Redrawing of the Arabian Peninsula (also new tags)

[FleetingRain]

Some months ago, a forum member posted a suggestion in the main forum about redrawing the Arabian provinces. It never caught on and they never re-made the thread in the Suggestions subforum, so I guess I'm carrying the torch now.

So let's start by taking a loot at the current map:

The most glaring issue is that Najd has a connection to the Persian Gulf. This should not happen, as there's a desert string that connects the Nefud and the Rub 'Al-Qhali deserts, the Ad-Dahna. The Rub's also slightly more to the south, and the Nefud is not represented in-game; instead, we have the Badiyat Ash Sham, or Syrian Steppe. Considering the Nefud was a lot more inhospitable for being an erg than the Syrian Steppe, I believe it should be the northern wasteland of choice. Urdnot_scott explains in his thread in a lot more articulate way than I would, but basically: it shouldn't be possible for an army to cross that province in this time period, specially not the big-ass armies we can build in the game.

Still, I'm going to quote them on this:

As others have pointed out, the lack of connection between inner Arabia and Bahrain/Oman is very deliberate for two main reasons.

1. The first is geographic. Coastal Eastern Arabia is seperated from the rest of the subcontinent by Saudi Arabia's 3 great deserts, the Rub' Al Khali in the south, the An Nefud in the north, and the long strip of burning sand which joins the two called the Ad-Dhana. Deserts come in a lot of shapes and sizes, not all of them are just scorching expanses of nothingness - most of the subcontinent is desert, yeah, but its the kind of desert with dirt, rock, grass, some water, trees - things needed for any sort of ecosystem. The 3 great deserts have none of those things, they're 'ergs'. Ergs are literally just sand. Nothing else. Its incredibly difficult for even a caravan to pass through them let alone an army! Portugal and Britain controlled the eastern coast throughout the time period but never managed to extend their influence into the interior - those 3 ergs is pretty much why. Additionally, a large mountain range (the Twaik range) separates Ahsaa from the rest of the peninsula. The combination of these ergs and the mountains make it pretttyy much impossible to cross the peninsula with a large force for most of the games period.

2. The second is for gameplay. Oman, Bahrain, Portugal and the UK all had bases along the east coast, they were powerful states which dwarfed the tiny tribes of the interior but didn't project their power inside, they looked outward. India, Persia and Africa all became targets for these big maritime empires and ingame that's what we should be pushing them towards. The Arabian coast is a great stop-off for anyone looking to colonise the East and controlling the Aden node is pretty useful for anyone trying to get their trade back to Europe. Therefore a colonial power, native or otherwise, can dominate Eastern Arabia without being politically involved with the interior at all. It makes it way harder to control the interior, right now whoever controls Iraq ends up pushing into Arabia and vassalizing everyone, or Ahsaa goes crazy and annexes half the peninsula - this makes no sense! The 2 colonisable provinces in the modern day UAE mean a colonial power like the UK or Portugal doesn't need to do a no-CB war against Oman or Yemen just to control the Aden node but can colonise the areas they historically did and not end up owning the whole peninsula. I for one don't want to see a huge Portuguese Arabia - this version limits the Europeans to little bases on the east coast just like in reality!

Were the passage to the Persian Gulf closed, we could have a proper Bedouin Thunderdome in inner Arabia, instead of the eastern tags getting into Najd and vice-versa for no reason at all. Meanwhile, the Persian Gulf would focus their attention to the Indian Ocean, along with any colonizers and trading empires passing by, as it was historically.

Then there's the issue of Najd and Shammar dominating the landscape. They weren't that big, there were many more tribes in Arabia. In fact, Najd itself didn't even exist; just look at their flag, at their dynasty; it's the First Saudi State, somehow alive in 1444. That's badly out of place. The same happens with Shammar, in which they use the flag of the Emirate of Shammar from the 1900s in 1444. Meanwhile, Haasa kind of gets a pass because that's the dynasty flag, but even then, their name is anachronistic.

And finally, something which has been in my mind for quite a while is a lack of connection between Iraq and Mecca. It used to exist as one of the main Hajj routes, the Dar Zubaydah (Way of Zubayda). While the Nefud is quite inhospitable, some outposts were still built along the way for pilgrims, so I guess we could give it a shot.

https://www.academia.edu/2651596/The_Syrian_and_Iraqi_Hajj_Routes
http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/547/1/uk_bl_ethos_502323.pdf
http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6025/
https://www.jstor.org/stable/41223199?seq=10#page_scan_tab_contents
http://en.wikishia.net/view/Al-Tha'labiyya

Those maps aren't all the same, but they point out to the same thing: There was a route in Iraq (no shit Sherlock), it passed through Kufa/Najaf (Samawah province) and got to Mecca/Medina ~somehow~. I chose Ath'Tha'labiyah and Waqisah due to where they are in the map (so the "city" is more or less in the middle of the provinces), but other points in the route could work too. Zibala, however, would be another alternative (but then it would be too far south).


