Sassanid Persian, 600 AD – 651 AD
Draft list by Ulf Olsson
During the period covered by this list the Sassanid army changed quite a bit. In the early part of the period the Sassanids fought a cataclysmic war against the other ‘superpower’ of the day, the Byzantines. The Sassanids were highly successful at first and came very close to winning, but in the end they lost decisively, with disastrous consequences. The extremely demanding war effort crippled both states and left them unable to resist the conquering Muslims effectively. The Sassanids suffered a protracted series of civil wars in the aftermath of the war against the Byzantines and were also hard hit by serious outbreaks of plague. The combined effects of these disasters along with weakened royal authority had serious effects on the Sassanid state and army.
- Sassanid armies from the period of the last Byzantine war are covered by the first army list, Triumph and Tragedy (600 AD – 627 AD).
- The period of the civil wars and the Muslim conquest is covered by the second army list, The Last Stand (628 AD – 651 AD).
A Sassanid Army must be either a Royal Army or a Provincial Army.
- A Royal Army is commanded by the Shah-an-shah or one of his deputies. It must include a Royal Savaran Division and may include some other units directly attached to the Royal court.
- A Provincial Army is commanded by a provincial governor or general. It may, but is not required to, include a Marzban Savaran Division.
Triumph and Tragedy (600 AD – 627 AD)
Terrain in the West: Dry - Plains
Terrain in The East: Dry - Hilly
0-1 Royal Savaran Division (Only in Royal Army)
1c Guard Savaran
1-2 Guard Savaran
0-1 Drafsh-i-Kavian Standard and Guard
Only a Royal Army can, and must, include a Royal Savaran Division and must be commanded by the C-in-C. If the Drafsh-i-Kavian Standard and Guard is included in the Royal Savaran Division, it may not also be included in the Royal Infantry Division.
0-1 Marzban Savaran Division (Only in Provincial Army)
1c Guard Savaran
0-1 Guard Savaran
1-2 Feudal Heavy Savaran or Feudal Medium Savaran
The Marzban Savaran Division can only be used by a Provincial Army. If used it must be commanded by the C-in-C.
2-4 Feudal Savaran Division
1c Feudal Heavy Savaran or Feudal Medium Savaran
1-2 Feudal Medium Savaran
0-1 Auxiliary Horse Archers
0-1 Lakhmid Ally Division (AD 600 – AD 602)
1c Lakhmid Ally Medium Tribal Cavalry or Lakhmid Ally Light Tribal Cavalry
1-2 Lakhmid Ally Light Tribal Cavalry
The Lakhmid Division may only be used in the West.
0-1 Royal Infantry Division (Only in Royal Army)
1c Drafsh-i-Kavian Standard and Guard or Royal Archers
1-2 Royal Archers
The Royal Infantry Division can only be used in a Royal Army. If the Drafsh-i-Kavian Standard and Guard is included in the Royal Infantry Division, it may not also be included in the Royal Savaran Division.
0-1 Dailami Division
1c Dailami
1-2 Dailami
No Dailami additional units may be fielded if the Dailami Division is used.
0-2 Median or Mesopotamian Infantry Division
1c Median or Mesopotamian City Spearmen
1-2 Paighan Archers
May not be used in Soghdia or in Khurasan.
0-2 Paighan Levy Infantry Division
1c Paighan Archers or Paighan Levy
2-3 Paighan Levy
At least one Paighan Division must be used if any infantry are used.
0-1 or 0-2 Turk Ally Division
1c Turk Ally Horse Archers
1-3 Turk Ally Horse Archers
Turk Ally Divisions may only be used in the East. Up to 2 Turk Ally Divisions may be fielded if the entire army is mounted. If any infantry are used, only 1 Turk Ally Division may be fielded.
Additional Units
0-2 Armenian Noble Retinue (Note 1)
0-2 Auxiliary Horse Archers (Note 2)
0-2 Dailami (Note 3)
0-1 Median or Mesopotamian City Spearmen (Note 4)
0-2 Tribal Hillmen (Note 5)
0-2 'Pil' War Elephants (Note 6)
0-2 Arab Ally Tribal Cavalry (Note 7)
Additional Unit notes:
No units may be added to any Allied Division.
- Armenian Noble Retinue may only be added to a Royal Savaran Division or Marzban Savaran Division. No more than one Armenian Noble Retinue unit may be added to a single Division.
- Auxiliary Horse Archers may be added to any Savaran Division.
- Dailami can only be added if the Dailami Division is not used. Dailami additional units may only be used in any Savaran Division or in the Royal Infantry Division.
- Median or Mesopotamian City Spearmen can only be added to a Median or Mesopotamian Infantry Division.
- Tribal Hillmen may be added to Median or Mesopotamian Infantry Division or to a Paighan Infantry Division.
- 'Pil' War Elephants can only be added to a Royal Savaran Division or to any infantry Division deployed as the Centre Division or Advance Guard Division.
- Arab Ally Tribal Cavalry can be added to any Cavalry Division.
