Fatimids

[captain_crusader]

I have finally acquired book 3 army lists

Someone really hates the Fatimids 

No PsS Berber javelinmen
compulsory min 10 IrrSpI 
although they can be supported by PsO archers/slingers....

no BwsX, just BwsI/PsO option and at least 8 RgBdI

Hardly worth getting out the box against my Early/Later Crusaders (all the good Fatimid stuff is before 1077)...and what am I going to do with all my ex-DBM Berber javelinmen and Sudanese BowsX 

gutting.........

[william]

I have finally acquired book 3 army lists

Someone really hates the Fatimids 

No PsS Berber javelinmen
compulsory min 10 IrrSpI 
although they can be supported by PsO archers/slingers....

no BwsX, just BwsI/PsO option and at least 8 RgBdI

Hardly worth getting out the box against my Early/Later Crusaders (all the good Fatimid stuff is before 1077)...and what am I going to do with all my ex-DBM Berber javelinmen and Sudanese BowsX 

gutting.........

  Whats left to hate?

I suppose the Reg Bd(I) could be supported by the Sp(I) against crusader Knights (but that is just cheesy), afew Bd(X) might be handy, the Irr Bw(I) might be a cheap way to break up your opponant then attack with your mounted strike troops ( Hmm what mounted stike troops ?).

I suppose overall be afraid, very afraid. 

Take the Frankish ally against his fellow christens?

And of course the Naffatun.

Could always use the Ps(S) in a Berber army ( possibly Andalu.),

As for the Sudanese, The West Sudanese look to be great fun ( but will take a lot of figures)
Bw(I), Sp(I), supported mounted, expendables, camel(S)- would have the Crusaders trembling in their boots ( but not very Historical, unless the Crusaders went looking for King Solomon's mines 

William

[Barritus]

I have finally acquired book 3 army lists

Someone really hates the Fatimids 

No PsS Berber javelinmen
compulsory min 10 IrrSpI 
although they can be supported by PsO archers/slingers....

no BwsX, just BwsI/PsO option and at least 8 RgBdI

Hardly worth getting out the box against my Early/Later Crusaders (all the good Fatimid stuff is before 1077)...and what am I going to do with all my ex-DBM Berber javelinmen and Sudanese BowsX 

gutting.........

It's an unfortunate fact of life that armies will change as we learn more about the past. On the DBMM email list there was an impassioned plea from a player with a Pictish army that a proposed change not be made as it would gut the army. However, he had no evidence to support his request, merely his unhappiness that the army would be less competitive than before. This was followed up by a half-hearted request that old versions of seriously changed lists be retained for the benefit of those who'd invested in those older versions.

I sympathise with your problem, as one of my favourite armies (Sub-Roman British with Brilliant Arthur as C-in-C) isn't available in the form I prefer in the new List Book 2. But I wouldn't write off Irr Sp (I) yet - I've still had a lot of fun with them in my latest SRB incarnation. On that basis, I'd recommend you max out on the Irr Sp (I), and use them as the core of your army.

As for what to do with the Bw (X) and Ps (S) figures, perhaps they could form the basis of some DBA armies you could paint up and sell.

[captain_crusader]

What ? sell my precious figures 
 
Actually I am mostly just sore that I had only just extended my range of
'saracens' to allow me to field the odd types that only seem to occur around
this area/period with the Fatimids...similarly I have been fielding a Crusader
army for about 15 years and had only just gotten around to doing some more
figures to represent BwsX, only to find they have been drastically cut to only between
1191-2 in the draft list and only a maximum of 16 whereas before all spears
and bows could be either/or from 1191 onwards...
 
Personally I think radical changes in the lists like this merely reflect how
little we actually know about how dark age/medieval armies actually fought...perhaps I'll just mothball them
until the next version of the lists come out 
 
As I don't do competition play and have some very understanding friends I expect
they will occasionally allow me to field them under the old DBM lists