REDRAWING THE MAP

This is my proposal for a revamped Arabia:

Spoiler: Changes done

Badiyat Ash Sham is replaced by the Nefud, a slightly oval-shaped desert in the north of the Arabian Peninsula. The Badiyat was too big and was even inhabited; it's the Nefud who only had people/armies by its outskirts (in this case, Al-Jouf). So, the Nefud for wasteland it is then. It's crossed by two new provinces, Waqisah and Ath'Tha'labiyah. They're here due to the Iraqi Hajj route.

Ad-Dahna is also added to separate the Najd and Bahrain regions, as there should not be any big military operations between those tribes in this time period. Rub Al'Khali is also slightly redrawn, creeping over Yemen.

Hejaz is renamed to Mecca, as it was the proper name of the Sharifate (Hejaz was the name of the region and also of the Kingdom from the 1900s). Its provinces also change to a new Hejazi culture, to differentiate those people from the Bedouins from inner Arabia. It also loses Turubah and Jazan to other tags and gains a new province, Jabal Mahd.

Yemen is split in four: Aden (current Yemen), Rassids (Shia Theocracy), Kathiri (Sunni Tribal Fed) and Mahrah (Ibadi Tribal Fed). The lower half of Jazan goes to Aden.

Shammar is renamed to Al-Shammar and is nerfed to hell, becoming an OPM. To kind-of make up for it, however, Jabal Shammar's now a Highlands province, so as to be a bit more defensive than their desert brethren.

Haasa is renamed to Khalid (Banu Khalid, the ruling tribe) and gets a cooler color (because I can). They also lose Awal to Hormuz, which loses its core in Qatar.

Sharjah finally comes to life as an OPM in the Pirate Coast. Qawasim is renamed to Musandam. Meanwhile, the Yas tribe comes to life in the lands connecting Khalid to Oman, with their capital in Liwa.

Oman gets a couple new provinces, while losing Qawasim and the south. Gurrah (Sunni Tribal Fed) is then born in the Dhofar area.

Najd is replaced by Hanifa, a new tag, in the heart of the Nejd. Unaizah is split in two (Unaizah and Buraydah), with the new Subay getting both. Turubah and Al'Khurma are given to the new Utaybah. The new Shahran get Asir and the upper half of Jazan (Kunfuda/Al'Qunfudhah). And finally, the new Al-Fadl are the northenmost Bedouins (Taima and Al-Jouf), neighbouring the Mamluks. However, as historically the tribe had been the main force in central/northeastern Syria, Mamluks are friendly to them (is there a modifier that works as Historical Friends but without incentivizing the AI to offer/accept alliances? it would be perfect here, you see).

Overall, the Bedouin provinces get a slight development boost so they have 5-11 development (yes, Al-Shammar is the 5 one).

What do these changes bring? First, a more historical approach, as aforementioned. The old setup was relatively poor with only two gigantic Nejdi tribes being able to attack the Persian Gulf ones. This suggested setup turns the multiple independent tags against each other, while the deathclock of Hejaz's annexation by the Mamluks draws ever closer. The Gulf nations are also left to mind their own businesses, focusing on piracy and trade and kicking each other in the rear and not dying to the colonizers. And second, should one unify the peninsula, the Ad-Dahna wasteland adds even more defensiveness to a (much needed imo) area, in that the whole peninsula cannot be easily conquered like before due to fort rules. It also makes the Ottomans' name look quite cool after they paint the Nefud wasteland (priorities).

With this map laid out, I shall go over the details.


The Nefud

Spoiler: Province details

Name: Nefud
Special Name: Al'Nefud
Capital: -
Development: -
Culture: -
Religion: -
Terrain: -
Climate: Wasteland
Modifiers: -
Trade good: -
Position: { 3448.000 1152.000 3458.000 1146.000 3448.000 1152.000 3453.000 1157.000 3448.000 1152.000 3438.000 1158.000 3448.000 1152.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Base Name: Al-Jouf
Special Name: Al'Jouf
Capital: Sakakah
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: Inhospitable Erg
Trade good: Grain
Position: { 3423.000 1144.000 3404.000 1152.000 3611.000 1030.000 3617.000 1039.500 3611.000 1030.000 3416.000 1153.000 3611.000 1030.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 3.403 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Taima
Special Name: -
Capital: Tayma
Development: 2/2/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: Inland Center of Trade
Trade good: Salt
Position: { 3411.000 1114.000 3415.000 1106.000 3407.000 1102.000 3412.000 1107.000 3407.000 1102.000 3406.000 1122.000 3407.000 1102.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Jabal Shammar
Special Name: -
Capital: Ha'il
Development: 2/1/2
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Highlands
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Grain
Position: { 3458.000 1099.000 3464.000 1087.000 3477.000 1096.000 3482.000 1101.000 3477.000 1096.000 3466.000 1088.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.785 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Ath-Thalabiyah
Special Name: Ath'Tha'labiyah
Capital: Ath'Tha'labiyah
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: Inhospitable Erg
Trade good: Unknown (10 Size, 9 Ferocity, 9 Hostileness)
Position: { 3478.000 1114.000 3476.000 1109.000 3516.000 1100.000 3521.000 1105.000 3516.000 1100.000 3478.000 1122.000 3516.000 1100.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Waqisah
Special Name: -
Capital: Waqisah
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: Inhospitable Erg
Trade good: Unknown (10 Size, 9 Ferocity, 9 Hostileness)
Position: { 3497.000 1152.000 3496.000 1148.000 3496.000 1145.000 3501.000 1150.000 3496.000 1145.000 3500.000 1142.000 3496.000 1145.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Unaizah
Special Name: -
Capital: Unayzah
Development: 2/1/2
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3494.000 1077.000 3484.000 1082.000 3488.000 1049.000 3493.000 1054.000 3488.000 1049.000 3481.000 1076.000 3488.000 1049.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Burayda
Special Name: Buraydah
Capital: Buraydeh
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3484.000 1061.000 3481.000 1051.000 3471.000 1057.000 3476.000 1062.000 3471.000 1057.000 3474.000 1057.000 3471.000 1057.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Spoiler: Comments

