Fri, Dec 14, 2018
Their religion was about war, their unorthodox weapon of choice was a battle-ax, and their brutal tactics terrorized Europe. The Viking warriors were strong, tough, and ruthless, destroying everything in their paths. With their homemade clothing and weapons, they would rely on their quick and ferocious strategies to ensure success, giving them a fearsome reputation throughout Europe.
Fri, Dec 14, 2018
The Medieval period of history was extremely violent. Lands were regularly invaded, leading to long wars, frequent battles, and siege situations that could last months. This was the period of the Norman conquest and the battle of Hastings in England. Warfare strategy, tactics, and weapons technology were transforming to adapt to these new battle situations.
Fri, Dec 14, 2018
Well-known for their ferocity, the Celtic population once dominated most of Europe. Conflict and war were daily occurrences, but there was more: a great admiration of heroic deeds, a religion based on sacrifice, and a fight for the greater good. Once united and fighting for the same cause, the Celts became a dangerous enemy... ferocious in battle and not to be tampered with.
2018
ROMAN LEGIONAIRES/ Auxiliary Julius. The Roman army was unequaled in success, counting its Byzantine offspring over two millennia. The backbone were its superbly trained legions, with excellent equipment, training and motivation. They used to be conscripted citizens in the Republic proper, but became long-serving professionals by Casaer's day, when he achieved the ultimate triumph over the long-rival cents by conquering Gaul. They were however accompanied by a comparable number of 'auxiliaries', troop recruited from conquered people without citizenship, paid half and given the dirty jobs, but eager to win the status of full Roman. Under the Empire, the army gradually evolved, including weapons and recruitment. The Germanic tries proved the ultimate challenge, their forest homelands impossible to conquer by established Riman tactics, Varrus even incurred an unprecedented defeat. Ultimately they and other 'barbarians', having learned a lot from Rome, would overrun it.
2018
SCOTTISH CLANSMAN/ FRASER Donnachaidh. The Scottish clan reputation as fierce warriors goes back to the Picts, who kept plundering Riman Britain despite Hadrian's Wall, raiding by sea. Viking and Celtic blood was mixed in, a formidable panoply developed, despite the general poverty free man saw to fitting attire (a practical plaid was the original kilt, the modern commando skirt being a 'modern' English version) and arms such as battle axes and blades. A thane's heir would be raised with arms and tactics, vital as the natural enemy, England, is far larger and richer. The usually internecine clans united to put up a fierce war of independence since 1296 when English king and conqueror of Wales Edward I Longshanks 'Hammer of the Scots' claimed the Scottish throne for his puppet, yet saw his troops defeated cleverly by upstart William Wallace, who was ultimately defeated and executed gruesomely. Next leader was aristocratic throne pretender Robert the Bruce, since 1307 fighting less capable Edward II, establishing his dynasty. The Scots were wanted as reliable mercenaries, feared by all, yet were wiped from their own history after the disastrous Jacobite rebellion till 1745- the British union was established under the Scottish Stuart dynasty.
2018
MONGOL MESSENGER/ KHUNBISH. The Mongols were nomadic tribes, training their men extensively to become warriors who practically lived on horseback. Until one chief's orphaned bastard son Temujin ('blacksmith') worked himself up to great khan of the whole, now united Mongol people, forming an unstoppable cavalry army, the tribes had been constantly fighting each-other and neighbors such as Tartars, the empire was build on a decimal hierarchy and (forced) absorption of foreign people and technology, such as siege techniques when facing Chinese cities. Ever more intricate tactics (from annual mass hunt in a huge circle to trap retreats in battle) relied on rapid information, rendering Khunbish's courier task, mostly on well-organized relay routes, crucial, especially after the death of Dzenghis Khan's third son and chosen heir Ogetai, when all hordes returned to the Mongolian capital to elect Kublai Khan successor, abandoning the promising conquest of Europe (after smiting the Hungarians) forever.