DBA Armies

III/15 TIBETAN 560 AD - 1065 AD

This list describes the army of the Yarlung dynasty of Tibet, which was established around 560 when a local Tibetan chieftain revolted against his Zan-Zun overlords. By about 630, the Tibetan clans were united and formed an empire which fought expansionist wars for the next two centuries. After 841 the empire broke up, but successor states survived and fought among themselves. Tibetan cavalry were described by the T’ang as armed with a long lance, while both man and horse were completely mailed except for the eyes and invulnerable to swords or bows. A T’ang source says that when a mounted charge failed, they dismounted in dense ranks with long spears to charge again. Although they did not have shields, cataphract armour then justifies classing them as Spears. References: The Tibetan Empire in Central Asia C. Beckwith, The Army of Tang China K.H. Ranitzsch.

III/15 — Tibetan Army 560 AD - 1065 AD

List: 1 x General (4Kn//Sp), 4 x Tibetan cataphracts (4Kn//Sp), 3 x Tibetan cataphracts (4Kn//Sp) or Nepalese cavalry (Cv), 1 x Nepalese cavalry (Cv) or garrison spearmen (Sp) or nomad horse archers (LH) or mountain tribal archers (Ps) or Nepalese swordsmen (3Bd), 1 x Nepalese archers (Ps) or nomad nobles (Cv), 2 x Tibetan cataphracts (4Kn/ /Sp) or nomad horse archers (LH)
Terrain: Hilly
Aggression: 3
Enemies:
Allies: III/8 or III/11b or III/36