The Last Stand (628 AD – 651 AD)
Terrain in the West: Dry - Plains
Terrain in The East: Dry - Hilly
0-1 Royal Savaran Division (Only in Royal Army)
1c Guard Savaran
1-2 Guard Savaran
0-1 Drafsh-i-Kavian Standard and Guard
Only a Royal Army can, and must, include a Royal Savaran Division and must be commanded by the C-in-C. If the Drafsh-i-Kavian Standard and Guard is included in the Royal Savaran Division, it may not also be included in the Royal Infantry Division.
0-1 Marzban Savaran Division (Only in Provincial Army)
1c Guard Savaran
0-1 Guard Savaran
1-2 Feudal Heavy Savaran or Feudal Medium Savaran
The Marzban Savaran Division can only be used by a Provincial Army. If used it must be commanded by the C-in-C.
1-2 Feudal Savaran Division
1c Feudal Heavy Savaran or Feudal Medium Savaran
1-2 Feudal Medium Savaran
0-1 Auxiliary Horse Archers
At least one Feudal Savaran Division must consist entirely of Brittle units. If any units in a Feudal Savaran Division are Brittle, all must be.
0-1 Royal Infantry Division (Only in Royal Army)
1c Drafsh-i-Kavian Standard and Guard or Royal Archers
1-2 Royal Archers
The Royal Infantry Division can only be used in a Royal Army. If the Drafsh-i-Kavian Standard and Guard is included in the Royal Infantry Division, it may not also be included in the Royal Savaran Division.
0-1 Dailami Division (628 AD – 633 AD) or Dailami Ally Division (634 AD – 651 AD)
1c Dailami
1-2 Dailami
No Dailami additional units may be fielded if the Dailami Division is used. In 634 AD – 651 AD any Dailami Division used must be classed as Ally to reflect the major Dailami unit that changed sides and joined the Muslims.
0-1 Median or Mesopotamian Infantry Division
1c Median or Mesopotamian City Spearmen
1-2 Paighan Archers
May not be used in Soghdia or in Khurasan.
0-2 Paighan Levy Infantry Division
1c Paighan Archers or Paighan Levy
2-3 Paighan Levy
At least one Paighan Division must be used if any infantry are used.
0-1 Tribal Hill Clan Ally Division
1c Tribal Ally Hillmen
1-2 Tribal Ally Hillmen
0-2 Turk Ally Division
1c Turk Ally Horse Archers
1-3 Turk Ally Horse Archers
Additional Units
0-2 Armenian Noble Retinue (Note 1)
0-2 Auxiliary Horse Archers (Note 2)
0-2 Dailami (Note 3)
0-1 Median or Mesopotamian City Spearmen (Note 4)
0-1 'Pil' War Elephants (Note 5)
0-1 Arab Ally Tribal Cavalry (Note 6)
Additional Unit notes:
No units may be added to any Allied Division.
- Armenian Noble Retinue may only be added to a Royal Savaran Division or Marzban Savaran Division. No more than one Armenian Noble Retinue unit may be added to a single Division.
- Auxiliary Horse Archers may be added to any Savaran Division.
- Dailami can only be added if the Dailami Division is not used. Dailami additional units may only be used in any Savaran Division or in the Royal Infantry Division.
- Median or Mesopotamian City Spearmen can only be added to a Median or Mesopotamian Infantry Division.
- 'Pil' War Elephants can only be added to a Royal Savaran Division or to any infantry Division deployed as the Centre Division or Advance Guard Division.
- Arab Ally Tribal Cavalry can be added to any Cavalry Division.
Mounted Units
Guard Savaran
Heavy Horse Archers – Initiative 7, (Deep Line, Expert)
2 Bases - 52 Pts
3 Bases - 71 Pts
4 Bases - 91 Pts
Comments:
The Guard Savaran depict the highly efficient professional heavy cavalry employed by the King-of-Kings and the regional military Marzban commanders. Examples of such units include the Immortals and the Pushtighban.
Feudal Heavy Savaran
Heavy Horse Archers– Initiative 6, (Deep Line)
3 Bases - 57 Pts, 51 Pts if Brittle
4 Bases - 72 Pts, 64 Pts if Brittle
In 628 AD – 651 AD, all Savaran units in at least one Feudal Savaran Division must be graded as Brittle. Feudal Savaran in other Feudal Savaran Divisions may be Brittle. If any Savaran or units in a Division are Brittle, all must be.
Comments:
The Feudal Heavy Savaran represent feudal cavalry made up of wealthy provincial nobles' retinues equipped to a very high standard. In the later part of the period the effectiveness and loyalty of the Sassanid nobility declined.
Feudal Medium Savaran
Medium Horse Archers – Initiative 6, (Deep Line)
3 Bases - 48 Pts, 42 Pts if Brittle
4 Bases - 60 Pts, 52 Pts if Brittle
In 628 AD – 651 AD, all Savaran units in at least one Feudal Savaran Division must be graded as Brittle. Feudal Savaran in other Feudal Savaran Divisions may be Brittle. If any Savaran units in a Division are Brittle, all must be.
Comments:
The Feudal Medium Savaran represent less heavily equipped feudal cavalry. In the later part of the period the effectiveness and loyalty of the Sassanid nobility declined.
