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Merlkir 说:

Wouldn't the Irish swords with blades expanding towards the tip be more appropriate for the Gaels?

(someone posted a link to MyArmoury which has some photos of them. We used one as a base for a Dunnish chieftain sword in TLD by the way )

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Like a number of other more unusual designs attested for this culture at one point or another, such swords are generally assumed to be of an earlier "Dark Age" type, probably long gone by the mid 11th century in favour of more conventional Norse-influenced styles. That's cool about the Dunnish sword though, wondered about that when I saw it in TLD.

Éadríc 说:

ATTENTION

Better late than never, but I found a very interesting article:

Early Medieval Goídil (ca. 795-1297 C.E.) by Brian Girard, from issue 268 (January 2010) of Slingshot, a bi-monthly publication of the Society of Ancients, "an international amateur society for the promotion of the study of ancient and medieval military history and wargaming the period 3000 BC to 1500 AD."

The article has plenty of references and covers much if not most of what the developers of Vikingr need to know to fashion a Gaelic faction.

Unfortunately the online document shows no images, and I don't know whether the original copy has them.

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That's a really excellent find. A couple of things are a little strange to me (for example, the gae bolga is almost universally considered a unique, mythological artifact of the hero Cúchulainn, I've never seen it considered as a real weapon before) but overall it seems extremely authoritative and well-referenced. It'd be nice if there was a version with images somewhere, but I rather doubt it (for the same reason there aren't many Osprey images or whatever - not much archaeological or primary visual source material) Still, it gives a pretty good idea. The pronunciation guide for English-speakers is a nice touch as well.

Lancer

Congratulations on the new release, it's great to see the mod still going strong with the new team.

I must say the Gaelic items are excellent, you did very well given the paucity of visuals and our probably-not-so-helpful descriptions. The Norse-Gaelic class in particular looks exactly how I would have imagined them. It'd be nice to have a few more items eventually (obviously) but it's really good even as it is, well done.

Lancer

The axe in that image is of the type called a sparr or sparth, the signature weapon of the Galloglaich/Gallowglass mercenaries of the High and Late Middle Ages in the Gaelic world. That isn't the only style of the weapon - illustrations and finds both suggest that a variety of heads were used - but it is probably the most distinctly Gaelic one. Anyway, like the Galloglaich themselves it's considered a 13th century design at the earliest, presumably from the Hebridean islands with their distinctive Norse/Gaelic hybrid culture. I think what some people are saying is that there is no conclusive evidence that it couldn't have been around earlier - the cultural fusion that produced those soldiers was already well under way in the 11th century after all, and we know that two-handed axes and polearms were used - but there's no specific evidence or reason to think that it was either. One could argue that it wouldn't be ridiculously anachronistic to include that design, but there's no question most people would consider it out of period for the 11th century.

As for the polearms in the Kern image, while the image obviously depicts a far later date, some sources do suggest that some kind of primitive pole-arm (distinct from dane-axes and such) was in use in the 11th century, but we don't know what it would've looked like. I speculated that it might've looked something like a primitive lochaber axe (with the blade attached to the side of the shaft rather than riveted to the end as in that image) but ultimately it's a matter of speculation.

And as for the falchion, curved, falchion-like blades are attest by at least one source I know on Irish cavalry in the 14th century, but they are perhaps just falchions adopted from elsewhere. Curved swords in general are mentioned in Irish tales of earlier eras as well, but unfortunately not described in detail. IIRC it's most often speculated that (if they existed) they might've been reminiscent of ancient Iberian swords (the proto-Gaels being of at least partial Iberian origin) and most likely phased out centuries before this period. But again, absence of distinctive proof one way or the other means it's a matter of speculation.

Lancer

In terms of helmets, I've been doing some more reading around recently and it seems to confirm that the paucity of good material on helmets has a simple cause: No intact helmet has been found in a Gaelic context in this period prior to the 13th century, the latest ones before that are early Iron Age or Bronze Age even. Of course, we know from primary sources that helmets were worn, we just don't know what they looked like.

Lacking archaeological or other graphical evidence, historians are therefore reduced to combining the often vague or obscure/poetic contemporary descriptions with observations from similar cultures and periods. This "best guess" tends to suggest something similar to what I mentioned in an Armour post earlier in this thread:

- simple round "bowl" helmets of leather or similar material for poorer soldiers
- the same simple bowl style in metal, perhaps with an ornate decorative band around the base (as in the not-too-great image here)
- Spangenhelm-style helmets such as the Pictish one that has been found, both with and without cheekguards.
- Obviously, variants of various Norse helmet styles, both looted and copied indigenously.

There are some more "exotic" interpretations that are possible (for example, it is known that horse-hair plumes or crests were used, which is generally identified with simple Migration-era style plumes from the top of the helmet, but I have worked with people before who have argued for a Classical hair crest, due to Celtiberian influences - as in this unit for the Arthurian Total War mod, for example) But the list above is what most would consider the most plausible candidates.

