A few days ago Laurence Baldwin asked if the new Chariot Wars lists made the North European Bronze Age list that had appeared in WI out of date. I asked Nigel and he gave me the following reply.
SOME FURTHER THOUGHTS ON EUROPEAN BRONZE AGE ARMY LISTS
by N.R.Stillman
Its brilliant to see how much interest has been stirred up by the European Bronze Age army list. Another obscure period is coming out of the darkness!
The Nordic Bronze Age list covers the Middle Bronze Age but probably does not go as far as it could to cover the Later Bronze Age as well. The Chariot Wars Trojan list could be used as the basis of a Later Bronze Age European army. Really, the regions deserve seperate lists in order to characterise the cultures. As a temporary measure to allow for Late Bronze Age European warriors armed with javelins, slashing swords and armour (Urnfield culture) in the Nordic Bronze Age list, simply include these options for the warriors, or include the 'Sea-Peoples' or 'later type' spearman as described in the Trojan list. This list entry would be labelled 'Urnfield Warriors'. I actually considered this in an early draft of the Nordic list and then decided not to include it for brevity, together with other variant cultural troop types.
In my opinion the long spear may have lingered on as a Nordic regional tradition, while the throwing spear/javelin became the Central European/Aegean tradition. In Greece, one tradition replaced the other, and this pattern was probably repeated elsewhere. Of course, with the migratory inclinations of warrior warbands and trade or capture of prestige weapons, overlap would be considerable, probably even within the same warband. Within the North European region the Urnfield type warriors perhaps made greatest impact in Britain and the West. A thorough study of weapon finds from different regions would probably sort it all out.
The long thrusting spears described in the Nordic Bronze age list and depicted on foundry models are correct and correspond to such evidence as artefacts and Scandinavian rock art. These carvings show many examples warriors using very long spears in both hands, with their shields slung on their backs. The v-notch characteristic of the round shields was perhaps originally intended to rest the spear or to catch the spearhead of an opponent as a way of parrying his thrust. Later it became a decorative rather than functional feature. Spearheads of this period tend to be long and heavy, and sometimes have butt-spikes and are very much like early Mycenaean examples.
The Foundry Nordic Bronze Age range includes a wide variation of figures, some corresponding to Urnfield warrior chiefs. This is not because Foundry are confused, but was deliberately planned in order to provide just the kind of variation within a range to allow imaginative and informed player to find the figures needed to adapt variant armies from the range. Their research is always thorough and they then form their own opinions and follow them. Also, they have to address the problems of manufacture and have actually assisted conversions in that it is easier for someone to cut down a long spear to make a short spear than the other way around. It is the same with army lists. Figures and lists are the hardware of the hobby. It is the research and flexibility of the player that enables them to be put together in different ways to make different armies.
The Bronze Age in Europe lasted from circa 3000 BC to circa 600 BC and is represented by various cultures which flourished in different parts of Europe. In my opinion, the following phases of warfare can be identified (overlapping dates are deliberate and all dates apply new chronology):
* Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age, c.3000-c.2000 BC.
Examples: Beaker Culture, Kurgan Culture. Archery, using Neolithic longbows continued to
play a significant part in warfare. Warriors used stone battle axes and these were
gradually replaced by bronze battle axes of various types and sizes, including the
dagger-halberds of Ireland. Kurgan cultures may have introduced chariots into warfare.
This phase corresponds to the Old and Middle-Kingdom Egyptian style army.
* Middle Bronze Age, c.2500 BC to c.1200 BC.
Examples: Wessex Culture, Nordic Bronze Age, Unetice culture, Minoan, Early Mycenaean.
Archery becomes less important (but in Middle east, selfbow is replaced by composite bow
and remains imnportant). Tanged and later, socketed spearheads appear. Thrusting spears of
varying lengths are used. Battle axes fade out. Daggers, rapiers and finally swords
appear. Horses and chariots appear. Shields and various forms of body armour appear. This
phase would correspond to the Sumerian, Akkadian, and Minoan (large shields used in
conjunction with long spears).
* Late Bronze Age, c.1300 BC to 700 BC
Examples: Urnfield Culture, Villanovan Culture, Nuragic Culture, beginning of Hallstatt
Culture, Later Mycenaean Culture, Sea-Peoples. Rise of horse drawn chariots (zenith of
chariot age in Middle East). Long thrusting spears and big shields are replaced by short
throwing spears, javelins, long slashing swords (carps-tongue swords in Western Europe)
and small round shields (v-notch types) and bucklers. Body armour of sheet bronze appears.
Corresponds to Mycenaean, Sea Peoples, Hittite, Hyksos, Canaanite, Hurrian, New Kingdom
Egyptian armies (throwing spears already in use, and battle-axes continue in use) and
Shang Dynasty (bows, halberds, chariots) in China.
* Early Iron Age, c.800 BC to c.500 BC.
Chariots become heavier and decline in use (except in Britain). Cavalry appears and
becomes better. Infantry use short thrusting and throwing spears and may sometimes use
javelins in addition. Armour is used by wealthier warriors. Battle-axe no longer in use.
Slings and javelins may have become more important infantry missile weapons than the bow
(except in Middle East) Mixed spearman/archer formations in Middle East. This phase would
correspond to Assyrian, Urartian, Lydian, Phrygian, Neo-Hittite, Celtic, Etruscan, Archaic
Hoplite, Persian?
The Trojan List covers the Middle (Minoan/Early Mycenaean) and Late (Later Mycenaean/Sea-Peoples) phases in the Aegean region. The Nordic Bronze age mainly focuses on the Middle phase in North West Europe. Add the option of short spears/javelins to the warriors to cover the later phase. There would certainly be centuries of overlap between fighting styles in Europe and there were probably decades of overlap in fighting styles in the Aegean region. Contingents following variant regional traditions might occur in the same army.
Of course it will be nice to write updated Bronze age European lists in due course.