Understanding those Aitolian Allies
by Peter Stone  (revised version)

The Hellenistic Greek list (31) in Book 2, poses a bit of a dilemma to many players, as it takes more than one look to work out just what you can and can’t put in the command. 

I also made a few mistakes in my first draft, Ally Generals from another list must be of the CinC's or a Sub General's type, not that of ally generals. So Seleucids and Polybians can only take Aitolian allies as though there is an Aitolian CinC, as the only sub-general in the Hellenistic list is a Spartan, not an Aitolian.

So I will now go through it step by step, making it become as clear as gems.

There are three ways in which you can take Aitolian Allies from within its own list, plus three ways in which you can take it from other lists, such as the Seleucids or Polybian Romans.

Aitolian Allies from within their own list

With An Aitolian C-in-C

You can have an Aitolian C-in-C with or without Aitolian ally generals.

Whether you do so or not, the following compulsory changes must be made:

• All Aitolian cavalry must be downgraded to Irr LH(O). (The list has 1 – 4 Reg Cv(O). So you can only downgrade these 4 elements. You cannot downgrade the Tarantine Mercenaries, as they are not called ‘cavalry’.) Note that you only have to downgrade the ‘Aitolian Cavalry’. If you have no Aitolian ally generals in the army, the cavalry can remain as Reg Cv(O) if in their commands.
• From ½ - all the Thureophoroi Reg Ax(S) must be replaced by Aitolian javelinmen, Irr Ps(S).
• Note that you cannot replace the Reg Ax(S) with Irr Ps(S) unless you have an Aitolian C-in-C! This is a mistake most people make.
• If you also have an Aitolian Ally General and an Aitolian C-in-C, the Aitolian Ally Generals command must include:

• 1 x Ally General Irr LH(O)
• 2 x Baggage
• 1 - 4 Reg Cv(O) downgraded to Irr LH(O)
• 2 - 12 Reg or Irr Ps(O)
• 1 -6 Reg LH(O) Tarantine mercenaries
• at least 3 x Reg Ax(S) of which ½ - all must be replaced by Irr Ps(S)

(though technically speaking, ½ - all the Reg Ax(S) in the army must be replaced, not necessarily those in the Aitolian ally generals command.)

• The foot note at the bottom of the list that says an Aitolian ally general’s command can also include Reg Ax(S), to a maximum of 1 element per 2 elements of javelinmen, does not apply here, because you have an Aitolian C-in-C, and the foot note only applies to a Eleian, Spartan or Boiotian C-in-C.

With An Eleian, Spartan or Boiotian C-in-C

If you have an Eleian, Spartan or Boiotian C-in-C with an Aitolian ally general, the Aitolian ally general’s command must include the following:

• 1 x Ally General Irr LH(O)  2 x Baggage
• 6 – 16 Aitolian or allied javelinmen Irr Ps(S), but note that you cannot replace Reg Ax(S) with Irr Ps(S). You can only do this with an Aitolian C-in-C.
• 0 - 4 Aitolian or allied cavalry, Irr LH(O)
• 3 -8 Reg Ax(S). 3 is one quarter of the compulsory 10 elements, but please note you must have 2 x Irr Ps(S) for each Reg Ax(S) you take, and as you can only have 16 Ps(S), you therefore can’t have more than 8 Ax(S). (As per the footnote).

• 2 - 12 Reg or Irr Ps(O)
• 1 – 4 Reg Cv(O)
• 1 -6 Tarantine Reg LH(O)

 

  

 

With a C-in-C other than those listed above

If you have a C-in-C other than an Aitolian, Eleian, Spartan or Boiotian, and have an Aitolian ally general, the Aitolian ally general’s command must include the following:

• 1 x Ally General Irr LH(O) 2 x Baggage 
• You must have at least 3 x Reg Ax(S), as this is one quarter of the compulsory 10 elements. The foot note at the bottom of the list that says an Aitolian ally general’s command can also include Reg Ax(S), to a maximum of 1 element per 2 elements of javelinmen, does not apply here, because you have an Aitolian C-in-C, and the foot note only applies to a Eleian, Spartan or Boiotian C-in-C.

• 2 - 12 Reg or Irr Ps(O)
• 1 - 4 Reg Cv(O)
• 1 - 6 Tarantine Reg LH(O)
• So basically, in this case you cannot have any Aitolian Irr LH(O) apart from the ally general himself, or Irr Ps(S)!

 

Aitolian Allies from other lists

The Seleucids and Polybian Romans can both take an Aitolian allied command. Ally Generals from another list must be of the CinC's or a Sub General's type, not that of ally generals. So Seleucids and Polybians can only take Aitolian allies as though there is an Aitolian CinC.

 

Polybian Romans

In the case of the Romans, they can take the ally as though from within the Hellenistic list, not in the normal manner, except that the army lists ammendment sheets, read: "the command can include only LH(O), Ax(S) or Ps(S)." 

• As through there was an Aitolian C-in-C, you can have:

• 1 x Ally General Irr LH(O)
• 2 x Baggage
• 1 - 4 Reg Cv(O) downgraded to Irr LH(O)
• 1 - 6 Reg LH(O) Tarantine mercenaries
• at least 3 x Reg Ax(S) of which ½ - all must be replaced by Irr Ps(S).
• You can have up to 30 Reg Ax(S) and 30 Irr Ps(S)!

  

 

Seleucids

The Seleucids can have an Aitolian allied command in the normal manner, so they are restricted as follows:

• As through there was an Aitolian C-in-C, you can have:

• 1 x Ally General Irr LH(O)
• 2 x Baggage
• You must have 1 only Reg Cv(O) downgraded to Irr LH(O)
• 1 - 2 Reg LH(O) Tarantine mercenaries
• 3 -20 Reg Ax(S) of which ½ - all must be replaced by Irr Ps(S).
• 1 – 4 Reg or Irr Ps(O)