Later Sui and Early T'ang Chinese

This list represents Chinese Imperial armies at the end of the Sui Dynasty and under the first T'ang Emperor. Towards the end of the Sui Dynasty the Dukes of T'ang were provincial governors who led highly effective forces for the central Sui government. These provincial forces were primarily composed of Turkish influenced HC which were armoured lance & bow armed cavalry, plus mercenary Turkish LC. The core Sui troops appear to be composed of much more heavily armoured 'shock' cavalry, with a charging lancer style tradition. The T'ang took over and built upon the hereditary Pu-She / Pu-Ping military family tradition founded by the Sui.

Era: Triumph of Cavalry   Later Sui and Early T'ang Chinese CR: H: 4 L: 4   BP: 2 Init: 5*
Core
Number Type   Description Key FV PROT Weapon Cost
1 HC   K 5[1]0 +2 Lance 12
1 HC   K 5[1]0 +1 Lance 11
1 LC   K 1[0]0 +1 Bow 6
3 FT Pu-She K 5[1]1 +1 Bows, etc. 8
2 SI Pu-She   2[1]1 +2 Bows 2
Bonus:
1 CAT (Guard) ** K 6[2]0 +3 Lance 16
2 HC   K 5[1]0 +1 Lance 11
2 LC   K 1[0]0 +1 Bows 6
1 LC   K 2[0]0 +1 Javelins 7
4 LC (Mo-Ho Allies) *** K 2[0]0 +1 Various/bows 8
2 FT (Pu-She) K 5[1]1 +1 Bows, etc. 8
2 FT (Pu-Ping) K 6[1]1 +1 Polearms 8
1 FT (X-bow Specialists) K 5[1]1 +1 X-bows, etc. 8
1 LI (Bandits)   4[1]2 +1 Sword & Shield 6
4 SI (Pu-She)   2[1]1 +2 Bows 2
2 SI (Conscripts)   2[1]1 +2 X-bows, etc 2
2 HC (Provincial / Turks) K 5[1]0 +1 Lance/Bows 14
2 HC (Provincial / Turks) K 4[1]0 +1 Lance/Bows 12
2 LC (Provincial / Turks) K 2[0]0 +1 Various/Bows 8
Option   "Million Man Army"          
10 FT "Million Man Army" K 4[1]1 +1 Various 4
10 Levy "Million Man Army"   3[0]0 +0 Various 4

Terrain:

Core: 1GR

Bonus: (Max: 4 ) 4 GR; 2 SH; 1 RG; 1 W

Notes:

Core: 95 Bonus: 255

*The Sui army has an Initiative Level of 5. The T'ang army has an Initiative Level of 6. The Sui or T'ang commander must tell his opponent whether his Initiative Level is 5 or 6 before the purchase of Bonus units and terrain.

** Cataphracts are not subject to obligatory charge. The commanding general may not attach to the cataphracts for any purpose.

*** If any Mo-Ho allies are bought then all must be bought. Mo-Ho allies cannot be purchased with Provincial / Turks. If Mo-Ho are not bought, then they do not count towards the purchase of light units required to receive a free extra light division under Control Ratings on page 34 of the rules.

**** The total number of Bonus Pu-She, Pu-Ping , and X-bow Specialists FT units must not exceed 4.

Provincial / Turks represent the troops led by the Dukes of T'ang under the Sui and in the early years of the T'ang Dynasty or are allied Turkish mercenaries. If any Provincial / Turks HC FV5 are bought all the HC FV 4 must be purchased. If any Provincial / Turkish LC are purchased, all must be purchased and all other LC in the Bonus list do not count towards the extra light division requirement.

LC(d!) dismount as SI with a BP of 2, an FV of 2[1]1, a Prot of +2, and are armed with a bow with an 18 inch range. When dismounted they have the same arc of fire as foot bows despite retaining the shorter range of mounted bows. Dismounted LC remain key units. Dismounted LC are SI in all other respects, including dispersal and missile drop off.

The "Million Man Army" represents the huge number of troops raised (willingly) by the later Sui Emperors to invade Korea. Initially these were enthusiastic, relatively well supplied and fought well, but as the campaign stagnated, the supply-chain failed and the army became bogged down in winter siege warfare their enthusiasm declined dramatically and the troops were supplemented by forced conscription. Either the FT or the Levy version may be bought. The two types are mutually exclusive. Moreover, the FT version cannot be bought if any Bonus Provincial/Turks or Bandits are bought.

If any "Million Man Army" FT or Levy are bought all 10 units of the type purchased must be bought.

Levy are true non-key 2BP Armati Levy.

Ordo Link: See the Later Sui & Early T'ang and the Tibetan 560 to 1060 AD threads.

Last Edited: 26 July 2005

List Author: Aetius