Akkadian Empire

(2334 BC to 2154 BC)

These armies represent Akkadian forces led by Sargon the Great and his successors up to the Gutian invasion. Throughout the reign of the the Akkadian kings there was near constant campaigning. The allies and enemies chart attest to this great period of unrest.

Sargon’s defeat of the Sumerian coalition of Lugalzagesi was followed by a lifetime of wars. He campaigned against Magan where he ‘washed his weapons in the lower sea’ of the Persian Gulf. Then west to Amorite Kazalla, and north to the ancient cities of Mari and Ebla, all the way to the Mediterranean. Finally to the east he campaigned and defeated the four leaders of Elam, led by Awan, conquering Susa and was made master of the ‘four quarters of the world’. In his dying days, amid famine and war, his last campaigns were fought against his own ‘subjects’ as they openly revolted.

After Sargon’s death revolt spread again and his ruthless son Rimush immediately moved to secure control of his empire, engaging in six campaigns suppressing rebellions before turning against Elam. His rule was unpopular however falling foul to assassins in his own court, possibly in a palace coup. Rimush's successor was another of Sargon’s sons Manishtushu, who further extended his interests to the south campaigning against Magan in the Persian Gulf, possibly as far as Melukka of the Harrapan civilisation.

Next to succeed was the other great Akkadian, the god king Naram Sin, securing his power in the year of nine battles. He engaged in campaigns of reconquest in the north against Ebla and Greater Syria. He marched on Subartu and even as far as Anatolia. He campaigned to the east against the troublesome Zagros hill tribes of Guti and Lullubi, commemorating his victory against the later with his famous Victory Stele, thereby becoming master of the four quarters of the world just like his grandfather. He also subdued Magan in the Persian Gulf and established greater trade links with Harrapa. From these conquests Naram Sin took the Akkadian empire to its zenith.

After Naram Sin’s death Akkadian hegemony began to fall apart. Shar-Kali-Sharri ruled for a short period before the pressures of the highlanders of the Zagros Mountain, most notably the Guti, descended into the Mesopotamian alluvium and seized control of the once great Akkadian Empire.

Troop Type	Number	Q	P	CV	Range	Pts
General (mounted or on foot)	1	-	*	5	n/a	50
Sub General (mounted or on foot)	0-2	-	*	5	n/a	50
Ally General (mounted or on foot)	0-1	-	*	25	n/a	25
Army Standard	0-3	-	*	-	n/a	20
Captain	1 per unit	R	*	5	n/a	20
- change to veteran/levy	any	V/L	*	5	n/a	25/15
Gish gigir 4-Ass Battle Carts	0-2	V	S	special	4	35
- exchange for 4-Ass Straddle Car / Platform Cart	0-2	V	U/P	special	4	20/25
Axemen Royal Guard	0-1	V	P	5	n/a	18
Archers Royal Guard	0-1	V	P	2	4/8	9
City Spearmen	2-6	R	P	3	n/a	5
- upgrade to Shielded front rankers ; or	half	R	S	3	n/a	8
- equip all spearmen with Pike	all	R	P	3	n/a	7
City Massed Archers	0-1	R	U	2	4/8	6
- change any to Skirmishers	all	R	U	n/a	4	4
City Axemen (with throwsticks)	0-1	R	P	4	4	8
Nim Skirmishers	0-1	R	U	n/a	4	4
Levy Slingers	0-1	L	U	n/a	4	2
Guti Bodyguard Archers	0-1	V	P	2	4/8	9
Guti or Lullubi Wild Tribesmen	0-2	R	U	special	2/4	6
Amorite Wild Tribesmen	0-2	R	U	special	2/4	6
- equip with shields	half	R	P	special	2/4	7
Amorite, Guti or Lullubi Archers	0-1	R	U	n/a	4	4
Amorite Skirmishers	0-1	L	U	n/a	4	2
Makkanites Wild Tribesmen	0-1	R	U	special	2/4	5
Subartian Wild Tribesmen or	0-1	R	U	special	2/4	6
- change to Skirmishers	any	R	U	n/a	4	4
Hattian Wild Tribesmen	0-1	R	U	special	2/4	5
Elamite Archers	0-2	R	U	2	4/8	6
- change to Skirmishers	any	R	U	n/a	4	4

 

Akkadian Empire Allies and Enemies
 

Dynastic Sumerian

Akkadian

Early Eblan

Old Elam

Zagros Mountain

Hattian Kingdoms

Neo -Sumerian

Amorite Nomads

Magan

Harrapan

2700 BC

2600 BC

2500 BC

2400 BC

2300 BC

2200 BC

2100 BC

2000 BC

Special Rules & Notes

• City Spearmen were equipped either as early Dynastic Sumerians ie a front rank/back rank shield and spear arrangement particularly in the campaigns against Sumerian city-states. In later campaigns infantry may be armed as fast moving Pike armed infantry, perhaps equipped with lighter wicker shields, used for fighting in rough ground against enemies such as Guti tribesman.
• Guti Bodyguard, Makkanites, Subartian, Hattian and Elamite units may only be 6 bases strong.
• Akkadian Royal Guard Axemen and Archers may be taken as separate units or combined to form one or two units of axe (front rank) and bow (back rank).
• One Sub General may be designated the Shakkana of Elam and may have a Gutian Bodyguard.
• An Akkadian army must have no more than 25% of its force made up of Amorite, Makkanite, Lullubi, Hattian, Subartian or Elamite troops.
• Akkadian armies may improve their chances of being led by a better rated general such as Sargon the Great or the God-King, Naram-Sin – at a cost of 10 points, up to three times, a player may add +1 to the general quality die roll.