As for taunts, the language of the entire Gaelic world in this period is what is now classified as Middle Irish, which gradually split into Early Modern Irish, Classical Gaelic (in Scotland) and Manx over the next few centuries. As I've said before I'm no linguist myself, but I believe Middle Irish is fairly well attested and easy to reconstruct since (unlike in the case of weaponry and armour  ) there are plenty of surviving manuscripts and such written in it.

Lancer

The overwhelming majority of Gaelic-speakers would have been Christian by 600AD at the very latest.

As for a symbol, obviously there is the issue, as with the Vikings, that we're not dealing with a single political entity, so it's as much about finding a cultural symbol as anything else. Descriptions of banners and standards (the latter of which appears to have been adopted from the Norse) from primary sources that I've seen are fairly vague and mostly describe about the use of various animals, most of them standard "heraldic" kinds - lions, eagles, stags and so on. These would still look somewhat unusual, however, since they would be depicted in the distinctive "abstract" style of insular/Hiberno-Saxon art. The Book of Kells linked to above is a great example of the aesthetic, although of course that is the absolute pinnacle of the style and anything on a banner would be far more simple. Pages like this give an idea of the way a lion and an eagle, among other things, would be represented.

I agree that a Celtic Cross in interlace style like those depicted in previous posts makes a good symbol for the faction, although I don't know if there's evidence it was ever literally depicted on banners. Still, I'd go for it.

So the banner would be christian, but for instance some shield patterns would have pagan symbols, like we have in Rus faction (which were christian in 1066).

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The thing is that with the Gaelic culture there isn't a clear distinction between Christian and pagan iconography/aesthetic. The Christianization of Ireland and Northern Britain involved a great deal of syncretism, with many pagan ideas, symbols and even gods simply being recast in a Christian context.

Lancer

Thank you all, Úlfvaldr and Lancer especially.

I would suggest now that first a general Gaelic faction called Goídil would be added. This would would represent the Proto-Irish and the Proto-Scottish together, or just the Proto-Irish, depending on how people want to see it.

In due time this faction could be split up into the Goídil and the Albanaig.

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That's certainly fine by me. The only question seems to be whether it is necessary to differentiate them. I have already given my opinion, which is that the average Irish warrior and average Scottish warrior of 1050 AD were probably as similar materially and tactically as a Norwegian and Dane of the same period - if they can be combined into a Vikingr faction, the same justification can be applied to a Goídil faction. That being said, if it were necessary to pick one it should probably be the Albanaig/Scots, as they would have fought against Saxons, Vikings and Normans, whereas the Irish only encountered the Vikings in this period. But as I said, I feel this is a moot point.

As for further information, for my part I would direct people to several posts I've made earlier in this thread attempting to give my views and at least some limited academic and pictorial references. I'm not good on the linguistics however, and Éadríc made some appropriate revisions more recently.

Introduction
Military Overview, Clothing and Armour
Weapons and Equipment

To sum it up though, the basic argument for some kind of Gaelic faction is this:

• This culture historically came into conflict with every faction currently in the game apart from the Rus, and had an extensive history with the Norse in particular, which by the mid 11th century includes a growing degree of cultural synthesis.
• Militarily, they were similar enough to Saxons and Vikings that it should not be particularly difficult or time consuming to implement them. They fought in a broadly similar way, and most of their equipment could be re-used from existing assets, either directly or with minimal reskinning - they made extensive use of Norse equipment after all.
• However, in spite of this they would not be so similar that it would be pointless or redundant to depict them. They would have some unique equipment and appearance, and more importantly should provide a somewhat different variety of tactics and "feel" - something like a lighter, more mobile and skirmish-orientated version of the Saxon faction.

The main obstacle (speaking as someone who has been involved in research for mods before) is the relative sparsity of high-quality pictorial references, either in the form of Osprey-type illustrations or modern reproduction. I'd like to think we can do better than the current examples in the thread, but scrupulously detailed, "historical" depictions of all the relevant equipment are quite unlikely, because sometimes there is simply not enough surviving textual or archaeological detail to inform one, and hence a degree of extrapolation would sometimes be unavoidable.

Lancer

As Éadríc says, it's debateable how distinct Scotland and Ireland were culturally in 1066, and certainly they were beginning to grow apart by that point. But we're talking about a (mostly) multiplayer Warband mod here. As such, my take on the issue (from the research I presented earlier in this thread) was that common/similar language and, in particular, similary militaries are the important factors to consider.

I admit that most of the sources I have access to are Irish and somewhat biased towards Irish examples, and I could wish I had had better access to Scottish sources as well. But nothing I have seen has suggested to me that Scottish and Irish forces in the mid-11th century were sufficiently different to warrant seperate factions in a mod like this. It's not accurate to treat them as interchangeable in a general historical sense, but their militaries, specifically, were at least as similar as those of the Norwegians and Danes at the time, and hence a "Gaelic" faction stands on the same reasoning a "Viking" one does. It's not strictly accurate, but I think it makes sense in the context of what Vikingr currently is as a mod.

Lancer

Greetings Éadric, thanks for looking over these.

