<?xml version="1.0" ?><?encoding UTF-16?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="../xsl/unit.xsl"?><unit><full_name>steppe missile sakaefootarchers</full_name><dictionary>steppe_missile_sakaefootarchers</dictionary><category>infantry</category><class>missile</class><voice_type>General_1</voice_type><soldier><name>steppe_foot_archer_hallatamtithanvare_sakae_skuda</name><soldiers>40</soldiers><extras>0</extras><mass>0.85</mass></soldier><officers><officer1>ebofficer_dracones</officer1></officers><mount_effect>horse -2, chariot +2, elephant +1</mount_effect><attributes>sea_faring, hide_forest, can_sap, very_hardy</attributes><formation><side_spacing>1.6</side_spacing><front_spacing>2</front_spacing><loose_side_spacing>3.2</loose_side_spacing><loose_front_spacing>4</loose_front_spacing><ranks>5</ranks><formations>square</formations></formation><stat_health><hit_points>1</hit_points><animal_hit_points>1</animal_hit_points></stat_health><stat_pri><attack>5</attack><charge>0</charge><missile_type>arrow</missile_type><range>209</range><ammo>25</ammo><weapon_type>missile</weapon_type><tech_type>archery</tech_type><dammage_type>piercing</dammage_type><sound>none</sound><min_delay>15</min_delay><lethality>1</lethality></stat_pri><stat_pri_attr>no</stat_pri_attr><stat_sec><attack>8</attack><charge>0</charge><missile_type>no</missile_type><range>0</range><ammo>0</ammo><weapon_type>melee</weapon_type><tech_type>simple</tech_type><dammage_type>piercing</dammage_type><sound>sword</sound><min_delay>0</min_delay><lethality>0.1</lethality></stat_sec><stat_sec_attr>no</stat_sec_attr><stat_pri_armour><armour>2</armour><def_skill>7</def_skill><shield>0</shield><sound>flesh</sound></stat_pri_armour><stat_sec_armour><armour>0</armour><def_skill>0</def_skill><sound>flesh</sound></stat_sec_armour><stat_heat>0</stat_heat><stat_ground><scrub>0</scrub><sand>0</sand><forest>0</forest><snow>0</snow></stat_ground><stat_mental><morale>9</morale><discipline>low</discipline><training>untrained</training></stat_mental><stat_fire_delay>0</stat_fire_delay><stat_food>60, 300</stat_food><stat_cost><turns>1</turns><cost>926</cost><upkeep>232</upkeep><upgrade_weapon>125</upgrade_weapon><upgrade_armour>87</upgrade_armour><custom_battle>926</custom_battle></stat_cost><ownership>pontus</ownership><description><name>Payai Dunai (Saka Foot Archers)</name><short>Saka Foot Archers are best not employed in situations where close-combat melee is required as these archers are best suited for a supporting and harassing role. They are armed with a large recurved composite bow with a larger body and siyahs as a primary weapon and an akinakes as a secondary weapon which they can use to engage attackers in melee combat.</short><long>Sapping Ability

These Saka Foot Archers are foot bowmen. They are dismounted tribesmen who choose to fight on foot, utilizing the advantage of shooting more accurately and releasing longer, more powerful volleys as a result of standing upon a relatively more stable and level platform than on the back of a horse. The bows they carry are a fairly large recurved composite bow, one that, with its relatively longer siyahs and body show a deviation from the traditional Skythian recurved composite bow and a transition to the later "Sassanian" and "Hun" types of more eastern steppe nomads, enabling them to outrange, outshoot, and outpower steppe nomad horse archers. These foot bowmen are the ideal counter to horse archers in a stationary exchange of missiles with the latter. However, given their advantages in returning fire from the ground, they are also extremely vulnerable to heavy infantry and cavalry charges since these foot bowmen are still suited to more of a harassing and supporting role due them being merely armed with a short sword, the akinakes of Scythian origin, and no other melee weapon.

Historically, steppe nomads at times employed infantry in their ranks, even though they usually fought as cavalry. They would mount these men on camels or horses so as to keep pace with the majority of the army, which was the cavalry, and when they did battle, they would dismount from their horses and release volleys of arrows with deadly accuracy and power against their foes. In his "Geography", Strabo said that among the ranks of the Massagetae, another Indo-Iranian steppe people who were probably kinsmen of the Saka, were those who lived in the mountains, plains, marshes, and islands, and that, in addition to having excellent cavalry, they also had good foot soldiers as well.</long></description></unit>