Auxum - Year of the Elephant

This represents the army in Yemen under the Negusa Negast Caleb and his viceroy Abraha around the Year of the Elephant which many believe to be the year of the birth of the Prophet Mohammed. It does not reflect the Auxumite army in Africa and therefore does not include any of the sarawit, the principal Auxumite infantry in Africa.

Era: Triumph of Cavalry 533 - 560 A.D. Auxum - Year of the Elephant CR: H: 4 L: 4   BP: 2 Init: 5    
Core
Number Type Key FV   PROT Weapon Cost
1 HC   X 4(0)0 +1 Various 10
2 LC   X 2(0)0 +1 Various 14
2 LHI Marines (naval sarwen) X 4(1)2 +1 Javelin/sword 14
2 LI     3(1)2 +1 Javelins 10
2 SI     2(1)1 +2 Bows 4
1 El Elephant X 4(3)1 +1 Various 10
Bonus:
2 HC   X 4(0)0 +1 Various 10
2 LC   X 2(0))0 +1 Various 7
4 LHI Marines(naval sarwen) X 4(1)2 +1 Javelins/Swords 7
4 LI     3(1)2 +1 Javelins 5
2 LI     3(1)2 +1 Bows 6
2 SI     2(1)1 +2 Bows 2
4 SI     3(1)2 +2 Javelins 2
               
Arab Allies              
1 HC   X 4(0)0 +1 Various 10
2 LC   X 2(0)0 +1 Various 7
3 FT   X 4(1)1 +1 Various 4
2 SI     3(1)2 +2 Javelins 2
1 Camel Camel X 3(0)0 +1 Various 7

Terrain:

Core: 1 GR

Bonus: 2 Max.: 2 GR, 2 SH, 2 RG

Notes:

Arab accounts of the army describe 3 different heavy cavalry formations by name including one which is described by its shining armor. Arab accounts attribute the ease of the victory of Wahriz’ 600-800 Sassanids over Abraha due to the fact that the Auxumites had never seen the bow used in combat before. As the archeological record is replete with bows, arrows, bracers, etc. utilized by related peoples if not Auxumites, I have accepted the argument that this should be emended to provide that the Auxumites had never seen the mounted bow used in combat before. Bonus LC may not outnumber the combined number of Bonus LHI and LI. The camels are reluctantly included due to their presence in contemporary Arab lists. At least in the case of Auxum, there is a contemporaneous account of raiders fighting mounted on camels. Arab FT must equal or outnumber the combined number of Arab mounted units.

5 Mar 05: 2(1)0 SI with bow changed to 2(1)1.