One thing I should perhaps have made clear already is that I am not a linguist, Celtic or otherwise - my command of even modern Irish is pretty poor. Rather I'm an (amateur) historian with an interest in the period who has read quite a bit of the information on Gaelic militaries of the era - an area which is often poorly understood by scholars, and still less in general knowledge. Therefore it's entirely possible, indeed probable that the names could be more accurate, although in many cases there would be several possible candidates anyway. I commend the team's desire to have the language as accurate as possible, but as I am not a linguist of Middle Irish, I am more concerned with the accuracy of the details than the names. Still, I accept that I could've been more thorough in checking dictionaries and so on rather than simply relying on the names provided by historians without a particular interest in language.

For a bit more precision, I would opt for Ceithernach, which is Old/Middle Irish for 'member of a ceithern'. I do wonder though, wasn't the institution of the Ceithern as light infantry specifically relatively late in the Middle Ages? The Dictionary of the Irish Language based mainly on Old and Middle Irish materials lists Gaithlennach as 'armed or skilled with the spear or javelin' and 'a spearman'. Perhaps that is a more fitting description, although, truth be told, it has but few attestations. Otherwise, since archers were more prevalent in the 11th century, perhaps an archer class could fill the slot, with the option of equipping any such troop with javelins or slings instead, as is similarly done with the Saxon scytta 'shooter, archer, bowman', who can carry four javelins instead of a bow and arrows. Old/Middle Irish had Saigteóir for 'archer, bowman' as well as 'soldier in general'.

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Most authors I've read suggest that the "institution" evolved over time and can be traced to this approximate era. However, a general problem with Gaelic military history in this era is that, largely as a result of scarce source material, most treatments of it only really consider the late 12th and 13th century onward, and speculation as to details pertinent to this era often involves projecting details from that point further backward into the 11th century. On further consideration I would concede that it may not be the ideal term, and Gaithlennach sounds like a reasonable replacement.

However, while it would not be "wrong" per se, I would argue against a Gaelic light infantry class as being primarily archers. It's my understanding that archers were becoming more prevalent in the 11th century (particularly in Scotland), but that significant numbers of archers would still not be typical of a Gaelic force circa 1066. I also think, purely as a matter of opinion, that a more javelin-focused "skirmisher" class would be more interesting from a gameplay perspective, but obviously that's quite a seperate concern from any historical matters.

he Dictionary of the Irish Language based mainly on Old and Middle Irish materials lists Clíathaire as a 'term applied to a sept, perh. implying special obligations in supplying fighting-men'. (A sept roughly meaning 'clan'.) This word seems rather obscure. Instead the dictionary has Búanna ‘professional soldier, fighting-man, especially hired or billeted soldier, mercenary’, with several attestations/citations.

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Clíathaire is attested as "troops" or professional soldiers in several sources I have seen (though I can only name Ó Cróinín's Early Medieval Ireland off the top of my head) but I'll grant you that is quite obscure compared to the more straightforward búannacht, later anglicized as Bonnacht. I think I avoided it because it seems to have been primary used to denote mercenaries specifically, but that was a distinction I picked up planning unit rosters for a Total War mod, and seems irrelevant here.

Do you mean the Gallowglas? Yet that institution wasn't in existence until the 13th century.

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This came up earlier in this thread actually. Of course I am aware that "Gallowglasses" properly appear in the late 13th century. However, their existence is a result of centuries of Norse-Gaelic cultural synthesis, a process well under way by 1066. Norse mercenaries and soldiers of mixed Gaelic and Norse origin (and equipment) are mentioned as significant elements of Gaelic warfare in the era in almost all sources and histories I have encountered.

A Gaelic "champion" class would fit in their slot just as well and be equally appropriate, of course. Both would fill essentially the same role in an army (well-equipped elite warriors). I suggested the Gall-Gaedhil over them largely because they would provide a more interesting appearance and equipment selection, and generally seem to dovetail elegantly into the mod's Viking theme.

Lancer

FrisianDude 说:

Does

隐藏: this

look a bit like a scian, Lancer?  I made it relatively quickly and it's pretty much the best thing I ever modelled. (Though I don't doubt that one of the modellers who have already contributed to Vikingr would make a much better one.)

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Not a bad likeness at all.

Lancer

FrisianDude 说:

I just read it, very interesting. Lancer, do you have pictures of the scian?

Because I've seen that weapon mentioned in Wikipedia as something Hobelars might have carried but it links to general 'knife' which has no picture of it. And an article IS referenced to in the bottom of that page but I've only skimmed it (it's not in a very pleasant lay-out) and has no pictures.

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I already posted a picture of an archaelogical find, but looking around a bit more I found a good reconstruction here: http://www.armor.com/custom937.html

I believe that specific example is from later finds (14th or 15th century) but the design has been found long before that.
I'll add it to the original post.

Lancer

Aaaaannd we're back with Part 2. Here's a description of the various weapons and shield types to be found in a Gaelic army.



Equipment: Weapons, Shields, and other stuff

The Gaels made use of broadly the same range of weaponry as the other factions, at least in close combat. Even there, however, there are a number of relatively unique designs which should serve to differentiate their equipment list.