As said, the Nefud is an erg. Therefore, it's a harsh desert to even cross, even more so to live in. So it's an wasteland. HOWEVER, some outskirts were barely inhabitable, and historically there had been a pilgrimage route from Baghdad to Mecca, crossing it. This is why I added those three provinces in what would otherwise be Nefud territory: they aren't "neighbouring" a wasteland, they aren't a "safe passage" between two wastelands; they were carved out of an wasteland, and are still relatively harsh places to live in or even cross nowadays.

So this is why I propose a special modifier to them, which will act as a "semi-wasteland" modifier: the "Inhospitable Erg" modifier.

Yikes. Yeah. These provinces are utter shit: you cannot decently cross, you take attrition like a madman, not even a fort lasts long, hell you can't even try to develop it out of a cesspool. But still, the forts exist. The provinces can be walked into. Your armies can bait enemies into them. They are just not the best places to put your bets on. This makes those provinces have a prohibitive cost to cross, which is 100% intended. Maybe we could even make those modifiers harsher lol. And no, there's no way to make the modifiers disappear in this time period, unless you know something the Saudis do not in the present day.

Note that, while Inhospitable Erg is flavored for the Nefud-related provinces, this could be applied to other provinces "carved out" of wastelands; that Snake River area in the Rockies comes to mind. Maybe even Bhutan. Or Manaus. Dunno. Of course the names/tooltips would have to be changed so there would need to be multiple "clone" modifiers, but we already do that with the "X River Estuary" ones so there's precedent. The rule of thumb is: if the province is a safe haven crossing/between wastelands, then it doesn't deserve this modifier. If it's a shitplace only slightly better than the surrounding wastes, one that peoples and armies would only really cross as a last resort, then yeah maybe the modifier is a good idea.

The Zubaydah area provinces would start out empty, for obvious reasons. To get them occupied, you need to either 1) get a colonist yourself, or 2) be Muslim, neighbour either province and then a) be a Levantine Empire with its capital in Tabuk, Najd, Basra, Bahrain, Iraq Arabi or Al Jazira areas, b) be Mecca or c) be Najd. In 1), you'll colonize as usual (but maybe the native events could have different flavor texts...). In 2), you'll get an event about reclaiming and restablishing the Darb Zubaydah caravan route.

Hejaz/Mecca and Nejd area

Spoiler: Province details

Name: Tabuk
Special Name: -
Capital: Tabuk
Development: 2/2/1
Culture: Hejazi
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Mountains
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3379.000 1110.000 3384.650 1093.398 3387.000 1098.000 3373.402 1079.337 3382.500 1072.500 3386.000 1085.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.960 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Yanbu
Special Name: Yanbu' al-Bahr
Capital: Yanbu
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Hejazi
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3400.000 1044.000 3417.000 1033.000 3412.000 1038.000 3407.500 1032.000 3412.000 1038.000 3421.000 1029.000 3412.000 1038.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 1.134 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Medina
Special Name: Madinah
Capital: Madinah
Development: 3/3/2
Culture: Hejazi
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Cloth
Position: { 3423.000 1050.000 3425.000 1059.000 3428.000 1046.000 3428.000 1058.000 3424.500 1019.500 3426.000 1063.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 1.047 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Jabal Mahd
Special Name: -
Capital: Mahd Adh Dhahab
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Hejazi
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Mountains
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3441.000 1024.000 3446.000 1020.000 3436.000 1028.000 3604.000 985.000 3436.000 1028.000 3433.000 1030.000 3436.000 1028.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Turubah
Special Name: -
Capital: Turubah
Development: 2/2/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Mountains
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3462.000 1005.000 3451.000 1012.000 3466.000 993.000 3471.000 998.000 3466.000 993.000 3458.000 1002.000 3466.000 993.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Mecca
Special Name: Makkah
Capital: Makkah
Development: 4/4/4
Culture: Hejazi
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Mountains
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: Inland Center of Trade, Religious Center
Trade good: Spices
Position: { 3439.000 996.000 3439.000 1002.000 3455.000 990.000 3445.000 1000.000 3435.000 1003.000 3440.000 1000.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.436 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Jeddah
Special Name: -
Capital: Jiddah
Development: 2/2/2
Culture: Hejazi
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Spices
Position: { 3419.000 999.000 3440.000 980.000 3438.000 979.000 3433.000 975.500 3438.000 979.000 3442.000 981.000 3438.000 979.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.785 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Khurma
Special Name: Al'Khurma
Capital: Ranyah
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3469.000 1026.000 3460.000 1030.000 3451.000 1032.000 3456.000 1037.000 3451.000 1032.000 3467.000 1032.000 3451.000 1032.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Asir
Special Name: -
Capital: Bishah
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Mountains
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Coffee
Position: { 3474.000 970.000 3487.000 958.000 3484.000 941.000 3488.000 952.000 3484.000 922.500 3484.000 960.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 1.571 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Kunfuda
Special Name: Al'Qunfudhah
Capital: Al'Qunfudhah
Development: 2/2/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Fish
Position: { 3456.000 948.000 3463.000 945.000 3460.000 949.000 3451.000 949.000 3460.000 949.000 3450.000 955.000 3460.000 949.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.785 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Al-Arid
Special Name: Al'Arid
Capital: Diriyah
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3536.000 1051.000 3541.000 1063.000 3525.000 1002.000 3530.000 1007.000 3525.000 1002.000 3537.000 1066.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Al-Aflaj
Special Name: Al'Aflaj
Capital: Layla
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3523.436 1011.774 3526.000 1025.000 3523.000 1025.000 3528.000 1030.000 3523.000 1025.000 3525.000 1026.000 3523.000 1025.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: As-Sulayyil
Special Name: As'Sulayyil
Capital: Wadi Al-Dawasir
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3513.000 977.000 3501.000 988.000 3500.000 988.000 3505.000 993.000 3500.000 988.000 3500.000 989.000 3500.000 988.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Spoiler: Comments

