Chariot Classes

MY understanding is that chariots in biblical times were generally divided into two classes: light and heavy.

Light chariots were mobile shooting platforms, fast-moving and manned by warriors armed with bows and/or javelins.

Heavy chariots were sturdier vehicles, designed to intimidate by bulk, and manned by warriors armed with spears and, usually, javelins.

The former were popular with Egyptian armies and their imitators, especially in the Levant, while heavy chariots were a feature of the Hittites.

Neil Thomas in his biblical rules in Ancient & Medieval Wargaming sticks to these two categories.

But there is an argument for introducing a third category of ultra-light chariots that sacrifice protection for more speed.

Egyptian chariots would probably fall into this category as their light chariots had very low walls.

But in drawing up wargaming rules it is all too easy to get bogged down into making fine distinctions that were perhaps not all that significant in practice.

Accordingly I will stick with Thomas's two chariot categories.