Spears

Although swords and axes had become increasingly widespread and popular by the 11th century, the spear is the primary weapon of the vast majority of Gaelic warriors, both at range and in melee combat, and several different types were in use. Indeed, Gaelic literature uses several different words for spears depending on their type, manner of use (thrown or melee) and so on, which sometimes makes it difficult to understand exactly what weapon is being referred to in different circumstances. Most warriors would carry multiple spears, a main weapon to fight with and several others for throwing.

The heavy spear, or craiseach, was the main weapon of many middle- and high-ranking soldiers. Described as being equally effective at bashing or crushing as at piercing attacks, it would have a wide spearhead and a thick shaft of the strongest wood available. It would be of average length for an infantry spear for the most part, although elongated "pike" versions are also recorded. Although it could be thrown to great effect in some circumstances, it does not seem to have been intended as a throwing weapon.

The sleagh or gae seems to have been a lighter spear, faster to wield and with a longer, thinner head more suited to piercing. This was probably the most commonly seen weapon on a Gaelic battlefield, being used (with variations in quality) by soldiers of every rank and station. It is mentioned both in the context of a throwing spear and a melee weapon, although the confusion in terminology I mentioned is a particular problem here. It may be that some versions were shorter and balanced for throwing, but similar enough in shape to have the same name.

There's also mentions in a few places of a third type of "Norse" spear, though I haven't found out as yet what that might mean or how it might have been different.

Finally we have darts (fota). These are small, short weapons (about a foot long) solely intended for throwing, looking not unlike an over-sized arrow. They of course had considerably less power than heavier javelins, but could be thrown with considerable accuracy by a skilled fighter, and good deal more of them could be carried at once (at least 5 or 6 in the off hand)


A plate with a selection of spearheads from a Viking-age horde in Ireland. The second picture is a good representation of Gaelic darts (though not of fashion).

Blades

As in other cultures a knife (scian) of some description is a very important tool frequently seen in a military context among poorer soldiers unable to afford a sword. A number of different blade types have been discovered or described, but one or two deserve particular mention. The first is a straightforward curved hunter's knife, broadly the same thing as a saex. The second, more interesting design is the long, extremely pointed and tapering weapon which would later become associated in English with the Gaelic world scian/sgean. These knives were used universally by Gaelic light infantry in later centuries (indeed, a shorter version of one is still part of the modern "kilt" costume) but a few archaeological finds suggest that it was already around during this period and before.

Swords were always in use in Gaelic warfare but were largely confined to the aristocracy until the Vikings came on the scene. By the 11th century a sword of some description was considered a necessary secondary weapon for all middle-status soldiers (lighter troops had knives), but relatively few would use it primarily or exclusively.

The pre-Norse Gaelic world, particularly Ireland, had a number of different sword forms in use, some pretty unusual. A La Tene-style Celtic longsword was the most popular, but there were also shorter "leaf-shaped" blades used for thrusting at close range, longer blades thicker at the tip than at the base (which may have had a two-handed grip) and even curved blades. However, it is unlikely that many of these types would still be in common use in 1066, as Norse-style swords had completely overtaken them in popularity (probably due to the better quality of the metal and forging techniques) Most Viking-era sword finds have Norse-style hilts as well, though often with Celtic-style decoration.


First image is from the same find in the Lagore crannog (fortified lake island) of different blade types in use in the early 10th century. Second image is a reconstruction of a Norse blade found in another crannog. Since it's literally just a Norse sword it won't be anything new to you guys but I thought I'd include it. I saw several good examples of Norse swords with Gaelic decoration at the National Museum here in Dublin a few days ago, but unfortunately I can't find images online (and my phone's camera is broken) Next image is from the Scottish National Museum, a good example of the "dirk" style of long, very thing and pointed knife. Last image is a reconstruction of that style.

Clubs

Wooden clubs are rarely but consistently mentioned in Gaelic literature. From what little can be gleaned from description they were mostly just simple shaped pieces of heavy wood, in both one and two-handed varieties, but some might be reinforced with bands of iron.

"Polearms"

An unusual and mysterious weapon reference occasionaly is the sáfach or pole-arm. This is another one of those situations in which an object is known from textual sources only and never really described in detail, but it seems to have involved some kind of blade attached to a shaft which is sufficiently different from an axe to have its own name. Some speculate that it may be the ancestor of the lochaber axe, a bardiche-like Gaelic poleaxe which first appeared in Scotland in the 13th century, but seems to be no way of knowing for sure.


A reconstruction of a 14th-century lochaber axe. It's a good a bet as any that early Gaelic polearms looked like less ornate, more primitive versions of this weapon.

Axes

The axe as a military-grade weapon was a Norse introduction into the Gaelic world, but it was enthusiastically adopted. By 1066 axe-wielding soldiers would be a fairly common sight, and if anything it would become more popular as time went on (English sources throught the Middle Ages consider axes as the Irish national weapon, for example) They were used in all the same contexts as among the Norse, from simple one-handed wood axes among poorer soldiers to ornate and well-forged two-handed ones for wealthy and elite warriors. Being a Norse introduction they seem to have been based strongly on Norse design, and probably wouldn't differ in any meaningful way from Norse ones. There are a few accounts (though no findings that I've seen) of unusual designs, such as "reverse beard" axes with a point facing upwards, bayonet-style.

