ABBASIDS
| FACTION HIGHLIGHTS | STRATEGIC OVERVIEW | TECH TREE |
Strengths
- Good research capability
- Good cavalry and infantry
Weaknesses
- Economic reliance on having a pool of infantry to produce resources results in a lack of flexibility
With a preponderence set towards technology, research and resource-gathering, the United States is a faction that requires strong strategic flair to use. The United States shares some units with England and France, but in other areas it also has other units worth noting: a line of medium ranged and melee cavalry; a Marine unit that emerges two ages earlier than other factions'; as well as a slew differing units at differing ages. It is thus somewhat of a challenge using the United States, as one has to keep in mind that American strengths and weaknesses often shift this way and that way - but one can be assured that by the last two eras, the United States is an extremely strong military force.
Marines are the heart of the American war machine. With the ability to entrench themselves, the Marines will be useful for creating fortified positions which will be hard to beat without resorting to a flanking attack. Thus, they work well as a meat shield that can absorb plenty of damage until you can manoeuvre your medium cavalry and musketeers into position for a good attack.
- The Abbasid Caliphate was the third dynasty to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Unlike the Ummayads, they succeeded in conquering much of the Islamic world and beyond. The Abbasid Caliphate first centered its government in Kufa, modern-day Iraq, but in 762 the caliph Al-Mansur founded the city of Baghdad, near the ancient Babylonian capital city of Babylon. Baghdad became a center of science, culture, philosophy and invention in what became known as the Golden Age of Islam. The Abbasids were known to rely on Persian customs and they were broadly adopted by the ruling elite. They were forced to cede authority over al-Andalus to the Umayyads in 756, not long before the Ummayad caliphate fell for good ... Morocco to the Idrisid Dynasty in 788, Ifriqiya and Sicily to the Aghlabids in 800, Khorasan and Transoxiana to the Samanids and Persia to the Saffarids in the 870s for a time. Finally, Egypt to the Isma'ili-Shia caliphate of the Fatimids in 969, essentially ending the Abbasids' reign of power. (Many of afformentioned factions (even as vassals . example - Fatimids would conflict with Abbasids clearly) wil not make it in the mod, due to limitations and focus on the "northern ravens". Noted due to historical relevance and some will indeed make it in as vassals as explained below.
- The Abbasids in 850AD.
- May 19, 2022
Ubba Ragnarson
The Abbasid Caliphate are the all-round strongest Islamic faction, taking into account their own powerful roster as well as their vassal states, which give them reach across the mediteranean even into Sicily with the Aghlabid Emirate. The Saffarid Persians were once a problem, revolting against the most gracious Caliph. "Thankfully" for Persia, his son bent the knee to the Caliph after the father's death and with this the Saffarids are now a vassal state, granting unique Persian units such as elephants. The player also has access the Emirate of the Aghlabids; a client state which provides the Abbasids with Berber units (could be better cavalry or camelry, different ideas), as well as the Aghlabids conquest of Sicily providing them with Italian/Greek units. This furthers when you consider their client state extending into Italy, up to the border of Benevento - The Emirate of Bari. This puts the Abbasids surrounding the Papacy, of which will no doubt call a crusade to end the Emirate of Bari. The Abbasids are playing it carefully - with Frankia's new Papal States planted in Rome, the caliphate does not want war with the Lombards right now. As much as King Pippin's forced Papacy leaves a bad taste in the Lombards' mouth, they must also play carefully. (In CTW the game would be .., very precarious situation). On top of this, The Tulunid Sultanate rules over Egypt at the moment at least - supplying them with Egyptian troops all-round and the unique Pyramids wonder. The Abbasids are indeed a force to be reckoned with.- May 20, 2022
- Just remember, disregard anything tagged with "[3]".
Ubba Ragnarson
I will take a look - like i said, I have plenty of cities panned out accurate to the time period etc. Ive been doing alot of research. When it comes to this faction though, i think we can use it if you want as i have not done their cities yet.- June 2, 2022
Velvetclaw
Since Islam is more advanced, these guys, along with the Cordobans can and should receive Ghuzat Volunteers as a primary levy unit.- I have no idea how to deal with the Anglo-Saxon fyrd. Take the militia from Rise of Kings, and put them in? then everyone else gets Swordsmen?
- Or maybe: Urban Militia can be provided to the Lombards, as well as Kievan Rus.
- THEN - Fyrd will be this super-levy unit, on part with Urban Militia, who emerge at the beginning of the game instead of waiting for urbanization to pick up.
- They can simply be Militia units with spears, instead of swords.
Velvetclaw
It is hard to say who should fit the Abbasids. But since the Abbasids will be using a neo-Byzantine fleet of sorts, China is a good candidate to represent them.- Other useful ones could be Americans, Persians, or Germans or Egyptians. But I would argue, Germans should be reserved for someone like the Umayyads.
