Historical Overview Section

With the death of the Umayyad Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik in 743, the Islamic world was launched into civil war. Abu Muslim was sent to Khorasan by the Abbasids initially as a propagandist and then to revolt on their behalf. He took Merv in December 747 (or January 748), defeating the Umayyad governor there Nasr ibn Sayyar, as well as Shayban al-Khariji, a Kharijite aspirant to the caliphate. He became the de facto Abbasid governor of Khorasan, and gained fame as a general in the late 740s in defeating the peasant rebellion of Bihafarid, the leader of a syncretic Persian sect that were Mazdaism. Abu Muslim received support in suppressing the rebellion both from purist Muslims and Zoroastrians. In 750, Abu Muslim became leader of the Abbasid army and defeated the Umayyads at Battle of the Zab. Abu Muslim stormed Damascus, the capital of the Umayyad caliphate, later that year. His heroic role in the revolution and military skill, along with his conciliatory politics toward Shia, Sunnis, Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians made him extremely popular among his subject people.

The first independent kingdom from Arab rule was established in Khorasan by Tahir Phoshanji in 821. But it may have been lesa an independance struggle and more a matter of political and territorial gain as Tahir also helped the Caliph subdue other nationalistic movements in other parts of Persia such as Maziar's movement in Tabaristan.
The first dynasty in Khorasan after the introduction of Islam was the Saffarid dynasty (861-1003), but the region was also contested by the Samanids (875-999), Ghaznavids (962-1187), Ghurids (1149-1212), Seljukids (1037-1194), Khwarezmids (1077-1231) and Timurids (1370-1506). Some eastern Khorasani regions eventually fell under the control of the Moghul Empire, while the Safavids conquered the western regions.

Using the army in ADLG

  • A poor mans Ghaznavid, but with lots of interesting allied options
  • Difficult to predict in a 2-list event

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

as an example

Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army
Worlds 2022 "Mongol List" Tim Porter
Competent
1 Horse Archers Light Cavalry Bow ------
2 Bedouin Lancers Medium Cavalry Impact ------
1 Light Bowmen Light Infantry Bow ------
1 Turkic Ghulams Heavy Cavalry Bow Elite
2 Spearmen Heavy spearmen Support Mediocre
==
Competent Abbasid ally
2 Abid ½ Medium spearmen ½ Bowmen ------
2 Ahl Khurasan Medium Cavalry Impact Mediocre
1 Replaced Ahl Khurasan Cavalry Heavy Cavalry Bow Elite
1 Arabs & Berbers Light Cavalry Impact Elite
1 Ahl Khurasan Heavy cavalry Impact ------
1 Replaced Ahl Khurasan Cavalry Heavy Cavalry Bow ----
==
Competent
2 Khurasanian Nobles Heavy Cavalry Bow Elite
1 Turkic LH Light Cavalry Bow ------
2 Turkic Ghulam Heavy Cavalry Bow ------
2 Bedouin Lancers Medium Cavalry Impact ------

This list ended up with too few units and too little command and control. Were I to use it again I'd probably go for 2 Brilliant + 1 Ordinary, and give the Ordinary a smaller command including the HI Spearmen and a few other bits

"Normal" List
Brilliant
2 Khurasanian Nobles Heavy Cavalry Bow Elite
1 Bedouin Medium Cavalry Impact ------
1 Light Horse Light Cavalry Bow ------
1 Turkic Ghulams Heavy Cavalry Bow ------
1 Bedouin Light Cavalry Impact ----
1 Spearman Heavy spearmen support Mediocre
1 Spearmen Heavy Spearmen Mediocre
==
Brilliant
1 Light Horse Light Cavalry Bow ------
1 Turkic Ghulams Heavy Cavalry Bow ------
2 Ghazis Medium Swordsmen Impetuous ------
2 Bowmen Light Infantry Bow ------
1 Elephant Elephant ------
1 Indian Javelineer Javelinmen ----
2 Dailami Medium Swordsmen Impact Elite
==
Dailami Ally
Ordinary Included
1 Dailami (General) Medium Swordsmen Impact support Elite
1 Bow Light Infantry Bow ------
1 Horsemen Medium Cavalry Impact ------
3 Dailami Medium Swordsmen Impact Elite