Slings

I don't think these are even possible in M&B, but I'll mention them for completeness. The sling, rather than the bow, was the traditional long-range weapon of the Gaelic battlefield. The sling is consistently regarded quite highly in Gaelic literature, and was certainly taken seriously as a lethal weapon. Slingers might have had some quantity of forged or shaped bullets, and then switched to whatever appropriate stones they could find once those were expended. The sling was probably still in use in 1066, but was slowly being phased out as bows came into more widespread use.

Bows

Again, I mention these mostly for completeness sake. It's possible that Gaels in Scotland would've used them prior to contact with the Vikings, but what's quite extraordinary is that it seems pretty clear that the bow and arrow was essentially extinct in Ireland by 800 AD. Reintroduced by the Norse, it would take some time for it to attain widespread use among Gaelic soldiers, but this process was well under way by this period. Therefore it wouldn't be inaccurate to include short bows for Gaelic light infantry, but they would not be the main ranged weapon, and personally I think it would be more interesting (and accurate) to keep the light infantry class as a short-range throwing weapon skirmisher.

Shields

Even the lightest warriors make some use of shields (sciath) in the form of small, cheap bucklers of wood, sometimes with a plain leather covering. These would be circular or rectangular in shape. Most Gaelic soldiers would use round shields, varying in size but always smaller than the largest Viking or Anglo-Saxon forms. Gaelic shields are described as being constructed of wood covered in layers of leather and then embossed, rimmed and (at least among the wealthy) decorated with metal. Literary sources describe the colour of shields as being green, golden or (most commonly) red as well as brown, though whether it is the leather or the decorations which provide the colour is unclear. While its generally unwise to make comparisons between such remote periods, it is striking how much a description of an eleventh-century Gaelic shield sounds like the targes used by the last generation of Gaelic warriors in the 18th century.

Some literary accounts imply that shields were generally worn on the back initially, then transferred to the off-hand once throwing spears had been used (though this sounds quite cumbersome for the heat of battle) Interestingly, there are references to starga, a word used only in the context of a shield worn on the back. This could mean that they simply had a different word for it in this context, but some scholars have interpreted it as evidence for the use of two shields, one in the hand and one worn on the back for extra protection.

As in most areas, Norse influence did make its presence felt here and it appears that some Viking shield forms were in use, but unlike in other areas they do not appear to have supplanted the indigenous design in popularity. Norse-style Gaelic shields would be painted in the indigenous style of insular art. Also, while they are probably unlikely to have survived as late as 1066, if you wanted variety I guess you could think about including some of the interesting and unusual wooden shield designs common among the Picts, particularly for poorer soldiers (who would've been less Gaelicized than the aristocracy).


The mod image and the miniatures are good illustrations of various types of Gaelic leather shield. The last image is an 18th century Highlander targe shield, but as I said, it certainly sounds from descriptions as if the fundamental design was the same even seven centuries before.

Standards

While banners and flags in general had always been used, the concept of a battle-standard for identification and organization in battle was relatively new among the Gaels, though widespread by the 11th century. Neither archaeology nor literature ever describes what a standard was shaped like, but the name (merige, from merrke) seems to imply that it was adopted from the Vikings, and therefore presumably looked the same.



That's pretty much it as far as equipment goes. I can maybe provide more detailed descriptions of particular things if they're necessary, just let me know. In the meantime I'll keep an eye out for more/better images.

Lancer/Antagonist

Greetings once more.

Here's what should hopefully be some helpful info about the 11th century Gaelic military. The images are often not ideal and maybe I can update these posts with better ones in future, but I figured you'd want this sooner rather than later.



Military Overview

Gaelic warfare in the late 11th century is an evolving mixture of "modern" tactics and equipment, comparable to those of the Saxons and Norse, and their own archaic and conservative tradition. Gaelic warriors fought with and against Romans, Picts, and Saxons in their time (especially in Scotland) but it is only with the coming of the Vikings that they encounter a foe willing and able to take the fight to their remote homelands, forcing them to evolve their methods in order to survive. By 1066, Gael and Gall ("foreigners", as they dismissively call the Vikings) have been fighting for over 250 years, and a considerable number of Norse technologies (such as axes and heavier armour) and tactics (such as shieldwalls and combined land-naval operations) have been absorbed. These are mixed, sometimes uneasily, with traditional Gaelic concepts. They still prefer slings and thrown projectiles over archery, and mobile, skirmishing warfare to static defensive strategies in many cases.  But their own traditions are also changing as their society evolves - cavalry, for example, are becoming increasingly important.

