Faction: The byzantines

Never a term that the great empire would have Italy, North Africa and Spain. But in the follow- used for themselves, the Byzantines were, in ing centuries, weak emperors lost Palestine and their mind, the unbroken continuation of the Africa to the Arabs, the Balkans to Slavs and Bul- Roman Empire. After the end of the Roman em- gars, and Italy to the Lombards. However, a perors in the west in 476 A.D., the eastern capi- powerful and effective dynasty emerged with tol, Constantinople, remained as the center of Emperor Basil I in 867. Under this Macedonian power and bulwark of Christianity. Dynasty many of the empire’s finest generals regained lost territory in the east, including the With immense walls rising from the sea around great city of Antioch. In the west, Basil I’s great- it, Constantinople was a wondrous sight. Nu- great grandson, Basil II, decisively defeated the merous invaders including the Arabs, Bulgarians Bulgars. Later, General George Maniakes ousted and the Rus tried and failed to take the great the Arabs from Sicily in 1038. But the middle of city. French crusaders captured the city in 1204 the eleventh century saw a reversal of fortune. and held it for a time, but the final fall did not Basil II’s successors squabbled and fought come until 1453 by the Ottoman Turks and their amongst themselves and were incapable of con- immense cannons. fronting new challenges to the east (Seljuk Turks) and the west (Normans). Your warlord is a professional soldier serving the empire. The officer class was often, though not always, drawn from aristocratic soldiers with a military tradition. The Strategos, a Byzantine general, was given command of an army on campaign. The army was then divided into smaller units, all the way down to a squadron of eight men, led by a Dekarkhěs. For a SAGA war- But in its thousand year history, the Romans of band, a Komes (leading 200 men) or a Kena- the east, or the Byzantines as enlightenment era tarion (leading 80 men) would be typical, though historians began calling the lost empire, were a heroic generals or emperors might also play a wealthy power whose influence and military role (see Byzantine Heroes). prowess ebbed and flowed. The Emperor Justin- ian (r. 527-565) almost succeeding in rebuilding For your warband, the advantage of the Byzan- the whole Roman Empire, adding territories in tine army was its size and diversity. For each grade of your troop, a commander will have mul- FACTION RULES tiple types of heroes from which to choose. For Khataphracts are subject to the following rules: the hearthguard, the two options are Khataphracts or Varangians. Khataphracts were  As heavily armored cavalry, they are not sub- heavily armored cavalry, drawn from the aristo- ject to the reduced armour penalty against cratic professional soldiers. Astride their large shooting, retaining an armor rating of 5. barded horses, the khataphracts wielded spear  Due to exceptionally heavy armour, the fa- and sword, but of special note was the tigue limit of Byzantine khataphracts is 3, spathovaklion, an iron shafted mace. Through instead of 4 for hearthguard units. contact with horse archers from the steppe, the  If shooting, khataphracts may move a M dis- Byzantine cavalry also adopted the bow. The tance, and shoot at S range. In doing so, heavy armor and multiple weapons of the their number of attack dice is half of their khataphracts were devastating if unleashed cor- unit numbers. rectly on the en- emy. Varangians  Mounted units must remain mounted were Norsemen by throughout the course of the skirmish, and way of Rus who may not enter into buildings. entered into impe-  Mounted units may not benefit from cover. rial service. Anglo- Varangians are subject to the following rules: Saxons and Danes also joined the  Varangians may not be mounted guard, especially after the Norman conquest of  Varangian units may be armed with double England in 1066. They served as an elite body- handed axes. guard for the emperor, but also campaigned in Syria and Sicily with great success.  