DBA Armies

IV/35 MONGOL CONQUEST 1206 AD - 1266 AD

This list covers all Mongolian armies based in Central Asia from Temuchin’s assumption of the title of Qaghan (under the name of Chinggis/Genghis Khan) until the foundation of the Yuan and Ilkhanid successor dynasties and the breakaway of the Golden Horde. Unlike previous steppe empires they combined an ideology and discipline. They believed that there was only one God in heaven, and so there should be only one ruler on earth (themselves). They beat the Jurchen-Chin of northern China 1211-1214, but then withdrew. In 1220-21 they conquered Khwarizm and raided into Europe. In 1231 they destroyed Khwarizm, in 1239 conquered Georgia and in 1243 the Seljuks, making them vassals. In 1236, they returned to Europe, conquering the Volga Bulgars in 1237, the Alans in 1239, and Southern Russia in 1238 and 1240, then split 1241-2 to inflict crushing defeats on the Poles and Teutonics in the north and the Hungarians in the south, before withdrawing lo choose a new khan. In 1256 their likhanid branch destroyed the Assassins of Alamut and in 1258 the Abbasid Caliphate of Baghdad, but were defeated in 1260 by the Mamluks at Goliath’s Spring in Palestine. They were organized on a decimal basis up to the touman of 10,000. Military service was due from all fit men from 20 to 61, but boys of 13+ might manage herds of spare mounts. Western sources say 60-90% of fighters were unarmoured horse archers dressed in blue and brown in summer or furs in winter. These enveloped flanks and prepared the advance of a reserve line of heavy cavalry in mostly leather armour. Conquered peoples provided extra numbers. Winter was favoured for invasion because frozen rivers through difficult terrain froze almost into roads. Unlike western chargers, Mongol ponies could dig through heavy snow to find dried grass underneath. Spring was the famine time, before the new grass shoots appeared. Dense terrain was more of a problem and the mountains and bamboo forests of Sichuan foiled a Mongol invasion in 1259. Baggage was carried on Bactrian 2-humped camels. References: Armies and Enemies of the Crusades 1. Heath, The Perilous Frontier T.). Barfield, Defending Heaven J. Waterson, The History of the Mongol Conquests J.J. Saunders, Until The Sun Falls C. Holland (novel).

IV/35 — Mongol Conquest Army 1206 AD - 1266 AD

List: 1 x General (Cv), 2 x Mongol armoured cavalry (Cv) or horse archers (LH), 5 x Mongol horse archers (LH), 1 x Mongol horse archers (LH) or rope-pull stone throwers (Art), 3 x Uighur, Khitan, Khwarizmian or Chinese cavalry (Cv) or Uighur, Cuman, Kipchak, Turkoman or Mongol horse archers (LH)
Terrain: Steppe
Aggression: 4
Enemies:
Allies: III/62b