Hejaz/Mecca is still a vassal, and now has new neighbours to pay mind to. Subay, Utaybah, Shahran and Hanifa will have to find a way to either eat each other or stand strong as allies, specially once Mamluks/Ottomans come from the north.

Najd then becomes a formable tag. To form it, one needs to be Tribal; Sunni; Bedouin culture; have ADM tech 10; have capital in Najd area; and be the last Sunni Bedouin still independent. Forming Najd gives Nejdi NIs; permanent claims on Najd, Sarat and Tabuk areas; permanent claims on Mecca and Medina; raises the country to Kingdom rank; and turns the nation into an Iqta. This means that, at game start, the most likely candidates to form it are Subay, Utaybah and Hanifa; Shahran, Al-Fadl and Al-Shammar would need to move their capital; and Yas, Sharjah and Khalid would need to move capitals and change religion.

Meanwhile, Mecca is ruled in the history files by the Hawashim dynasty, but this is incorrect. While all (from what I gather) of the sharifs were hashemites, they weren't all Hawashim; in fact, the Hawashim dynasty had been toppled by the Banu Qatada somewhere by 1200. So, the ruling dynasty of Hejaz should not be Hawashim, but Banu Qatada or even better, Qatadid.

Considering the Sharifate's powerbase and reason to exist are the Holy Cities, there could be consequences to losing them: 1) whenever Mecca/Medina is conquered but Hejaz still exists, it offers itself as a subject for the conqueror, in exchange of getting the province back. If need be, they may even get rid of all non-Hejazi-cultured provinces under their rule as sovereign nations or whatever; and 2) if Hejaz is fully conquered, it's offered to the Mecca/Medina owner to release Hejaz as a subject, which would then take both holy provinces back even if they don't have their Hejaz cores anymore (if they have different owners, then only Mecca is released). Denying the request in both cases would give a massive revolt risk in every Hejazi-cultured province, Mecca, and Medina; an opinion malus with muslim nations; and also give a diprep malus if the refuser is muslim.

I also wonder if Mecca shouldn't be an "un-annexable" vassal (is this even possible right now? Man, Hejaz being a Tributary would be perfect, can't we open an exception?), responsible to protect the pilgrimage of muslims to the holy lands, possibly even tied to their government (currently a Tribal Monarchy but could become a new Sharifate one). I think it doesn't have much place to be as of now (specially because of how the AI would handle it), but if we ever get Hajj added as a Muslim mechanic, then the idea's there. What could be done at the moment is an LD modifier for them; something like 50% or 75% LD so that Mamluks don't have any business integrating it. Unfortunately Hejaz would then ask for help from the Ottomans, which makes zero sense.

There's also a VERY weird thing with Mecca: their fifth NI, Cradle of Gold. First, it's an idea about a gold mine that gives... +10% tax modifier. Should be -0.1 Inflation Reduction but ok, cool. But why don't they have a Gold province in the game??? I even added it in the map (Jabal Mahd) when I realized Yanbu 'Al-Bahr was too big and wondered about putting Gold there, but then there's the second issue: do we have any historical proof the mine was being worked? I really wish to know this. Every source I found said it worked during the Ayyubid Caliphate (so until 1260) and then work resumed in 1937 or so. Nothing about 1444-1821. If it really did work then great, put Gold in Jabal Mahd, or make an event to change the province good after some time, but unless we have proof of this, then we need to remove this NI lol. Not sure what should replace it though, but I'll have an idea anytime soon and update the second post.

And finally, I'd change the Custodian of the Two Holy Cities triggered modifier to only work for free/trib tags, and if they or their subjects have Mecca and Medina. So it's Mamluks who would have the modifier in 1444 instead of Hejaz. There could also be a triggered modifier to Mecca if they lose either or both cities, which would be a reverse Custodian (so negative prestige etc).