- June 3, 2022
Velvetclaw
Slavic Raiders could be a part of this civ too. The Slavic nations on the eastern Adriatic were known to be erocious pirates like the Vikings.
Velvetclaw
Egyptians, with their wonder building bonus, however, are ideal for a highly cultured and rich faction who deals with diplomacy.- June 4, 2022
@VelvetclawSlavic Raiders could be a part of this civ too. The Slavic nations on the eastern Adriatic were known to be erocious pirates like the Vikings.
Ubba Ragnarson
So, a side note: Viking is a false word in-general. It is a verb.- ANYONE can go "a-viking"
- the Norsemen were called vikings but an abbasid pirate could be labeled a viking.
- it is a historical word that should be retired
- for our purposes, it's fine, just a side-note of actuality.
Velvetclaw
That is what I said.- The Italians and Lombards had to put up with Slavic viking raids. In fact, some would ssay, they were central to the rise of modern Venice.
Ubba Ragnarson
glad you know this i figured you would. it's just, very few people do. and people have a very, VERY distorted view of the norse
Velvetclaw
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KalbidsKalbidsThe Kalbids (Arabic: بني كلب, romanized: Banū Kalb) were a Muslim Arab dynasty in the Emirate of Sicily, which ruled from 948 to 1053. They were formally appointed by the Fatimids, but gained, progressively, de facto autonomous rule.- YEP
- Stock Slavic Raiders will have to be a part of the Abbasid roster....until we can confirm there is room for Diasavia to make refinements.
Ubba Ragnarson
792: Denmark finds Lindisfarne, the Holy Isle ; realizes there is rich fertile land to the west and their land is very bad comparatively. they came for land, not blood necessarily. blood was of course involved because the anglo-saxons didn't want to lose their land- well
Velvetclaw
There's talk though that religion, ie aid for the Saxons was the main reason for Nordic viking raids.- And that the history of the so-called Viking Age would repeat itself, later, in Southeast Asia during the 1200s.
Ubba Ragnarson
Not really. They murdered the priests to make examples for their Gods, yes. no doubts.
Velvetclaw
Actually no
Ubba Ragnarson
My gods.
Velvetclaw
Holy yiff- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chola_dynastyChola dynastyThe Chola Dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire of southern India, one of the longest-ruling dynasties in world history. The earliest datable references to the Chola are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BCE left by Ashoka, of the Maurya Empire. As one of the Three Crowned Kings of Tamilakam, along with the Chera and Pandya, the dynasty c...
- NEver you mind that.
Ubba Ragnarson
well, i'm not saying it was the SOLE reason. the main reason again was the fertile land to the west.
@Ubba RagnarsonNot really. They murdered the priests to make examples for their Gods, yes. no doubts.
Velvetclaw
Again as I said religion got subsumed into politics as it became a casus belli for Frankish expansion.
Ubba Ragnarson
Exactly- agreed there.
- facts
Velvetclaw
Not different to the Tamil Cholas, who themselves were known for their Viking raids themselves on Sri Lanka and western Malaysi8a.- AGAIN like the so-called Viking Age, there is talk that they were fighting a common foe, like the Norse and Saxons: this time, though, it wasn't the Franks; but the Srivijaya of Indonesia, in coordination with the Hindu Khmers.
- Probably, now that you mention it I suspect that the rise of the Khmers also lay in the fact that they somehow could establish ties with Hindu India; this meant that, in the vacuum of power that emerged when Tang China fell, they had free hand to act in the South China Sea region.
- AND, just like the Sea Kings' realms (AND the Kalmar Union, almost 4 centuries later) the Chola suffered from political disintegration that saw their short-lived empire collapse.
- Anyway don't worry too much about the Abbasids, I think I also got them under control.
- What concerns me though is this unit.
- MAybe not.
- This guy, already on the RKC Saracen payroll, should suffice.
- The Abbasids .... are a strange bunch. They formed an empire, yet the control of the individual rulers was weak, very weak.
- Like the Pope in Rome, they had their own armies, but still had to depend on their "vassals" (I don't even know if you can call them that) for support.
Ubba Ragnarson
(DM me back) WELL, the Abbasids are going to implement the stronger fyrd mechanic as such that the anglo saxons do.
Velvetclaw
In fact, relations between Muslim and Christian were good, very good for centuries.
Ubba Ragnarson
We need to look at the years /wars during this time period etc. too you know what i mean>?
Velvetclaw
All THAT changed, however, when the Abbasids lost control sometime in the 900s CE, and the more aggreswsive and expansionist Turks began to mke an appearance.- You said 1050.
