DBA Armies

III/56 KHITAN-LIAO 907 AD - 1125 AD

The Khitan, nomads speaking a Mongolian language, had lived in southern Manchuria from 400 AD. In 907 AD, Yeh-lu A- pao-chi started to transform their tribal organisation into a centralised monarchy. As T’ang China disintegrated, the new state expanded to control modern Inner Mongolia and the Jurchen tribes of the northern Manchurian forests; and in 936 supported a Sha-t’o rebel in the creation of the Later Chin state, was rewarded with a foothold in Chinese territory that included the modern Chinese capital Beijing and by 947 had taken the Chinese dynastic name of Liao. The Liao defeated several obstinate Sung Chinese attempts to regain this territory, but fell to a revolt of their Jurchen vassals 1114-1125. Liao military strength was based on the Khitan regular soldiers of the “ordos”, supplemented by tribal troops and sometimes from 936 by Chinese militia. Each ordo soldier was armed with long lance, bow, sword and mace, rode an armoured horse and also provided a part-armoured mounted “forager” and an unarmoured mounted orderly. References: The Perilous Frontier T.]. Barfield, Defending Heaven J. Waterson. Soldiers of the Dragon C. Peers, Slingshot 96 & 98.

III/56 — Khitan-Liao Army 907 AD - 1125 AD

List: 1 x General (as ordo soldiers (3Kn/Cv)), 2 x ordo soldiers (3Kn/Cv), 2 x foragers (Cv), 3 x orderlies or tribal horse archers (LH), [1 x ordo soldiers or foragers (3Kn/Cv) + 2 orderlies or tribesmen (LH)J or [1 x Chinese swordsmen (3/4Bd) + 2 x Chinese crossbowmen (4Cb)J, 1 x Jurchens (LH) or Chinese levy (7Hd) or Chinese stone or bolt-shooters (Art)
Terrain: Steppe
Aggression: 2
Enemies:
Allies: III/39 or III/44 or III/67