Yemen

Spoiler: Province details

Name: Jazan
Special Name: -
Capital: Jazan
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Yemeni
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Mountains
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Fish
Position: { 3473.000 921.000 3472.000 933.000 3470.000 932.000 3467.500 924.500 3470.000 932.000 3470.000 934.000 3470.000 932.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.873 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Mokha
Special Name: Mukha
Capital: Al'Mukha
Development: 3/3/2
Culture: Yemeni
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Mountains
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Coffee
Position: { 3484.000 864.000 3486.000 880.000 3487.000 884.000 3477.000 880.000 3487.000 884.000 3493.000 864.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 1.309 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Aden
Special Name: Adan
Capital: Adan
Development: 2/2/2
Culture: Yemeni
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Mountains
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: Coastal Center of Trade
Trade good: Spices
Position: { 3506.000 858.000 3523.000 872.000 3513.000 870.000 3521.000 863.500 3513.000 870.000 3523.000 872.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 -0.523 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Sana'a
Special Name: San'a'
Capital: San'a'
Development: 3/2/2
Culture: Yemeni
Religion: Shia
Terrain: Mountains
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3496.000 895.000 3503.000 887.000 3515.000 901.000 3503.000 885.000 3515.000 901.000 3505.000 881.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Najran
Special Name: -
Capital: Najran
Development: 2/1/1
Culture: Yemeni
Religion: Shia
Terrain: Mountains
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Coffee
Position: { 3495.000 930.000 3497.000 925.000 3547.000 927.000 3552.000 932.000 3520.000 905.500 3499.000 925.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Tarim
Special Name: -
Capital: Say'un
Development: 3/1/2
Culture: Yemeni
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3568.000 909.000 3569.000 914.000 3571.000 911.000 3580.000 911.000 3571.000 911.000 3568.000 913.000 3571.000 911.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Mukalla
Special Name: Al'Mukalla
Capital: Al'Mukalla
Development: 2/2/1
Culture: Yemeni
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Sugar
Position: { 3571.000 886.000 3576.000 889.000 3572.000 897.000 3573.000 882.000 3549.000 876.500 3564.000 890.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 -0.785 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Ghayda
Special Name: Al'Ghayda
Capital: Qishn
Development: 2/1/2
Culture: South Arabian
Religion: Ibadi
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Fish
Position: { 3616.000 905.000 3610.000 918.000 3638.000 930.000 3614.000 898.000 3665.000 901.500 3605.000 907.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 -0.436 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Socotra
Special Name: Suqutra
Capital: Suqutra
Development: 2/2/1
Culture: South Arabian
Religion: Coptic
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Fish
Position: { 3643.000 849.000 3647.000 850.000 3646.000 843.000 3648.500 852.500 3643.000 849.000 3647.000 850.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 2.705 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Dhofar
Special Name: Zufar
Capital: Salalah
Development: 2/2/2
Culture: South Arabian
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Spices
Position: { 3650.000 924.000 3646.000 932.000 3686.000 961.000 3657.000 923.000 3718.000 942.500 3644.000 934.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 -0.087 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Wusta
Special Name: -
Capital: Haima
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: South Arabian
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Spices
Position: { 3684.000 950.000 3678.000 958.000 3678.000 958.000 3690.500 950.000 3678.000 958.000 3675.000 959.000 3678.000 958.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 -0.785 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Rub' al Khali
Special Name: -
Capital: -
Development: -
Culture: -
Religion: -
Terrain:
Climate: Wasteland
Modifiers: -
Trade good: -
Position: { 3612.000 988.000 3619.000 984.000 3612.000 988.000 3606.000 1007.000 3612.000 988.000 3595.000 961.500 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Spoiler: Comments

Yemen becomes a formable tag (YEM I guess). To form it, one needs to own and core Sana'a, Aden and Mukalla; have ADM tech 10; and be independent. Forming Yemen gives Yemeni NIs; permanent claims on Sarat, Yemen and Hadramut areas; raises the country to Kingdom rank; and turns Tribes into Iqtas. Maybe it could be made a bit harder, such as needing zero nationalism in the provinces (considering how heated this region was, I wholeheartedly support this lol), or not to be a tribe. Not too hot on suggesting either right now though, I don't think there's any precedent for the former and the latter is just a kick in the balls to Mahrah/Kathiri.

The ADE tag becomes Aden, holding three coastal provinces. Rassids are encroached in a mountainous region, also holding one of the three forts in Arabia, with the others being in Masqat and Tabuk.

Mahrah is an interesting case. First, they have Suqutra, which could let them become Coptic should the player want to. I wonder if adding a province modifier to give national +1 Tolerance of Heathens wouldn't be far-fetched. I know they got converted in the end, but this was only after Portugal was expelled from the island... Anyway, there's also them being Ibadi. This looks unorthodox, but I found *one* secondary source about it:

Ibn Khaldun (Mukhtasar, 132, 11. 12 ff.), however, rightly remarks that, so far as religious confession is concerned, the Mahra are Kharidjis, in fact Ibadis (q.vv.).

