Genava55

On the social network VK, there is this page with a lot of interesting pictures: https://vk.com/scythians There is also the account of Evgueni Kraї: https://vk.com/id387122112

@Stan` c'est fabuleux, si on écrit le mot P E T I T S, la censure détecte ça comme une grossièreté à cause des quatre dernières lettres.

Les Scythes, by Iaroslav Lebedynsky: Translation:

Developed and published by Juvly Worlds, Grimgrad is a strategy survival game. In this combat-free simulation, you are tasked with building a Slavic town during the Middle Ages on a grid-based map. Grimgrad’s twist to the formula is the addition of Slavic gods and folklore that can affect gameplay. Appease the gods, and you’ll be rewarded. But, on the other hand, defy them and see all kinds of random events strike your settlement. When you begin Grimgrad, you have a couple of options to choose from. First, a five-chapter story also acts as a tutorial, and there is an endless survival mode without specific goals. I started on the five-chapter story mode, and in each subsequent chapter, more gameplay opportunities opened up. Also, the game itself becomes slightly more challenging. The tutorial keeps you on track, but I felt there was quite a bit of handholding from the tutorial, which is excellent for those players new to the genre. However, for experienced players like myself, I just wanted to get on with it and build. The story in Gringrad is told in text-based still storyboards. As stories go, the storyline isn’t much different from the other survival simulation games I’ve played besides its Slavic theme. Something dire happens, and you have to rebuild seems to be the standard fare for survival games. You witness the local village being burned down to the ground by the angry gods. Only young Jaromir, a direct descendent of the priestly line, manages to escape. Now Jaromir has to rebuild his village with the help of Semarglu, a fiery dog with wings, and protect the settlers and keep the gods happy.

I won't post pictures because I am tired of dealing with direct links on this forum. But in general terms. The most common helmets used by the Thracians are the Chalkidian and the Phrygian helmets. Phrygian helmets could have facial protections, as it was found with later variants discovered in noble burials. The most common armors are “bell-shaped” cuirasses (similar to archaic Greek cuirasses) between 600 and 400 BC. Then there are armors with metallic scales and neck protective plates, like the armor found in Golyamata Mogila tumulus. Also the scaled armors depicted on Thracian plates, notably those from the treasure of Letnitsa.

From a historical pov, Thracians were: Known for their peltasts and their ability to ambush and harass their enemies. Known for their light cavalry. Not known for their heavy infantry, their light infantry and light cavalry were able to fight in close combat but they didn't have the same efficiency than the heavy infantry and cavalry from the Greeks and Macedonians. Although their light infantry were able to use kopis and other curved swords to defend themselves. Known at some point for their slingers. Hiring Greek mercenaries/auxiliaries in some occasions, including hoplites. Hiring Getic mercenaries, known for their use of horse archery in some occasions. I really encourage @Duileoga, @wowgetoffyourcellphone and @Ultimate Aurelian to read the following excerpts, I really think it will interest you and help you to figure out the strengths and weaknesses of the Thracians. A few excerpts: Thracian Warfare, a chapter in A Companion to Greek Warfare (2021): Odrysian Cavalry Arms, Equipment, and Tactics (2003):

Diodorus Siculus, 15.44.3 : It will not be out of place to set forth what I have learned about the remarkable character of Iphicrates. For he is reported to have possessed shrewdness in command and to have enjoyed an exceptional natural genius for every kind of useful invention. Hence we are told, after he had acquired his long experience of military operations in the Persian War, he devised many improvements in the tools of war, devoting himself especially to the matter of arms. For instance, the Greeks were using shields which were large and consequently difficult to handle; these he discarded and made small oval ones (peltas summetrous) of moderate size, thus successfully achieving both objects, to furnish the body with adequate cover and to enable the user of the small shield, on account of its lightness, to be completely free in his movements. After a trial of the new shield its easy manipulation secured its adoption, and the infantry who had formerly been called "hoplites" because of their heavy shield, then had their name changed to "peltasts" from the light pelta they carried. As regards spear and sword, he made changes in the contrary direction: namely, he increased the length of the spears by half, and made the swords almost twice as long. The actual use of these arms confirmed the initial test and from the success of the experiment won great fame for the inventive genius of the general. He made soldiers' boots that were easy to untie and light and they continue to this day to be called "iphicratids" after him. He also introduced many other useful improvements into warfare, but it would be tedious to write about them. So the Persian expedition against Egypt, for all its huge preparations, disappointed expectations and proved a failure in the end. Cornelius Nepos, Life of Iphicrates: Iphicrates of Athens has become renowned, not so much for the greatness of his exploits, as for his knowledge of military tactics; for he was such a leader, that he was not only comparable to the first commanders of his own time, but no one even of the older generals could be set above him. He was much engaged in the field; he often had. the command of armies; he never miscarried in an undertaking by his own fault; he was always eminent for invention, and such was his excellence in it, that he not only introduced much that was new into the military art, but made many improvements in what existed before. He altered the arms of the infantry; for whereas, before he became a commander, they used very large shields, short spears, and small swords, he, on the contrary, introduced the pelta instead of the parma (from which the infantry were afterwards called peltastae), that they might be more active in movements and encounters; he doubled the length of the spear, and made the swords also longer. He likewise changed the character of their cuirasses, and gave them linen ones instead of those of metal; a change by which he rendered the soldiers more active; for, diminishing the weight, he provided what would equally protect the body, and be light.

