War Beasts

[Greenfield]

As some of you may recall, I'm about to run a scenario in which the Persian Empire is invading Greece, and the PCs have to do something about it.

There are a lot of neat critters in the various incarnations of the Monster Manual, but somehow I keep coming back to the Elephant as the classic war beast.

First, problem, thematically, is that they didn't use elephants as war beasts in classical Persia.

So what would they use? Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[frankthedm]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZCyOWLrRTE]Black Sabbath War Pigs - YouTube[/ame]

No, seriously... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_pigs_(ancient_military_weapon)

 

[James the Newbie]

Are you considering magical beasts at all? If not, there was a reason horses are thought of as the classic mount. If you are, then I have a few idea's that I'd be happy to flick through my notes and find.

 

[Sepulchrave II]

First, problem, thematically, is that they didn't use elephants as war beasts in classical Persia.

Darius III used Indian-trained war elephants against Alexander at Gaugamela in 331BC.

 

[Empirate]

Indeed, was going to say that. Also, camelriders are awesome (visually...). Besides, you could always pit the PCs against some never-heard-of minor tribe from the far side of Bactria or out of a deep vale of the Caucasus, and those guys just happen to have trained lions/war dogs/dire hawks/rhinoceroses or whatever strikes your fancy. Dat Persia be a big place, man, and our sources are rather incomplete anyway.

 

[green slime]

In Ancient times, there were elephants in what is today Syria. Egyptian pharoahs hunted them (as well as the Hittites, and others). Another animal existing in ancient times included Lions (which is why the symbol of the Shah was a lion), and there still are a few Asiatic cheetah's eeking out a pathetic existance trying to evade the all too prevalent poaching.

Horses and Camels, of course, but no stirrups.

Cave Bears existed in the area until approx 10,000 years ago; what's a few thousand year in DnD?

Of course if you extend your beastiary to include the fantastical of the period / region, you get the djinn and genie of the Arabs, the Sphinx and other half beasts from Egypt, and monkeys from India. Demons from all over.

At the time, Persia was mostly Zoastrian in belief (but the subjugated areas retained their own gods, laws, etc), and thusly worshipped the Sun.

Another detail; the Persians used mostly wicker-shields, and wore cloth armour, versus the Greeks Bronze and Hard leather. Comparatively, Greeks were far better equipped.

 

[Empirate]

Actually, Greek Hoplites often wore cuirasses made of cloth: strips of woven materials, sewn crosswise on top of each other in several layers, glued on top of one another. Worked out almost as good as kevlar, surprisingly.

 

[Greenfield]

I'm planning to use fantasy creatures, of course. I was looking for theme building more than optimum combat power.

Besides, can you imagine trying to herd something like a Sand Worm that far out of its home environment?

<pauses... considers Hannibal and his elephants in the Italian Alps...>

Never mind.

<edit>
After reading one of the posts here, I recalled a particularly famous "war beast" from the region.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wojtek_(soldier_bear)

 

[VariSami]

In case you aren't already using it, there's the "Warbeast" template in MMII (p. 219) to add to whatever you end up using. It can also be applied to vermin which makes it possible to use warbugs in case you don't mind the added fantasy flavor.

 

[Greenfield]

Well, Warbeast Giant Scorpions have the appropriate Harryhousen feel. Maybe I'll do that, with riders.