What made the Mongols so good?

[frankthedm]

On the Mongols themselves, I'll just agree with the above, while noting that they were unique in that they conquered virtually everything, but with no real ability to mantain their empire...they created nothing, and their military might was tied directly to a native culture that couldn't possibly sustain the number of troops needed to control the empire forever. Not to mention the need for a strong central leader.

so it was like playing RISK without leaving a peice behind where you had won territory?

Sounds like a culture attacking other countries for the XP.

Of course that is a lot better than samurai "farming" commoners for XP.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Same reason the Arab nomads absolutely dominated.

When you're raised with a sword, you tend to be a better fighter than a farmer with a hunk of steel.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Buck Rogers?

 

[Bran Blackbyrd]

That's simple; the Barbecue.

 

[Turanil]

If you are interested in knowing why the mongols were so great, here is a very complete and well researched website that explains why.

Welcome to The Realm of The Mongols!

A while ago, I wanted a different sort of barbarians for my setting, than the archetypal Vikings, and thus did read this website carefully. This is extremely interesting and full of good ideas. The only thing, is I don't know how to translate the mongols' special bow in game terms.

 

[Heretic Apostate]

One thing that made the Mongols so good was their leaders were willing to give up power for the common good.

I don't remember who the leaders were, but when one khan died, his two oldest sons prepared for a civil war against each other. They sat down and talked, and decided that if either of them took command, it would be civil war.

But, they decided, if the third son took command, they could both follow him. And he was a much better war leader than either of them.

How many rulers, throughout the world, would step aside to allow a more able leader to take command? How many incompetents have become rulers through the accident of birth, while a more-talented relative sat idly off to the side, their talent wasted?

 

[sword-dancer]

They had amazing supply. They knew how to keep the men fed and moving. Most armies at the time had to forage and hope they found food.

No, AFAIk they relied heavy on fourage and especially their ponies couldn`t be fed on supply trecks.
This is maybe the reaon, or one of them, they didn`t invade Middle or Western Europe.

OTOH the saxon mounted warrior was one part the answer of Henry I of Germany to the Magyars, the other part were the castles and fortified towns.

His son Otto I King of Germany and Roman Empereor and Konrad the Red annihilated the Magyaran warhost on Lechfield for once and ever, they never came back.

 

[Andre]

The only thing, is I don't know how to translate the mongols' special bow in game terms.

Allow non-mongols to use only the standard short bow, light and heavy crossbows, and slings. Mongols have the composite short bow.

 

[Wolf72]

I like FranktheDM's analogy ... bad Risk move!

I also liked the way the Mongol's utilized conquered foes' expertise

 

[mmadsen]

The only thing, is I don't know how to translate the mongols' special bow in game terms.

The Mongols' "special" bow is simply a composite shortbow. When you have a whole society raised in the saddle, shooting bows all day to pass the time, then the bow becomes special.