Yeah, that's literally it. Google offers nothing new, I can't read Arabic to check the primary source and god knows I looked for any other book having anything about this. But hey, this Ibn Khaldun guy seems he was way smarter than me, so I gotta trust him, right? So yeah. Oman got a new Ibadi friend. I'm satisfied.

The Rassids are a Theocracy, but I modified the Theocracy Heir events so that the Rassids AI will always choose a local theologian, and such heir will be of the Rassidi dynasty. I wish we could determine fixed dynasties by tags, not by governments, but as long as it's not possible, this will have to work.

One idea I have, however, is to add a new government, the Imamate. Whenever I read about Oman and Rassids, I got that they were more of a theocratic government than anything; same with Ajuuraan in most sources (I say "most" because some called them a sultanate/monarchy), and the Fulo jihadi states in West Africa. The Imamate would then be the government Muslims change to by the Adopt Theocratic Administration decision. The biggest difference would be that they'd have fixed dynasties (and therefore the heir events would have to be changed to accomodate the Imamate); they could also possibly give different bonuses, such as tax modifier or unrest. All in all, it's not meant to be anything out of the ordinary, but still minimally relevant outside of flavor to have them around.

I don't have much to talk about the other two. Kathiri has three routes of expansion and Gurrah has to plot Oman's fall before they get too uppity.

Also, Aden's name placement is terrible lol. I'm not going to reduce San'a''s size though, so tough luck.

Persian Gulf

Spoiler: Province details

Name: Ad-Dahna
Special Name: -
Capital: -
Development: -
Culture: -
Religion: -
Terrain: -
Climate: Wasteland
Modifiers: -
Trade good: -
Position: { 3563.000 1062.000 3563.000 1063.000 3568.000 1033.000 3573.000 1038.000 3568.000 1033.000 3566.000 1059.000 3568.000 1033.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Qatif
Special Name: Al'Qatif
Capital: Al'Qatif
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Shia
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Fish
Position: { 3585.000 1084.000 3564.000 1094.000 3549.000 1081.000 3572.000 1100.500 3549.000 1081.000 3565.000 1091.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 3.403 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Ahsa
Special Name: Al'Ahsa
Capital: Al'Hufuf
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Shia
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3581.000 1062.000 3575.000 1065.000 3575.000 1064.000 3589.000 1068.000 3575.000 1064.000 3576.000 1065.000 3575.000 1064.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 -2.007 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Qatar
Special Name: -
Capital: Qatar
Development: 2/2/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Shia
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3608.000 1060.000 3603.000 1060.000 3598.000 1058.000 3611.500 1058.000 3598.000 1058.000 3601.000 1048.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 4.712 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Bahrein
Special Name: Al'Awal
Capital: Manama
Development: 1/1/2
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Shia
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: Coastal Center of Trade
Trade good: Fish
Position: { 3596.000 1072.000 3594.500 1076.500 3606.500 1077.000 3596.500 1078.500 3594.000 1074.000 3595.000 1075.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.087 4.363 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Ghayathi
Special Name: -
Capital: Ghayathi
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Shia
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3623.000 1033.000 3615.000 1036.000 3623.000 1036.000 3628.000 1041.000 3623.000 1036.000 3627.000 1036.000 3623.000 1036.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Al-Ain
Special Name: Al'Ain
Capital: Al'Ain
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Shia
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3667.000 1037.000 3659.000 1036.000 3636.000 1038.000 3650.000 1042.000 3636.000 1038.000 3652.000 1037.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 1.919 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Liwa
Special Name: -
Capital: Liwa
Development: 2/1/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Shia
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3646.000 1023.000 3636.000 1021.000 3636.000 1027.000 3642.000 1029.000 3636.000 1027.000 3655.500 1024.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Musandam
Special Name: -
Capital: Musandam
Development: 2/2/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Shia
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3670.000 1059.000 3678.000 1057.000 3676.000 1058.000 3670.000 1062.500 3676.000 1058.000 3675.500 1059.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 2.356 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Hormuz
Special Name: -
Capital: Hormuz
Development: 3/3/1
Culture: Bedouin
Religion: Sunni
Terrain: Drylands
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: Coastal Center of Trade
Trade good: Fish
Position: { 3684.000 1086.000 3682.000 1086.000 3677.000 1086.000 3685.000 1084.000 3677.000 1086.000 3680.000 1084.000 3677.000 1086.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Suhar
Special Name: -
Capital: Suhar
Development: 3/3/1
Culture: Omani
Religion: Ibadi
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3690.000 1043.000 3687.000 1037.000 3689.000 1035.000 3694.000 1042.000 3689.000 1035.000 3688.000 1042.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 3.927 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Muscat
Special Name: Masqat
Capital: Masqat
Development: 3/3/1
Culture: Omani
Religion: Ibadi
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: Coastal Center of Trade
Trade good: Spices
Position: { 3719.000 1030.000 3719.000 1026.000 3717.000 1008.000 3724.500 1029.500 3717.000 1008.000 3716.000 1027.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 -2.356 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Sur
Special Name: -
Capital: Sur
Development: 2/2/1
Culture: Omani
Religion: Ibadi
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Temperate
Modifiers: Coastal Center of Trade
Trade good: Spices
Position: { 3734.000 1009.000 3742.000 1008.000 3732.000 1014.000 3733.000 1017.000 3732.000 1014.000 3722.000 1020.000 3732.000 1014.000 }
Rotation: { 0.785 0.000 0.000 -2.356 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Al-Dhahirah
Special Name: Al'Zahirah
Capital: Ibri
Development: 1/1/3
Culture: Omani
Religion: Ibadi
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Copper
Position: { 3679.000 1029.000 3684.000 1020.000 3707.000 992.000 3722.500 988.000 3707.000 992.000 3674.000 1030.000 3707.000 992.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 -0.960 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Nizwa
Special Name: Al'Dahiliyah
Capital: Nizwa
Development: 1/1/3
Culture: Omani
Religion: Ibadi
Terrain: Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3702.000 1025.000 3702.000 1020.000 3681.000 1005.000 3686.000 1010.000 3681.000 1005.000 3706.000 1012.000 0.000 0.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Ash-Sharqiyah
Special Name: Ash'Sharqiyah
Capital: Ibra
Development: 2/2/1
Culture: Omani
Religion: Ibadi
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Wool
Position: { 3721.000 1015.000 3721.000 1009.000 3528.000 932.000 3718.000 979.000 3528.000 932.000 3723.000 999.000 3528.000 932.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 -0.785 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Name: Khaluf
Special Name: Al'Khaluf
Capital: Al'Khaluf
Development: 1/1/1
Culture: Omani
Religion: Ibadi
Terrain: Coastal Desert
Climate: Arid
Modifiers: -
Trade good: Fish
Position: { 3707.000 985.000 3707.000 977.000 3697.000 983.000 3712.000 982.000 3697.000 983.000 3698.000 984.000 3697.000 983.000 }
Rotation: { 0.000 0.000 0.000 -0.785 0.000 0.000 0.000 }

