light infantry javelin Light infantry javelin ----
1 scouts on camels Light camelry bow ----
Competent
==
4 warriors on camels Medium camelry impetuous ----
4 Nubian MF Impetuous Swordsmen
2 light infantry bow Light infantry bow ----
1 scouts on camels Light camelry bow ----
Competent
==
2 Nubian Noble HC Elite
2 Nubian LH Javelin
Ordinary

2018 Britcon list
161 Christian Nubian
Ordinary
6 Nubians Medium swordsmen impetuous
2 Light Infantry Bow Light infantry bow
2 Light Infantry Javelin Light infantry javelin
==
Brill
5 Warriors on camels Medium Camel impetuous
5 Light Infantry Bow Light infantry bow
2 Nubian horsemen Light cavalry javelin
==
Ordinary
6 Bedouin horsemen Light cavalry impact
4 Bowmen Bowmen

Massimilliano's list from the 2017 Worlds
2 LF JLS
2 LF Bw
6 MF Swordsmen
1 Light Camel
Ordinary General
--
5 LF Bow
5 Impetuoous Camels
2 LH Javelins
Brilliant General
--
3 Bw Ordinary
6 LH Impact
General
This is vast at 200 points. The army can fall back after harassing you and with two in your face commands the massed Impact LH command ends up with lots of space to play in.

47 Units at 300 points!
Ordinairy
Qty Troop description Troop type Quality
7 Nubian Foot Medium swordsmen impetuous ------
6 LF Bow Light infantry bow ------
//////
Ordinairy
Qty Troop description Troop type Quality
8 Nubian Horse Light cavalry javelin ------
/////////
Ally Competent
Qty Troop description Troop type Quality
1 LI Jav Light infantry javelin ----
4 Nubian Horse Light cavalry javelin ------
6 Warriors on Camels Medium camelry impetuous ----
3 LI Bow Light infantry bow ----
/////////
Ally Competent
Qty Troop description Troop type Quality
6 Warriors on Camels Medium camelry impetuous ------
3 Scouts on Camels Light camelry bow ------
3 LF Bow Light infantry bow ----