Auxiliary Horse Archers
Light Horse Archers – Initiative 6 (Wave)
2 Bases - 36 Pts, 32 Pts if Brittle
4 Bases - 60 Pts, 52 Pts if Brittle
Auxiliary Horse Archers must be classed as Brittle in 628 AD – 651 AD.
Comments:
The Auxiliary Horse Archers represent the lightly equipped feudal vassals, mercenaries and vassal tribesmen from Central Asia.
Turk Ally Horse Archers
Medium or Light Horse Archers – Initiative 6 (Ally, Expert, Wave)
4 Bases - 56 Pts
6 Bases - 78 Pts
Comments:
These units represent Turkic tribesmen from Central Asia allied to the Sassanids.
Armenian Noble Retinue
Heavy Cavalry – Initiative 6 (Deep Line)
3 Bases - 48 Pts
4 Bases - 60 Pts
Comments:
Armenia was a constant battle-ground in the wars between Sassanids and Byzantines. The Armenian Noble Retinues represent those nobles, such as Smbat Bagratuni, who served the Shahanshah providing him with reliable high-quality heavy cavalry lancers.
Lakhmid Ally Medium Tribal Cavalry (AD 600 – AD 602)
Medium Irregular Horse-Initiative 6 (Ally, Wave)
4 Bases - 40 Pts
6 bases - 54 Pts
Comments:
Lakhmid Ally Medium Irregular Horse are the more heavily equipped members of Lakhmid Bedouin clans allied to the Sassanids.
Lakhmid Ally Light Tribal Cavalry or Arab Ally Tribal Cavalry
Light Irregular Horse – Initiative 6 (Ally, Wave)
4 Bases - 40 Pts
6 Bases - 54 Pts
Comments:
Lakhmid Ally Light Tribal Cavalry are the more lightly equipped members of Lakhmid Bedouin clans allied to the Sassanids. It also depicts contingents of smaller Arab tribes after the fall of the Lakhmids.
'Pil' War Elephants
Medium Elephants – Initiative 6
2 Bases - 68 Pts
3 Bases - 96 Pts
Comments:
War Elephants represent the elephants often employed by the Sassanids. It appears that they were usually used to support infantry.
Foot Units
Drafsh-i-Kavian Standard and Guard (AD 600 – AD 635)
Medium Shieldsmen + Medium Archer detachment – Initiative 6 (Elite, Army Standard)
4 Bases - 54 Pts
6 Bases - 65 Pts
Comments:
The Drafsh-i-Kavian was a huge royal standard surrounded by a dedicated infantry guard unit of spearmen and archers. It was finally lost in battle against the Muslims in AD 635.
Dailami
Light Shieldsmen + Light Archer detachment – Initiative 6 (Elite)
4 Bases - 34 Pts, 30 Pts if Ally
6 Bases - 45 Pts, 39 Pts if Ally
During the war against the Muslim Arabs, at least one major Dailami unit changed sides. Any Dailami Division used must be classed as Ally in 634 AD – 651 AD. Dailami additional units MAY be classed as Ally in the same period.
Comments:
Dailami provided guard forces for the King-of-Kings and for senior provincial Marzban commanders. They were lightly equipped professional infantry of good quality supported by archers.
Royal Foot Archers
Medium Archers – Initiative 6 (Expert)
4 Bases - 32 Pts
6 Bases - 44 Pts
Comments:
The Royal Archers represent the professional foot archer units attached to the Royal court.
Median or Mesopotamian City Spearmen
Medium Shieldsmen – Initiative 6
6 Bases - 32 Pts, 26 Pts if Brittle
8 Bases - 40 Pts, 32 Pts if Brittle
Must be classed as Brittle in AD 628 – AD 651. May be classed as Brittle at other dates. All Spearmen in the same Division must be of the same classification.
Comments:
The Spearmen represent the infantry with equipment resembling that of Roman infantry (or even gladiators!). They did not possess the same level of skill and discipline that Roman infantry displayed, however. The catastrophic defeats at the end of the last Byzantine war and the subsequent civil wars long with an outbreak of plague are assumed to affect performance during the period of the civil wars and the Arab conquest.
Paighan Archers
Medium/Light Archers – Initiative 5
6 Bases - 31 Pts
8 Bases - 38 Pts
Comments:
The Archers represent the lightly equipped levy archers fielded in large numbers by the Sassanids from a variety of sources.
Tribal Hillmen
Light Irregulars – Initiative 6
6 Bases - 26 Pts, 20 Pts if Ally
8 Bases - 32 Pts, 24 Pts if Ally
Comments:
The Tribal Hillmen depicts the irregular infantry provided by various mountain clans.
Paighan Levy
Irregular Medium Foot – Initiative 4
6 Bases - 17 Pts
8 Bases - 20 Pts
Comments:
The soldiers of the Paighan Levy were not really combat troops at all, but rather a sort of labour corps. In battle they were deployed to the rear and hastily armed with spear and large wicker shields. They did not perform at all well in battle, which is understandable. The Paighan Levy is the part of Sassanid armies that gave Persian infantry an undeservedly bad reputation in Roman sources.
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