300 Points Doubles Burton 2022
Brilliant
2 Dailami Warriors Medium Swordsmen Impact Support Elite
1 Kumanji Javelinmen ------
2 Khurasanian Nobles Heavy Cavalry Bow Elite
1 Bedouins Medium cavalry Impact ------
1 Khurasanains Light cavalry Bow ----
1 Elephant Elephant ----
1 Turkic Mercenaries Medium Cavalry Bow ----
==
Competent
2 Spearmen Heavy Spearmen Mediocre
3 Spearmen Heavy Spearmen Support Mediocre
2 Archer Bowmen ------
1 Kumanji Javelinmen ------
2 Bowmen Light Infantry Bow ----
2 Bedouins Medium cavalry Impact ----
==
Ordinary Included
2 Turkish Ghulams Heavy Cavalry Bow Elite
1 Turkish Ghulams Heavy Cavalry Bow ------
2 Horse Archers Light Cavalry Bow ------
1 Turkic Mercenaries Medium Cavalry Bow ----
1 Khurasanian Nobles Heavy Cavalry Bow ----
==
Competent Included Dailami Ally
2 Dailami Warriors Medium Swordsmen Impact Support Elite
3 Dailami Warriors Medium Swordsmen Impact Elite
1 Bowmen Light Infantry Bow ----
1 Kurds Medium Cavalry Impact ----

This army is clearly missing a LF in the command with the elephant, and in practice ended up a little light on command points overall to effectively use and move all of the varied troops types in each command. Rear support did work very well in giving its medium and inferior heavy infantry more resilience against enemy mounted, but in practice this amounted to an extra turn or so of survival rather than a winning advantage.



200 points from Madaxeman @ Worlds 2019
Anti Foot list
2 HC Bow Elite
1 Bedouin MCv Impact
1 LH Bow
2 Turkish Ghulams HC Bow
1 Bedouin LC Impact
Competent
==
2 Dailami Elite
2 Ghazis Impetuous MF
2 Bowmen LF Bow
1 Elephant
1 Mediocre Arab Spearmen, 1 with support
Brilliant
==
4 Dailami
1 LF Bow
1 Turkish Ghulam HC Bow
Competent Ally
This is a pretty potent anti foot force with anti-elephant capability too. It runs over rough terrain with impunity, ideal if your opponent is expecting a cavalry force.

Pseudo-Mongol version
2 Arab Spearmen
1 Kuminji Javelinman
1 LI Bow
2 Bedouins MCv Impact
1 Turkish Ghulam HC Bow
Competent
==
Abbasid Ally
2 Ahl Khurasan MCv Impact Mediocre
2 A'bid (replaced foot) 1/2 Bw / 1/2 Sp Medium
2 Ahl Khurasan HC Impact
1 Maghriba LC Impact Elite
1 Gnulam HC Bow
Competent Ally
==
2 Khurasanian NObles HC Bow Elite
1 Turkish LC Bow
2 Bedouins MC Impact
2 Turksih Ghulams HC Bow
Competent

No elephants surprises people, and this army can cope well in Steppe terrain than an unwise, elephant wary opponent may offer you if they win initiative against this low-initiative army. In retrospect the Javelinman was a bit of a spare part combat-wise, but gave a unit which could threaten flanks and move up to overlap quite quickly. It also can make a run for fortified baggage


200 Points From Estella
1 LH Bow
2 Cv Elite Bw
2 Cv Ordinary Bow
Ordinary General Included
--
2 Dailiami
2 Javelinmen
1 LF Bow
2 Cavalry HC
--
Elephant
LH Bow
1 LF Bow
2 Bow
5 Spear