Rome: Total War - Barbarian Invasion

Faction Feature; The Sassanids

The Sassanids were the last native dynasty to rule in Persia after the Parthians were overthrown, and before the Arab conquest of later centuries. Sitting astride the trade routes to the east, the Sassanid court was fabulously opulent, and the empire was dynamic and efficiently run. The military was equally efficient and dangerous, and they were a constant challenge to the Eastern Roman Empire. What caused much of the tension with the Romans was the establishment of Zoroastrianism as the state religion in Sassanid lands and the subsequent persecution of Christians. This gave the Romans a pretext for war whenever it was needed.

The Sassanids were certainly organized enough to expand their control of Armenia and to hold off the various steppe peoples. Rather than move southwards into Sassanid lands, most of these chose to head west towards the richer and far easier pickings of Rome. A strong Sassanid leader has the chance to expand westwards, while both halves of the Roman Empire are distracted by their own squabbles and barbarian hordes. Historically, the Sassanids lasted over 400 years from the fall of the Parthians until the coming of Islam and the Arabs. Islam replaced Zoroastrianism, and the Caliphate made Persia a part of a new society.



Peasants are reluctant warriors at best, but a life of endless toil and drudgery does at least produce strong backs and the ability to follow orders from your betters, even on the battlefield. Men, no matter how untrained or unready for war, are always useful in battle, and driving peasants off their lands is the quickest and cheapest way of raising a large army. Although peasants are strong, they may also be stubborn and not that keen to fight, something that a wise general bears in mind. While a warrior is trained to battle, these men are trained to the plough, and they will run if given a chance. That said, they can fight after a fashion and may do enough damage to make it worthwhile to drag them from the fields and put spears in their hands.

Kurdish Javelinmen

Kurdish Javelinmen are fleet-footed, tough skirmishers recruited from the harsh hill regions of the Sassanid Empire. They are recruited from among the independent Kurds, a people who have a long tradition of irregular warfare, as they do not accept foreign overlords easily. They are best employed to harass enemies and thin their ranks with missile volleys before the main battle is joined. They are capable of fighting hand-to-hand, but this is not their strength, and against anyone other than other skirmishers they will suffer disproportionate casualties. They carry little war gear other than their weapons, giving them their speed over rough terrain.

Levy Spearmen

Levy Spearmen are raised from the poorest in society; at best, they are men taken into the army in lieu of paying their taxes. They are given a spear, some rudimentary training, and told to obey. They are reasonably capable enough on defense but shouldn't be relied upon to fight for long against professional heavy infantry. Levies are useful for keeping cavalrymen in check -- indeed, this is their main use. Being low-status individuals -- almost with the status of state slaves -- and relatively expendable, levy spearmen are the last to receive equipment. Other than a spear, most are lucky to be given a cloth-covered wicker shield. This is good enough to make a man feel safe but rarely enough to stop a good sword swing.

Sughdian Warriors

Sughdian Warriors are the finest infantry available to the Sassanid Empire. Tough, well disciplined, heavily armed and armored, they are a match for most other civilized soldiers. Traditionally, eastern armies have always produced weak infantry types, men who are often little better -- and no more willing -- than military slaves. Sughdians, on the other hand, are a professional corps of fighters who can be expected to stand in a battle line and behave with great courage. Their equipment is lavish by the standards of previous times, and their armor is cleverly padded to give some relief under the hot sun. Sughdians should be seen as being the equals in many ways of the best of the Roman legions, and their superiors in some respects, too.

Mountain Slingers

Slingers are highly skilled troops who can bombard enemies with a hail of cruel and effective missiles. They are at risk facing light cavalry units who can ride them down. A sling is one of the simplest and oldest weapons in the world but one of the hardest to use well. Any small object can become a deadly missile for a slinger, but most are given a bag of cast lead bullets (around 25 grams in weight or so) which fly more reliably than stones picked up on the battlefield. Sling bullets might seem harmless, but when hurled at speed and with accuracy, they can bring down the strongest man, or even a horse; a skull will crack when a slinger hits home. These tough mountain men have usually relied on their skills to put meat on the table all their lives. They are also capable of defending themselves, when they must, in hand-to-hand combat.

Desert Archers

These hardy desert folk make excellent bowmen, as they cannot afford to waste a single shot when hunting. They are tough men, as a result of their harsh lives in the unforgiving sands and rocks of the desert. A punishing march across a trackless waste is the story of their everyday existence, so much so that going to war can seem like a pleasant diversion by comparison. At least when at war, they have the chance to taste the good life, enjoy some of the comforts of civilization, and grow wealthy on plunder.