SAGA Iliad: The Lykians

I had a request to do a Lykian (Lycian, Lukka) board for our Iliad project. However, it has been a week coming - since I've started a new job. However, the wait was worth it (I hope) and I have drawn up a board that is pretty close to the Achaean one, with the addition of the 'Apollo' ability - one of Apollo's epithets was Lycian Apollo - and the 'Chiron' ability, like all the other factions get in Saga Iliad. 

Jason has been running his Lykians as allies to his Trojans.  However, I feel that does not do them full justice. Their leader, Sarpedon, was brother to Minos (as in King Minos of Crete) and a son of Zeus. He was also the grandson of Bellorophon, by his mother. He had some pretty good speaking parts in the Iliad. Rebuking Hector as the Lkyians pick up the slack and drive the Achaeans almost back to their ships:
"Hector," said he, "where is your prowess
now? You used to say that though you had neither people nor allies
you could hold the town alone with your brothers and brothers-in-law.
I see not one of them here; they cower as hounds before a lion; it
is we, your allies, who bear the brunt of the battle. (Iliad book I)
Or his death at the hands of Patroklus:
...for he hit Sarpedon just where the midriff surrounds
the ever-beating heart. He fell like some oak or silver poplar or
tall pine to which woodmen have laid their axes upon the mountains. (Iliad Book XIII)
The Historical Lykians were probably the Lukka, who are known to be one of the Sea Peoples (the Bronze Age Collapse is possibly even their fault!), along with possibly the Mycenaeans, and this particular lot used to levy tribute from Crete. Given the Mycenaeans were pretty much Vikings and the Lukkans seemed to carry that as far as getting a 'Danegeld' from Crete, I've based their board heavily on the Viking one.

Lykians

Armies in the the heroic age have two broad groupings: Aristoi (the Warlord and his Hearthguard companions) and freeman warriors. All will be equipped similarly. Even a freeman can afford light armour, shield and Spear. This is in the familiar style of visual (that I remember from my school age reading) representation of the Illiad – based on pottery from the Classical period. Handily, this fits well with existing 28mm plastic Hoplites (available from two companies, with more planned). However, miniatures do exist that reflect archaeological evidence of the Mycenaeans, in both metals and 1/72 'soft plastic'. Those plastics are very well done.

Lykian armies may also have followers, hangers on and skirmishers recruited from amongst the barbarians, lower social orders and rural folk. These troops cannot stand against a well equipped warrior if caught in melee but are skilled in sling or bow. They do not often appear in heroic tales but had their role to play on the battlefield.

Warlord:
Your Warlord may choose to be mounted. If mounted, he changes his movement to L but has -1 armour vs shooting.

Lykian Apollo's Warriors
One unit of up to eight warriors may have bows. If so, they have -1 armour vs shooting.

Levies:
Trojan armies may also have followers, hangers on and skirmishers recruited from amongst the neighbouring peoples, lower social orders and rural folk. These troops cannot stand against a well equipped warrior if caught in melee but are skilled in sling or bow. They do not often appear in heroic tales but had their role to play on the battlefield.

Comments

  1. Very cool Jamie, how many Illium battleboards are you planning?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I pretty much do them when people ask. so one for jason, one for andy, one for this guy 'alang'.

    Same deal for the Achaeans but we are waiting for 'northern fury' for pylos and also Myrmidons.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Interesting. Agreed that the Jomsvikings will probably be the best fit for the Myrmidons.

    I should probably put Northen Fury on pre-order then!

    ReplyDelete
  4. On the battle board, the Chiron ability seems unfinished. "Note that this is in addition to..."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It should finish with " ...the cost for activating the unit." Just like the other boards. Thanks and Sorry about that, you are the first one to point this out in four years!

      Delete

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