On the battlefield, a Gaelic army is still primarily infantry-based. Spears are the most common weapon, even among the elite, but they also make use of swords, axes, and other melee weaponry. They field some heavy, armoured infantry (often Norse or Norse-Gaelic mercenaries) but most troops tend to be somewhat "lighter" than their Viking or Saxon counterparts, with a greater emphasis on mobility, flanking and skirmishing. Almost all troops use some kind of throwing weapon, from small darts to heavy throwing spears. Light infantry use these to skirmish and wear down opposition, staying out of reach, while the heavier troops use them to disrupt an enemy's attack or soften them up before a charge of their own. Against organized formations, the heavily armed elite warriors lead charges attempting to disrupt the enemy's ranks and create holes that can be exploited by the lighter troops. Horses, traditionally only used for transportation to the battlefield, are increasingly ridden into battle, with horsemen acting as mounted skirmishers and flankers. As in other Northern European cultures, Gaelic kings and leaders are warriors first and generals second, leading their men into battle personally, traditionally on foot but more and more commonly from horseback.



Equipment: Clothing and Armour

I know that clothing and armour aren't really seperate things in M&B, but it's probably a good idea to go into a little detail about clothing and fashion if any modelling is going to happen, as it's probably the most unique and "alien" aspect of their equipment. For a start, this PDF is a pretty good treatment of Gaelic clothing in general, especially the images at the end. I'll try to quickly describe the main points here as well.

The primary Gaelic item of clothing for all classes is the long tunic/shirt called the léine. This is a long-sleeved shirt that hangs down considerably past the waist, generally stopping at the mid-thigh or the knee, though noble's might sometimes be longer. It's generally of solid colour, with simple shades like white and yellow being most common, and other colours requiring dyes being more expensive and rare. All but the simplest have ornamental embroidery about the hems, cuffs and so on, but its extent and quality varies depending on the status of the wearer. The léine is almost always worn with a belt.

Some soldiers and lower-status individuals would wear breeches. These are generally knee-length, though longer, trouser-style legs are depicted occasionally. They would generally be only lightly ornamented (if at all) and of dull, natural colours. They are strongly associated with the lower-classes and with lower-status soldiers. Nobles and those of higher status generally do not wear them, often having the longer, robe-like léine instead.

The other main element of a Gaelic outfit is the brat, a cloak or mantle, which is worn by all by the poorest individuals. A variety of styles and colours are depicted, with solid colours and simple checks (kind of like tartan, but not so complex) being the most commonly described patterns. All are fastened at the shoulder by a brooch of some kind, which would vary in sophistication with the wealth and status of the wearer. Some, especially the more practical cloaks of the common people, would have hoods.

In terms of footwear, firstly, a significant minority of lower-status Gaels (the lightest soldiers, in this context) would have gone barefoot often enough. There are various theories about why this habit was so popular, especially since it sometimes appears among people who could certainly have afforded shoes, but what what matters is that it's worth considering having the lightest class of troops default to no footwear. Such habits were the exception though, and most individuals would have worn some form of shoes, while a minority of the better-off soldiers and nobility might wear taller and heavier boots in a military context. What is most notable is the apparently complete absence in Gaelic dress of anything resembling hose or stockings. Except for the occasional boots, the lower leg is always left bare.


These two images both depict earlier periods, but the basic fashions did not change significantly and they depict them fairly well. In the top picture we see a fairly standard leine on the horseman and a longer version on the noble on the right, as well as several types of cloak, and lower-class breeches on the middle guy. In the second picture (much closer to our timeframe) the horseman (a Norse-Gaelic jarl) is dressed and equipped as a fairly conventional Gaelic noble outside of battle.

Armour

The simplest and most common form of protective clothing worn in the Gaelic world is the ionar, a type of jacket worn by soldiers and working men. At its simplest it is nothing but an extra layer of clothing, but a soldier's ionar would usually be reinforced in various ways such as padding, waxing, or backing with leather.


Still looking for a half-decent image for this one, this (from an M2TW mod) will have to do. It's a pretty straightforward reinforced coat covering the torso only as you can see.

Next (maybe) we have the cotun. This is word is usually used for a heavy over-tunic of quilted fabric, heavily padded and dipped in wax (almost an armoured version of the leine) but is sometimes used more generally in sources for any kind of non-metal armour (there are a few later references to them being constructed of links of some kind, for example) I say "maybe" because, while this garment is well-attested by the 13th century, it is not clear at when it first came into widespread use. Some sources argue (mostly on linguistic grounds) that it cannot pre-date the era of Norman influence (which would begin in the decades after 1066 for Scotland and a century later for Ireland) but others argue for a pre-Norman 11th century provenance. Personally I would include it for the sake of diversity, but (as often for this culture) it's historicity in this era is debatable.


This image (from an unreleased RTW mod,  and based on concept art that doesn't appear to be online anymore) is one interpretation of a Viking-age cotun, if not definitive or very detailed.

Among the Gaels, only nobles and the most experienced, veteran soldiers would possess a luireach, or coat of mail. Some linguistic evidence and occasional references suggest that the Gaels had some kind of indigenous mail or scale armour (as the Picts did) but if so, it was costly and rare. The proliferation of metal armour in the Gaelic world owes much to the Norse, and the vast majority of their mail would be of Norse design, even when made indigenously.


Another image from the same source. Not all the details are accurate (the heavy leather gauntlets aren't really attested, for example) but it gives a good impression of how mail and Gaelic clothing look together.

