By Konstantine Trtiambelas
Comnenan Byzantine (1071 - 1204 AD). This the army of Alexios I, John II, and Manuel I Komnenos spanning the period from1071 (the defeat of the Byzantines at Mantzikert) to 1204 (4th Crusade takes Constantinople).
The DBA options:
3x3Cav, 2x2LH, 1x4Sp, 2x2Ps, 1x4Bd, 1x4Bd or 2LH, or 2Ps, 1x2LH or 3KN, 1x3Aux
The author's preferred list:
3x3Cav, 1x3Kn, 2x4Bd, 2x2LH, 1x4Sp, 1x3Aux, 2x2Ps
The enemies of Comnenan Byzantium include the Normans (#102c), the Pecheneg (#109), Early Hungarian (#119), Seljuk Turks (#124), Cuman (#130), Cilician Armenian (#132), Early Crusader (#138), Medieval Syrian (#139), Later Crusader (#141), Early Serbian (#142a), and Ayyubid Egyptian (#143).
A first look at the composition of the army tells us that this is a conglomeration of different forces, characteristic of mercenary armies (e.g., whoever likes playing Carthaginians should not a problem fielding the Byzantines either). At this point in Byzantine history, the armies of the Themes that used to be the backbone of the military machine of the Macedonian Emperors (the dynasty before the Comnenans), is no more. The defeat at Mantzikert is disastrous; the army is wiped out and Asia Minor (prime recruiting ground for a tough, dependable national army) is overrun by the Seljuks, never to be fully recovered again although Manuel managed to reconcquer large parts of the interior (gains that were immediately lost again after his death).
The two Emperors after Mantzikert are largely incompetent, shrink the size of the army fearing rebellion, and squander their slim monetary resources granting favors. Alexios distinguishes himself as a general under both rulers until he's granted the title of Grand Domestic of East and West (C-in-C) by the Emperor Nikephoros Votaniates whom he successfully overthrows in 1081. He immediately seizes Church property to finance a new army to steady his regime and, despite initial disasters (Durrazo 1081), is successful in repelling the Normans of Robert Guiscard and Bohemund. The fact that he prevents his Empire from being swallowed up by the most warlike race that Europe has to display at that time, is a testimony to both his military and civil capacity as a leader.
The Empire is also highly benefited by the fact that his two successors are also capable establishing, thus, a firm hand in ruleship that will last for 100 years, giving Byzantium the last glimpse of glory and conquest before the disaster of 1204. At the end of Manuel's reign Byzantium is once more the indisputable leading power in the Balkans having repulsed Hungarian and Serb encroachments, receives homage from the Latin kingdoms in the East, subjugates the defiant Armenians, while the Turks pose a threat no more having successfully been checked by Manuel's campaigns (the last one, though, ends with the disastrous defeat at Myriokephalon, Manuel's one and only military blunder).
As mentioned above, the army they used is mostly mercenary with the few native elements being represented by the 3x3Cav and the 4x4Sp. Serbs, Armenians, and Turks provide LH and lightly armed contingents (Aux,Ps), while the knights are hired Normans and other Latins. The Bd represent the Varangian Guard, the "axe-bearing barbarians" as the Byzantines describe them, the personal Guard of the Emperor probably of Anglo-Saxon or Viking origin (their enmity towards the Normans at Durazzo, as well as the Normans' savagery testifies for the former. Remember, England had been invaded only twenty years earlier; it is possible that few of the Guardsmen would have been on Senlak Hill in 1066 and were trying to "get even").
I have found that when fielding this army, I am capable of the grandest victory or the most crushing defeat. My Byzantines seem to vaccilate between a place in the sun or one in the utmost pits of military hell.
The most "productive" deployment puts the Bd in the middle backed by Ps; they become practically invulnerable to any mounted and that's very important since most historical opponents (Hungarians, Turks, Normans, Crusaders) maintain large contingents of LH/Cav/Kn.
I deploy the Cav and Kn on either side of the Bd with the LH at the extremes to prevent overlaps. This way the center is held by the Bd while everybody else does their best to advance victory. My Sp is usually found guarding the camp which (with a 6) becomes impregnable.
If you get the choice of terrain, make sure to include some bad going; that way, not only can you use your Aux (e.g., a quick dash out to provide valuable overlap), but you also narrow your battle line making sure the above scheme is going to work (unless you're fighting the Armenians who field something like 8x3 Aux).
The greatest disadvantage is lack of speed. You have to try and keep your army together in one solid mass of infantry and cavalry working together. If your opponent penetrates and breaks up the formation, a rout is very possible as now every element is on its own and you don't have enough of any type to make a stand. Sometimes I wish there were 3 Bd or Sp instead of 2 and 1 or some other combination to quarantee greater homogenuity in the army but again the challenge is to do with you've got at hand. After all the Komnenan Emperors managed just fine for a while, I don't see why I couldn't.
Scenarios
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My thanks to Konstantine Trtiambelas, konstantinet@hotmail.com for contributing this page and for not complaining all the times I substituted a "C" for a "K". Comments, questions or suggested additions to this page can be sent to Chris Brantley, brant@erols.com.
Last Updated: May 27, 1998