Sogdians

Faction Overview	Strategic Overview	History
The Sogdians have the power of Trade.
Control of the vast caravan trail known colloquially as the "Silk Road" has made Sogdiana rich beyond compare, being able to command produce from both east and west. Yet it is this very source of wealth that has seen a deluge of different barbarian conquerors — Scythians, Huns, Avars, and the ever-ubiquitous Persians — washing over Sogdiana, ever since time out of mind.Things have changed however.The rise of Islam washed away the Persian empire for good, and for once in many, many generations, Sogdiana is now free from the threat of Persian conquest. But even so, free Sogdiana finds itself in a noose: the Muslims now control Persia, and have been making inroads eastwards, now as explorers and traders, then as raiders and scouts for a new force that creeps ever slowly but surely across the Steppes. In the meantime, the greedy Chinese, not content with expelling the Turks from their homelands, have cast their glances farther and farther west beyond the Ferghana Valley. Chinese avarice for the wealth of Sogdiana is matched only by their hatred of the Sogdians, for the Sogdians assisted the Turkish oppressors who once rode roughshod over the plains of northern China and her people.To what extent Sogdian coin and chainmail can turn back these twin threats remains debatable, what with the internal disorder in Sogdiana itself with petty kings vying for control over one another. Should the Chinese or the Muslim Arab hordes advance forward, then Sogdiana's strength may be put to the most brutal test ever in all of history...	Control of the vast caravan trail known colloquially as the "Silk Road" has made Sogdiana rich beyond compare, being able to command produce from both east and west. Yet it is this very source of wealth that has seen a deluge of different barbarian conquerors — Scythians, Huns, Avars, and the ever-ubiquitous Persians — washing over Sogdiana, ever since time out of mind.Things have changed however.The rise of Islam washed away the Persian empire for good, and for once in many, many generations, Sogdiana is now free from the threat of Persian conquest. But even so, free Sogdiana finds itself in a noose: the Muslims now control Persia, and have been making inroads eastwards, now as explorers and traders, then as raiders and scouts for a new force that creeps ever slowly but surely across the Steppes. In the meantime, the greedy Chinese, not content with expelling the Turks from their homelands, have cast their glances farther and farther west beyond the Ferghana Valley. Chinese avarice for the wealth of Sogdiana is matched only by their hatred of the Sogdians, for the Sogdians assisted the Turkish oppressors who once rode roughshod over the plains of northern China and her people.To what extent Sogdian coin and chainmail can turn back these twin threats remains debatable, what with the internal disorder in Sogdiana itself with petty kings vying for control over one another. Should the Chinese or the Muslim Arab hordes advance forward, then Sogdiana's strength may be put to the most brutal test ever in all of history...	Control of the vast caravan trail known colloquially as the "Silk Road" has made Sogdiana rich beyond compare, being able to command produce from both east and west. Yet it is this very source of wealth that has seen a deluge of different barbarian conquerors — Scythians, Huns, Avars, and the ever-ubiquitous Persians — washing over Sogdiana, ever since time out of mind.Things have changed however.The rise of Islam washed away the Persian empire for good, and for once in many, many generations, Sogdiana is now free from the threat of Persian conquest. But even so, free Sogdiana finds itself in a noose: the Muslims now control Persia, and have been making inroads eastwards, now as explorers and traders, then as raiders and scouts for a new force that creeps ever slowly but surely across the Steppes. In the meantime, the greedy Chinese, not content with expelling the Turks from their homelands, have cast their glances farther and farther west beyond the Ferghana Valley. Chinese avarice for the wealth of Sogdiana is matched only by their hatred of the Sogdians, for the Sogdians assisted the Turkish oppressors who once rode roughshod over the plains of northern China and her people.To what extent Sogdian coin and chainmail can turn back these twin threats remains debatable, what with the internal disorder in Sogdiana itself with petty kings vying for control over one another. Should the Chinese or the Muslim Arab hordes advance forward, then Sogdiana's strength may be put to the most brutal test ever in all of history...	Control of the vast caravan trail known colloquially as the "Silk Road" has made Sogdiana rich beyond compare, being able to command produce from both east and west. Yet it is this very source of wealth that has seen a deluge of different barbarian conquerors — Scythians, Huns, Avars, and the ever-ubiquitous Persians — washing over Sogdiana, ever since time out of mind.Things have changed however.The rise of Islam washed away the Persian empire for good, and for once in many, many generations, Sogdiana is now free from the threat of Persian conquest. But even so, free Sogdiana finds itself in a noose: the Muslims now control Persia, and have been making inroads eastwards, now as explorers and traders, then as raiders and scouts for a new force that creeps ever slowly but surely across the Steppes. In the meantime, the greedy Chinese, not content with expelling the Turks from their homelands, have cast their glances farther and farther west beyond the Ferghana Valley. Chinese avarice for the wealth of Sogdiana is matched only by their hatred of the Sogdians, for the Sogdians assisted the Turkish oppressors who once rode roughshod over the plains of northern China and her people.To what extent Sogdian coin and chainmail can turn back these twin threats remains debatable, what with the internal disorder in Sogdiana itself with petty kings vying for control over one another. Should the Chinese or the Muslim Arab hordes advance forward, then Sogdiana's strength may be put to the most brutal test ever in all of history...