Helmets and Headgear

The already mentioned hooded cloak would be the most widely occuring head covering, appearing often on lower-to-middle status soldiers. Beyond that, the most common form of helmet appears to have been a simple leather skullcap, of bowl-like shape. Working up from there, there would be metal helmets of a similar shape for some of the middle-ranking soldiers. Among the wealthy, many Norse-style helmets were in use, though a few indigenous designs remained popular as well. A number of details about Gaelic helmets can be gleaned from literary sources, but again, sparse archaeological or pictorial evidence leaves their exact appearance a matter of speculation. The references seem to suggest that most were dome-shaped or conical, only sometimes with noseguards or cheekguards, and were often richly decorated. Crests or plumes of coloured hair had apparently become popular by the eleventh century for battle leaders and elite warriors, but again, exactly what they looked like cannot be determined from textual sources.


Images from the Last Kingdom mod for M2TW and Song of Taliesin/Brytenwalda for M&B, with good intepretations of the lower-status bowl helmet, metal bowl helmet, and noble helmet respectively. The horseman in the last image is a Pict, but Gaelic helmets were likely to have been fairly similar, especially in Scotland.



Hope that is useful. Again, I apologize for the poor selection of images, I'll continue to look for better ones but in some cases it may not be possible, there really is a dearth of good pictorial material or artistic concepts for this culture at this time, something I've never entirely understood. Anyway, stay tuned for part two, covering weapons and shields, which should (hopefully) have a better crop of images.

Lancer/Antagonist

For what it's worth, leather and "cowhide" are mentioned moderately frequently in Gaelic sources in the context of helmets and as a covering for shields, and occasionally armour as well (though padding was more common) It would make sense for it to appear as a fairly common material in that culture given that cattle husbandry appears to have been the primary form of agriculture and pretty much the backbone of the economy.

Lancer/Antagonist

Yes, something to the same depth as DrTomas' research would be most helpful.

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I've actually been writing for this thread extensively for the past few days, and have been admiring DrTomas' thread for its clarity and detail. I'm almost done, but what's really holding me back is finding decent images - the paucity of archaeological findings really holds things back in that regard. I'd like to spend another day or two looking, then I'll post what I have.

Antagonist/Lancer

Just an update to confirm that I haven't forgotten about this, I've been very busy the last two weeks with my thesis. That's out of the way now so I should be able to come up with something in the next few days. I take it that descriptions of equipment and pictorial sources are the main thing needed?

Lancer/Antagonist

Rather like the sound of Gaels. Distinctly different both in fighting style & in equipment from what is currently in the mod.

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To an extent. They're not vastly different than the Saxons or Vikings, in the sense that you still have poor guys with spears and shields, guys with mail and big axes, and so on. Significant Norse influence is evident by the 11th century, both in terms of tactics (shieldwalls and so on) and equipment (especially among the nobles and elite) But they would probably feel slightly different overall, a little lighter and a little faster, with a somewhat greater emphasis on mobility and speed. But even the most Norse-ified troops would look different, assuming someone can create the artwork, and sufficient pictorial references can be found.

I think you'll need to back that up with some references because it opposes what the previous research in this topic has mentioned, and from a personal perspective counters what I've read about it myself. Gaels were notoriously lacking in mail vis-a-vis the norse or normans or anglo-saxons, and the bow wouldn't have eclipsed the javelins in their predominance, and I've never heard of them using two handed swords until at the earliest the late medieval era Galloglaigh, when at this point the Galloglaigh were more of an embryonic "Norse-Gael" force than the iconic Galloglaighes of the 15th, 16th, 17th centuries.

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Right. Personally I suspect that Gaelic sources tend to de-emphasize the use of armour to some extent, but it was certainly not as proliferated as among the Norsemen. And ceithernn (known in later centuries as Kern to the English and Caterans to the Lowlanders) evolved in function and equipment over time, but were always light infantry. Some would have bows at this juncture, but only in later centuries would they become archers primarily. "Gallowglasses" first appear formally in the 13th century, but the cultural fusion which produced their fighting style had been cooking for a while. I suggested the Gall-Gaedhil in part because they're the earliest precursors of that style.

Lancer/Antagonist

Hi everyone,

This is Antagonist from Twcenter (using my ancient Taleworlds account), Skandinav asked me if I could help out with research for this faction. I've been involved as a researcher, writer and tester on a number of TW and M&B mods, many set in the Viking era, and the Gaels are probably my specialist area. I don't claim to be a true expert (there are very few, the military history of this culture at this period is pretty understudied) but I think I'm reasonably well informed, at the least.  It's been a while since I played Warband and the multiplayer game in particular, but I loaded up Vikingr the other day after Skandinav contacted me. I didn't do very well (to put it mildly) but I was very impressed with the quality of the project. It'd be a pleasure to help out.