Spoiler: Comments

Oman got a few provinces in the coast so that there's a proper hinterland for them. Al'Zahirah and Al'Dahiliyah start with the Ulema, so as to represent imam control over the hinterlands; this puts them at 60% influence (20% base + 40% from provinces which seems to be the max, boring). Oman has four DHEs, which could see an update.

Conflict with Portugal (flavor_oma.2) should fire starting by 1500, and option A ("we will fight them") should give a stronger Agressive Trade modifier for Oman (from 15 to 25, and maybe for 25 years instead of 10) so as to make the trade-off better. Also, in my opinion the event should fire if Portugal has at least 10-20% trade power or something in Gulf of Aden (or Hormuz), instead of having to be the leader there.

Protecting the Indian Trade (flavor_oma.3) should give Portugal claims not only in Suhar, but also in Muscat and Sur. Alternatively, it could be an event chain that starts giving claims on Suhar, then you get the province and another event (or the same one but repeated) gives claims on Muscat, then you get the province and a third one gives on Sur.

The Shipbuilders of Sur (flavor_oma.4) should give... like, anything else? I'd go with a -15% Shipbuilding Time in Sur, but if that's too much (nah) then give Sur +1 production. Or just give Oman itself a -15% Shipbuilding Time to combo with their NIs for a great -25% modifier.

And finally, Struggle of Power (flavor_oma.1) could be revamped. Currently, it has a MTTH of 240 months and is repeatable, with Oman being able to choose between +30 piety and -20 Legitimacy, or -30 Piety and +20 Legitimacy. This is obviously an ancient event which didn't even account for Estates lol. My suggestion is that the event should also fire every time a new monarch/republican rises to power in Ibadi Oman, and only if the Ulema has at least 50 influence (without Cossacks, just ignore this restriction).

Option A gives +30 piety, +20% Ulema influence, -20 Legitimacy and -10 RT; option B gives -30 piety, -20% Ulema influence, +20 Legitimacy and +10 RT, and fires a size 1-2 revolt (Zealots) in every Ulema province. If Oman lost Muscat (to anyone) or Ulema has at least 70% influence, neither option appears. Instead, option C lets the Ulema take over, changing the government to Theocracy/Imamate and firing a 2 size revolt in the capital (Noble Rebels); and option D has the ruler deny the Ulema, getting -50 Piety and -40% Ulema influence, and firing a size 2 revolt in every Ulema province (without Cossacks, taking D means not having the event happen anymore). This change would make it a bit more historical, letting the country become an imamate after the loss of the coast to Portugal.

Having Portugal more likely to appear in Omani lands may mean a more lively relationship with Persia, Hormuz, Khalid etc. If this happens, great, but if doesn't then maybe Hormuz/Sharjah could have more events related to it. I don't think it's really necessary as of now, though. Meanwhile, Yas (I wish I had a better name for them), from what I've read, didn't really focus much on piracy until later on, unlike other tribes "settled" closer to the coast. This didn't stop them from pearling, however, which was also important for Sharjah and Khalid economies. So this is else to bear in mind for flavor (and I probably will in the NIs). Changing all those coastal provinces from Wool to Fish could work, but I'll refrain from suggesting it for now.

Also, Sharjah is an OPM in 1444 but that province could also be given to Oman, turning Sharjah into a dead tag. But I'm all for having a sort-of balance in Arabia, so removing Sharjah would make things rather ugly.