Ubba Ragnarson
1000.- we initially
- said 800-1000
- then we did 750-1000 to show the ending of charlemagne /frankish domination
Velvetclaw
I'm going to update the Wiki though, before I leave for a walk.
Ubba Ragnarson
Okay friend what time is it there?- can you respond to my direct message first?
- Here it is 2am , so I wouldn't be going out now. lol
Velvetclaw
8 AM.- Cleaned up the Wiki for Muslim units using Five Pillars. Almost all of them can be used in your mod.
- I'm now going for those units using Darul Islam
- A must have
- I've gone and identified all the other units we can insert for use by Muslim factions - mostly.
- Dromedary Jund, African Skirmishers....
- ........that's about it.
Ubba Ragnarson
We can pull more than that, I'm sure. Even if it's early warbirth units, we can modernize them, can't we?- by modernize i mean we can utilize their units in some ways. "African skirmishers" - For the Idrisids' client state, we can easily pull tribal africans from your early era mods.
@Ubba RagnarsonWe can pull more than that, I'm sure. Even if it's early warbirth units, we can modernize them, can't we?
Velvetclaw
That's the plan although IMHO Idrisids couldn't have been 100% black.- June 5, 2022
Ubba Ragnarson
No they were not black. They were Berber ethnicity mostly. I am suggesting pulling African vassals etc.- June 18, 2022
Ubba Ragnarson
The Abbasids will be layed out, I'm currently working on my format. I understand the majority may be under control, however my format still stands as well as my researched UU(s). I will post it when completed; Harun Al-Rashid was one of the greatest Islamic caliphs , related to Muhammad by blood as far as i know, and usually , playing a game such as Civilization - it is either he or Salah ah-Din that rule the generic Saracen or Arab faction.- Client States/Vassals: Tulinid Sultanate of Egypt, Aghlabid Emirate of Ifriqiya, Sicily, parts of southern Italy, and Sardinia.
- Basic outlook right now - much, much more will be added. These notes are as not to forget these two very important client states.
- June 28, 2022
Ubba Ragnarson
Please read their page to see why: Due to the fact the Aghlabids could essentially be their own faction with how widespread their history is, they should feature as the most prominent client state of the Abbasids, however they were essentially independent. Nonetheless The Aghlabids were loyal to the Abbasid Caliph(s) to the end. They should have unique navy contributing to the Abbasids, as well as units. Likely one of the Abbasid units will even come as an Aghlabid UU to represent how important they were.
Ubba Ragnarson
Abbasid Caliphate - The Abbasid Caliphate - having replaced the Ummayads in all but Al-Andalus, will go on to invoke a golden age and are considered one of, if not the most prosperous Caliphate to exist. From advancements in science, to technology, and everything above, they will be represented here well, with historical vassals layed out. Leaders Caliph(s) Harun Al-Rashid, Caliph Al Mutawakkil, Caliph Al-Muwaffak, Caliph Abd ibn Muhammad, Caliph Al-Mutawakkil, Caliph Al-Qadir, Caliph Al-Muktafi. Best Units: Mameluke Muetad (Inexpensive, strong raiding cavalry armed with swords) , Mameluke Rami Alisam (Mounted Camel riders armed with bows - a unique anti-archer unit as well) , Caliph's Muharib (Heaviest infantry the Caliphate has: with sword, shield, and heavy armor. Handpicked by the Caliph, these are his champions. Expensive but effective.)
Ubba Ragnarson
Allies: Tahirid Grand Amirate: The Tahirid Amirate was a Persian dynasty, adjacent to the Saffarids which the Abbasids and Tahirids would war with. Considering they are a close ally, they could provide Persian units and perhaps War Elephants / a bonus to them in some way. Aghlabid Emirate: Though technically a client state - the Aghlabids are a powerful kingdom unto their own right, having conquered a swath of Italy in their history and being consistently loyal to the Caliphate. They supply much - naval and land powers. Vassals: Armenian Principalities: The Armenian Principalities were peoples assimilated into the Caliphate - and comprise a confederation of the peoples of Armenia. They supply Armenian troops and with them as a vassal, even if reluctance is involved, they will secure the borders of their small nation. Tulinid Sultanate of Egypt: The Tulinids were taken by the Abbasids, easily absorbed from the previous Caliphate. Though there will be some turbulence in their loyalty throughout the timespan of our mod - they are nonetheless an invaluable asset holding Egypt for the Caliph. They supply the Egyptian units to the Abbasids. Ziyadid Dynasty: The Ziyadids were the first dynastic regime to reign control over Yemen after the introduction of Islam in 630. The Ziyadids controll Yemen and were subjugated as client state of the Caliphate. They supply Arabic troops to the Abbasids.
STRATEGIC OVERVIEW |
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