When engaged in melee with its double handed axes, Varangians cannot use their Under the Thematic system, the empire was di- shields, and therefore suffer a –1 armour vided into a number of regions, called themes. penalty. As hearthguard, their armour of 5 is Additionally, hereditary land grants were given in reduced to 4. order to produce a stream of revenue to outfit and equip a soldier. These non-aristocratic land-  Attack rolls by a unit using double handed owners will be your warrior class. Though not axes have a +1 bonus. To hit a unit with an full time soldiers, they are well trained and pre- armour of 4, you will only need to roll a 3. pared for the eventual call of the empire. Warri- One unit of Byzantine Warriors may be equipped ors are armoured, either in chainmail, lamellar or with bows or crossbows. They have the same quilted armour (often dependent on the climate) attack dice and armour as other warriors, but and carried shield, spear and sword. Some were may also use a shooting attack. Crossbows are also excellent archers and crossbowmen. more powerful, and reduce the armour of the On occasion, rebellion or invasion was serious target by one. However, due to the cumber- enough to draw of a levy to defend the empire. some nature of the weapon and the time to re- Poorly trained and equipped, these farmers and load, crossbowmen have one less Armour value. shepherds could show some skill with the bow A unit of crossbowmen therefore has an armour and sling, but had little stomach for a pitched value of 3 instead of 4. battle or a long campaign. Byzantine psiloi may be armed with bowls, slings or javelins. Heroes of the Empire manding the Byzantine army, including contin- gents of Varangians and Normans, Maniakes Nicephorus Phocas, General and Emperor captured much of Sicily in 1038. Sensing weak- Nicephorus Phocas was born in 912 to a family ness in Constantinople, Manaikes was urged by with a tradition of military service. During the his troops to lead a revolt against Emperor Con- reign of the sickly and dy- stantine IX in 1043. After Maniakes death in bat- ing Romanus I, Phocas tle, the revolt collapsed. captured Crete,. To keep Hero of the Empire: As one of the empire’s the popular general out of greatest generals, Maniakes generates three the capital, court rivals SAGA dice at the start of each turn, instead of sent Phocas to the east, the usual two for other warlords. hopefully to be forgotten. Giant: Standing well over six feet tall (some Instead, he captured the claimed he reached seven feet) Maniakes was a city of Aleppo. An ar- powerful and intimidating warrior. As such, he ranged marriage to Ro- rolls 6 attack dice when in combat, rather than manus’ widow, Theophano, placed Nicephorus the usual 5 for a warlord. on the throne in 963. A better general than em- peror, he had a poor grasp of diplomacy and Byzantine Bribery: At the start of the game, roll court politics. Furthermore, the chaste (and ugly) 1d6 and divide by 2 (rounding up). Manaikes’ Phocas was not a good match for the young opponent loses 1 SAGA dice for that many turns. Theophano, and was murdered in his sleep by her Alexius Comnenus, Nobilissimus and Emperor lover (and his own nephew). After years of ineffectual emperors and territorial Hero of the Empire: As one of the empire’s losses to the Turks, the Empire probably seemed greatest generals, Phocas generates three SAGA a lost cause. That it survived, and even thrived dice at the start of each turn, instead of the again, can be largely be credited to one man, usual two for other warlords. Alexius Commenus. After the imperial losses at Pale Death of the Saracens: As long as Phocas is Manzikert, the young general Alexius rose to leading your warband, you can roll up to seven power by halting the advance of the empire’s SAGA dice at the start of each turn (if the units enemies and his own. However, his attempt to deployed on the table can generate that many recruit western knights to fight the Turks in 1095 dice) instead of the usual limit of six. You are still inadvertently led to the First Crusade. limited to a total of eight SAGA dice in total Hero of the Empire: As one of the empire’s every turn. greatest generals, Maniakes generates three Strategos: A brilliant tactician, Phocas and his SAGA dice at the start of each turn, instead of armies consistently defeated entrenched and the usual two for other warlords. fortified enemies. When using the We Obey Resourceful: Alexius was adept at knowing his rule, Phocas and units he activates, can attack enemy and their weaknesses. As long as he is on enemies using cover as if they do not have the the table, the Byzantines will roll at least 6 SAGA cover bonus. dice. George Maniakes, Strategos and Catepan of Live to Fight Another Day: As a superior cavalry- Italy man, a mounted Alexius does not suffer the fa- George Maniakes was a successful Byzantine tigue limitation of regular khataphracts. general in the later years of Basil II’s reign. Com-