Early Tang

The basis of the Early Tang armies, was the same as the Sui. This was a core of Peasent-Conscripts (the fu-bing) system. These were supplemented by other troops. In Central Asia, armies were often all mounted and supported by Turkish axuliaries. In China itself however, armies still found it difficult to raise large bodies of mounted. Many such garrison armies, had mounted contingents less than 10% of the total.

Army List

• Early Expeditionary Army

This army covers the early campaigns of the Tang in Central Asia against the Tu-Jue.

2-4 Infantry Divisions of

1 ‘Pu Ping’

1 mixed ‘Pu Ping’

1-2 Infantry Divisions of

1 ‘Pu-Ping’

1 ‘Pu She’

1 Horse Archer Division of

2 ‘Horse Archers’

Optional Units

0-1 ‘Scouts’

0-1 ‘Horse Archers’

0-1 ‘Horse Archers’ or ‘Cavalry’.

• Long Range Central Asian Army

• Internal Garrison Army

Units

If two unit strengths are listed, a player may choose which sized unit to field. Only units classed as guards can be elite.

Horse Archers

Heavy Horse Archers- Initiative 7

Bases (points)

4 (87 +10 if elite)

6 (125 +15 if elite)

Tang era horse-archers are shown with long lamellar armour under their coats. Their description as light in Chinese accounts probably refers to the fact their horses were unarmoured. Li Shimin commanded an elite corp of 1000 'black-armoured' cavalry.

Scouts

Light Horse Archers- Initiative 7

Bases (points)

4 (72)

Cavalry

Heavy Cavalry- Initiative 6

Bases (points)

4 (60)

6 (84)

Not all Tang era cavalry is believed to have made the transition to Turkish methods.

Pu Ping

Medium or Heavy Shieldsmen- Initiative 6

Bases (points)

6 (26 +x if heavy)

8 (32 +x if heavy)

Mixed Pu Ping

Medium Shieldsmen + medium archer detachment- Initiative 6

Bases (points)

4 (60)

6 (84)

Pu She

Medium Archers- Initiative 6

Bases (points)

4 (62)

6 (87)

Allied Turks

Allied Light Horse Archers- Initiative 6

Bases (points)

4 (52)

Artillery

Dan Gong Nu- Initiative 6

Bases (points)

1 (20)

Wagon Laager

Medium Fortifications