Faction Type: Middle EasternNational Bonuses:
*Trade Routes : All rare resource in your territory are visible. Merchants collect 50% bonuses from rare resources
*Merchant Guild : Starts game with Market, and can trade resources from the start with +20/-20 price bonus.
*Seasoned Travellers : Merchants, Caravan and Markets 50% cheaper and 50% more hitpoints
*The Wealth Must Flow : +1 limit to number of caravans
Unique Units:
* : Paighan Spearmen, Paighan Bowmen
* : Spearmen , Composite Bowmen, Militia
* : Horse Retinue, Steppe Lancer, Javelin Cavalry, Steppe Nomad
** : Transoxanian Lancer
* : War Canoes
Mercenaries:
* : Brigand, Dailamiyan
* :
**{Lvl 1} [Turks] Turkish Archers, Turkish Cavalry , Turkish Lancers
*:
**[Persians] Asawira Archers, Asawira Cavalry
**[Indians] Datbaran
**[Sogdians] Sogdian Levy , Sogdian Archers , Sogdian Heavy Infantry . Sogdian Cataphract 	
Faction Type: Middle EasternNational Bonuses:
*Trade Routes : All rare resource in your territory are visible. Merchants collect 50% bonuses from rare resources
*Merchant Guild : Starts game with Market, and can trade resources from the start with +20/-20 price bonus.
*Seasoned Travellers : Merchants, Caravan and Markets 50% cheaper and 50% more hitpoints
*The Wealth Must Flow : +1 limit to number of caravans
Unique Units:
* : Paighan Spearmen, Paighan Bowmen
* : Spearmen , Composite Bowmen, Militia
* : Horse Retinue, Steppe Lancer, Javelin Cavalry, Steppe Nomad
** : Transoxanian Lancer
* : War Canoes
Mercenaries:
* : Brigand, Dailamiyan
* :
**{Lvl 1} [Turks] Turkish Archers, Turkish Cavalry , Turkish Lancers
*:
**[Persians] Asawira Archers, Asawira Cavalry
**[Indians] Datbaran
**[Sogdians] Sogdian Levy , Sogdian Archers , Sogdian Heavy Infantry . Sogdian Cataphract 	
Faction Type: Middle EasternNational Bonuses:
*Trade Routes : All rare resource in your territory are visible. Merchants collect 50% bonuses from rare resources
*Merchant Guild : Starts game with Market, and can trade resources from the start with +20/-20 price bonus.
*Seasoned Travellers : Merchants, Caravan and Markets 50% cheaper and 50% more hitpoints
*The Wealth Must Flow : +1 limit to number of caravans
Unique Units:
* : Paighan Spearmen, Paighan Bowmen
* : Spearmen , Composite Bowmen, Militia
* : Horse Retinue, Steppe Lancer, Javelin Cavalry, Steppe Nomad
** : Transoxanian Lancer
* : War Canoes
Mercenaries:
* : Brigand, Dailamiyan
* :
**{Lvl 1} [Turks] Turkish Archers, Turkish Cavalry , Turkish Lancers
*:
**[Persians] Asawira Archers, Asawira Cavalry
**[Indians] Datbaran
**[Sogdians] Sogdian Levy , Sogdian Archers , Sogdian Heavy Infantry . Sogdian Cataphract 	
Unique buildings:
*Noble Residence
*Stronghold
Wonders:
*Buddha Grotto Complex
*Ateshgah
*Palace
*Abbey
*Sun Temple
Upgrades:
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="article-table" style="width: ;"
 	Level 2 	 	Max
 	Lvl 1 	 	Max
 	Max 	 	Lvl 2
 	Lvl 3 	 	Lvl 2
 	Max 	 	Lvl 1
Category:Swords of the Prophets factions