Sauromatia is a nation of nomadic warrior tribes ruled by women. Men and women fight side by side and all prominent tribes are ruled by warrior queens. This is a legacy of the Sauromatians merging with the Amazon tribes in times past. The Amazons leaders were not accepted, because they were not warriors, but they influenced the Sauromatians, and women warriors gained power and prestige. Only the tribe of the Androphags has totally rejected the notion of female leadership. The Androphags are ruled by ancient Witch Kings who introduced cannibalism and man flaying to the Sauromatians. The Androphags also use hydras from the Marshes of Pythia in warfare.

"Sauromatia is a nation based on Herodotus' accounts of the Scythian peoples in The Histories. Here Scythians, Amazons, Sarmatians, and Androphags are described with their strange traditions and unsavory practices, and the book is a splendid source for any modder seeking inspiration for a new nation. Grave goods, archaeological findings and Osprey military books have given the nation further life. Finally, Witch Kings and elements of the Pythian predecession (serpents, swamps and hydras) were added to the Androphags to make the nation more sinister and Dominion-esque." -Illwinter

If you are considering picking this nation to play, what should you know?

Magic Access	Alt. Access	Unit Summary	Core Abilities	Buildings
4 (rare 5) 2 (rare 3) 2 (rare 3) 1 (uncommon, rare 2) 1 1	Hero 2442 413 243	Light and medium cavalry Serpent riders Lizard riders Hydras	Magic Snake Tattoo Magic Horse Tattoo Mobile Archer Skilled Rider Pillager	Standard Forts

Capitol Gems: 1312

Blood Sacrifice: Priests can sacrifice a blood slave at a temple to help extend the dominion.

Magic Tattoos: Most of Sauromatia's units have magic tattoos. The Awaken Tattoos spell (11) gives those units limited Invulnerability. The Magic Snake Tattoo also grants Magic Resistance and the Magic Horse Tattoo also grants increased Defence Skill and Speed.

• Awaken Tattoos: (Enchantment 3) 11
  Essentially a buff that only applies to Sauromatia's national units, Awaken Tattoos provides Invulnerability and a minor stat increase. Those with Snake tattoos get Magic Resistance equal to their tattoo's score, while those with Horse tattoos get Defense Skill and Combat Speed instead. Those with both get both stat increases but only one application of invulnerability.
• Call Ancestor: Ancestral Spirit x 1) (Conjuration 1) 1
  A free combat summon, the Ancestral Spirit is distinguished from the Longdead and the Soulless by being Ethereal and Sacred, not to mention its Paralyzing attack. It has only 1 HP and (without a stat bless) easily-cut-through Defense Skill, so other magic will generally counter it.
• Wrath of the Ancestors Ancestral Spirit x 20 + [2/lv] (Conjuration 7) 1 for 1
  For just a single death gem per person, or perhaps three death gems for two castings, your Spirit Guides and other Death mages can form ranks with these ghosts. The Ancestral Spirits fit five-to-a-square, so they can overwhelm even magic-weapon-using elites with attack density and paralysis, just so long as the foe isn't running magical Evocations or area-of-effect weaponry.

• Daughter of Typhon: Hydra - Daughter of Typhon (Conjuration 8) 52 for 30.
  Summons a gigantic Hydra who can attack five targets at a time. Only one may exist, but she's immortal, often saving Sauromatia the trouble of needing to re-summon her. Her direct damage output isn't very high against massive crowds, for which her fear aura and poison cloud will need to do the heavy lifting, but at least she's in an era of troops with low armor Protection.

How to win as the nation. Feel free to use the following sections, or delete them, or change them.

Different expansion options.

Early game options.

Mid game options.

Late game options.

What are the nation's weaknesses?

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Nations
Early Ages	Arcoscephale • Ermor • Ulm • Pyrène, • Marverni • Sauromatia • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Mictlan • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Agartha • Tir na n'Og • Fomoria • Vanheim • Helheim • Niefelheim • Muspelheim • Rus • Kailasa • Lanka • Yomi • Hinnom • Ur • Berytos • Xibalba • Mekone • Ubar • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Pelagia • Oceania • Therodos
Middle Ages	Arcoscephale • Ermor • Sceleria • Pythium • Man • Eriu • Ulm • Pyrène • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Asphodel • Vanheim • Jotunheim • Nidavangr • Vanarus • Bandar Log • Shinuyama • Ashdod • Uruk • Nazca • Xibalba • Phlegra • Phaeacia • Ind • Na'ba • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Pelagia • Oceania • Ys
Late Ages	Arcoscephale • Pythium • Lemuria • Man • Ulm • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Jomon • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Midgård • Utgård • Bogarus • Patala • Gath • Ragha • Xibalba • Phlegra • Vaettiheim • Feminie • Piconye • Andramania • Pyrène • Zemaitia • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Erytheia