Anyway, I thought I'd start out with a brief overview/definition, just so everyone's on the same page. In 1066, the Gaelic world essentially consists of two nations, Ireland and Scotland, as well as the various islands and so forth between them. Both are nominally ruled by a national monarch, but this position is quite tenuous in practice, with the king struggling to assert authority over powerful regional princes. Nevertheless, there is a surprising degree of cultural uniformity (i.e it's not a bunch of different clans/tribes all with different cultures, militaries etc.) The main exceptions are that some areas have absorbed more Norse influence than others, and Scotland has residual Pictish influences and cross-border English ones that Ireland does not.

1066 actually puts you after the nominal end of the "Viking Age" in both countries, as the powerful, independent Norse kingdoms and colonies such as Dublin no longer threaten to overrun or dominate, and are fact being slowly absorbed into the Gaelic polity. Nevertheless there was still low-level conflict, raiding and so on between Norse and Gaelic peoples throughout the 11th century, and several major flareups, notably during the reign of Magnus III of Norway. Magnus seems to have wanted to resurrect Norse dominion in the Irish Sea, and made a number of Gaelic expeditions, which culminated in his death in battle in Ireland. At the same time, forces from Ireland continued to raid and interfere in Wales and elsewhere on the west coast of Britain, while Scotland fought periodic border-conflicts against both the Saxons and Normans.

I guess I should write some general commentary on their military and on the considerable influence of Norse tactics and equipment, but I'm running on a little here. Basically if you want to preserve the Light/Regular/Elite/Leader structure, then Capn' Morgan's suggestions are certainly on the right track. I'd suggest a slightly different arrangement though. A quick overview:

Light: Ceithernn (Plural Ceitherne)
Later anglicized as "Kern", Ceitherne are essentially Gaelic levies and light troops. Very lightly armoured (if at all), they function primarily as skirmishers and flank troops. Their primary weapons would be throwing spears of various kinds (small darts, regular javelins and sometimes large, heavy throwing spears for breaking shields and piercing armour) with short spears, small axes and long knives, and sometimes small bucklers, in melee. Archers were historically almost never employed in Gaelic armies, with slingers being the preferred long-range weapon, but they did become more prevalent in the 11th century, especially in Scotland.

Regular: Cliathaire (Plural Cliathairi)
Mercenaries and other regular, professional soldiers. Forming the backbone of an army, these are career warriors who have accumulated decent military expeience, with the prestige and superior equipment that go along with that. Again, they would be armed with a throwing weapon (likely fewer, heavier throwing spears) and any number of possible melee weapons (spears, swords, axes etc.) They would probably be less heavily armoured on average than their Anglo-Saxon or Norse counterparts, but they would have some kind of padded coat or leather armour and helmet at the least, with the better-off having metal helmets and the very best a coat of mail. If possible, they should be infantry by default but have the option to fight mounted as light, skirmisher cavalry.

Elite: Gall-Gaedhil
There are several possibilities for this slot, such as Curadhi/Champions (basically Cliathairi who have acheived particular distinctiona and fame) and the bodyguards of lesser chiefs and princes, but I think these guys would be the most interesting. Gall-Gaedhil means "Foreign Gaels" or less literally "Norse-Gaels" and refers to warriors of mixed Gaelic and Norse decent, though their ranks also contained actual Norsemen fighting as mercs. Such people were viewed with some suspicion by the powers that be, but they had a formidable reputation and were frequently employed as mercenaries. Their equipment varied widely, but they tended to be more heavily equipped on average and to be placed in the vanguard of the battle-line, hence their elite status. Basically heavier, more offensively-orientated infantry with more Norse equipment (dane-axes and so on) With some custom artwork it would be possible to convey a really interesting "hybrid" look for them.

Leader: Toiseach
There are a number of possible terms for a mid-to-high-level battle leader on par with a Norman count or English earl. Both Toiseach and Mormaer are specifically Scottish terms, but the latter would be at least understood in Ireland as well. It more-or-less means "chieftan" or "leader" (it survives these days as the title of the Prime Minister of Ireland, actually) As with the other factions, the leader is very similar to the elite soldiers, but with the very best equipment. Mail, a fine helmet (often with a horse-hair crest), a heavy shield, javelins, and a sword or axe for melee. Again, if possible, they should be infantry that can elect to fight on horseback if desired.

Those are my initial suggestions. I'll try and work on getting more sources and images, but don't hold your breath for a wide array of illustrations. Osprey, for example, has little for the Gaels in this period, it's always either too early (6th-9th century, pre-Norse) or too late (12th century +) I'll see what I can do though. I should have some more detailed info on the military as a whole and on what equipment would be like, as well.

Lancer/Antagonist

M&B certainly started out as an indie game by anyone's standards. Whether it is still depends on how you define "indie" in context. Arguably it's association with Paradox precludes it under the strictest definition, but I tend to agree with the Wolfires article. At the very least it's still indie "in spirit", as it still seems to be developed in fundamentally the same way as it always was.

Lancer

In my game, the kingdom of Alcluyd has a Gaelic military, while the Uí Néill seem to have a Briton one, should be the other way around.

For that matter, what purpose do the Uí Néill serve really? Is there some kind of scripted invasion?

Lancer

A great way to start the new decade. Congrats Kolba and all the rest of the team! 

Lancer/Antagonist