Another famous example: https://techcrunch.com/2009/04/27/time-magazine-throws-up-its-hands-as-it-gets-pwned-by-4chan/

https://www.deviantart.com/thesax66

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/rJJoeE

1st century BC, Sarmatian priestess, Pestchanyï (Russia)

I posted it above already: https://www.artstation.com/niukniuk

Sure...

Those are generally called "stone babas", they are not necessarily Scythians: http://www.encyclopediao@#$%raine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages\S\T\StonebabaIT.htm https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/09/21/ukrainian-stone-statueslikened-to-easter-islands-moaidestroyed-during-russian-invasion => https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/damaged-cultural-sites-ukraine-verified-unesco

Having a model with millions of faces is easy. I am pretty sure the issue was to have an efficient tool and a better computer to render it into a video. The difference between the video of 2007-2010 and the video of 2021 rendered on Unreal Engine 4 is striking and I am pretty sure the original models were mostly the same. Yes it's crazy but as they point out, it makes sense. It is practiced in Africa and Asia to display the status of the community and keep an account of sacrifices. It is shocking for a modern man only. Sacrificing an animal is pretty difficult for us: Futhermore, the other civilizations weren't that much elevated on the sacrifice topic. Romans considered themselves as civilized and criticized deeply other peoples, but as Plutarch reported: "What is the reason for the following facts: on learning that the barbarians named Bletonesioi had offered a human sacrifice to the gods, they sent a mission to punish their leaders – and nevertheless, as it appeared that they had only done to apply their laws, they were left free, not without forbidding them this practice in the future. But then how is it that the same Romans, a few years earlier, buried alive, in the square called Ox-Market, two men and two women, one Greek, the other Gallic? It seems absurd of them to have indulged in such practices themselves, while blaming the barbarians for their unholy behavior." Romans still practiced human sacrifices in secret until 90 BC. One of such sacrifice was to burn alive a man...

@Stan` Je sais pas si ça peut t'intéresser, mais il y a une ancienne conférence de 2010 qui a été publiée sur youtube à propos de Corent, de l'interprétation du site et de sa reconstitution en 3D:

Settlement of Le Cailar, nearby Massalia. Territory of the Saluvii/Salyes.

It is simply incomplete on the back (which is pretty useless).

Yes indeed. Infantrymen should have a better protection by being in a battle-formation. Ideally, infantrymen and light infantry should have also the same speed when not in a formation. I don't understand why some peltasts with shields and helmets should be faster than unarmoured spearmen for example. Historically, heavy infantrymen moved very fast when they broke out of their formation. It is staying in a cohesive formation that make them slower. By giving more importance to the heavy infantry and to formation, it gives more incentive to micro-manage them. Cavalry should have a bonus against infantry not in formation.

Because historically the main force was the heavy infantry and there was no hard counter against it. Harassing with ranging units like did Iphicrates at Lechaeum or like did Surena at Carrhea was quite difficult and long. Very inefficient process, taking far longer than a normal engagement. This is basically what every players are trying to do in AoE games by micromanaging their ranged units. It is working besides the hard counter system. In ancient times, the cavalry and the ranged troops were generally used against their opposite to gain the upper hand and to support their own infantry. To win a battle, the most important was to route the enemy's infantry by crushing its morale, but it generally happens when they are in close combat. Cavalry and light troops are rarely enough by themselves.

From a general perspective, every civ/faction/culture could have at least those: Even if we currently don't give to every civ bowmen and swordsmen, in reality there are evidences for swords and bows in every cultures.

Very nice! Well done. It looks really unique. I like your main texture, the inspiration from the tomb is a good idea.