Finally, the Ad-Dahna... As Urdnot_scott said in the quote posted above, having such wasteland is both a historical necessity and a gameplay choice. In my research I did find mentions to armies crossing "the Ad-Dahna", but only one of them specified both the size of the army (300 people lol) and that it crossed specifically the path covered by the province. Everything else, from caravans to hinterland control to armies to whatever, either went by other places which were also called Ad-Dahna, had diminute/unnumbered groups of people crossing it or were just passing mentions. I even wondered if I should add a province with the Inhospitable Erg modifier, but gave up on it because the province would then become a chokepoint, and I really don't want to have a fort in the middle of an erg restricting movement in Al'Arid/Qatif/Hufuf, it sounds totally nonsensical. So yeah. If you wanna attack Bahrain, you gotta invade Iraq first.

Trade Nodes

Spoiler: Mapmode

Spoiler: Comments

The Alexandria node looked abnormally big and overextended to me in this revamp, so I added a new node: Mecca, with Mecca and Tayma as CoTs; it's a starting node, flowing to Alexandria, Gulf of Aden and Aleppo.

Realizing Mecca would be the third starting node in the vicinity, I decided to change Ethiopia a bit: while they're still a starting node, they also now connect to the Gulf of Aden too. This makes the Gulf even richer, but this is honestly historical (also to hell with Mamluks hoarding all the Ethiopian goodies).

Considering Basra lost provinces in this suggestion, I made Awal a CoT to make up for it. This also has historical relevance, considering the strategical positioning of the island.

Finally, Sur is a second CoT in Omani lands. Yes, they're filthy rich.

Also, maybe Mokha could be another Coastal Center of Trade. Maybe. Is there a limit for CoTs in a node?

Development

Spoiler: Mapmode

Spoiler: Comments

Top-tier Paint skills.

Sharjah and Al-Shammar are the only OPMs; however, Musandam's a Temperate province and Jabal Shammar's a Highlands one, so they have a slight advantage. The other Bedouins have 10-11 development on the east and 8-9 in the west. Yemeni tags have 8-17 development, Gurrah has 9, and Oman and Mecca stand at 37 dev.

The richest tag is Oman, with +1.51 du/mo, followed by Hormuz and then Aden. Almost everyone else is juuuust slightly breaking even or in debt (mostly because of useless boats), and then we have Rassids at -0.37 du/mo and Mecca at -0.57 du/mo due to their forts (and Mecca has to pay Mamluks). Except for Mecca (guys, build some tradeboats pls), everyone else's economy is WAD. They oughtta risk themselves by attacking each other or should just stay at mediocrity forever, not bankrupting but not attaining greatness either. Maybe, just maybe Mecca could get a bit more development to get out of debt, or maybe lose their fort in Tabuk. This is why I want to know if Mahd adh Dhahab was working at game start, because it would boost Mecca's economy up to ~0.3 du/mo.

Minor comments

Spoiler

Unfortunately, I could not find all the flags necessary for the tags. In the end I had to use the Arab Revolt Emirates flags for Asir, Hanifa (First Saudi State, the one Najd uses in vanilla), Al-Shammar (Emirate), Najd (Sultanate), Yemen (Sultanate of Lahej) and Rassids (North Yemen), which is something I do not like. The Utaybah got a single-color flag I found somewhere on the internet months ago that was allegedly related to them, which is something I also hate doing. Thankfully, I got to know about Oman's national emblem which looks cool as hell superimposed on the in-game flag's red background. Using national emblems and coats of arms *might* work for the others, but first we'd need to find them; I could only find the Saudis' and Oman's.

About that weird supply limit in Al-Jouf and Inhospitable Erg giving -1.5 Supply Limit: I wanted to give it a -10 modifier, wondering if it would set it to the minimum value for supply (6, as the tooltips usually show) or go all the way to 0-1. Unfortunately, the supply_limit modifier (not supply_limit_modifier modifier, that one works by percentages) acts weird outside of terrain.txt, so doing supply_limit = -10 got read by the game as "supply limit base will now be the current base minus the base times ten because fuck you". So 6-6*10=-54. It then adds 4 from terrain (-50) and multiplies by supply limit efficiency (Al-Fadl had 111% so it became -55). This is obviously nowhere close to what I wanted so I changed it to -1.5, so that the game would go 6-6*1.5=-3 -> -3+4=1 -> 1*1.11 = 1.11 so that at least one full regiment of theirs can be in that province. Non-owners will be stuck at 86% supply limit efficiency, however, so they can't even put a single regiment there without eating attrition. Also, just so you have an idea how devilish this is: base supply limit efficiency is 100% and MIL tech 32 gives +300%, so at best you'll have something in the 400% range. 1*4 is 4, so even by 1821 you'll only be able to send 4 full regiments into these provinces rofl. Allah clearly has abandoned those lands, 100% WAD :^)

I did my best to get the right dynasties at game start. The only exception is Hormuz because I *think* their dynasty wasn't called Turani. The rulers for Yas, Sharjah, Mahrah, Kathiri and Gurrah also aren't 100% correct, in fact I just gave them generic names lol. If anyone finds the right names, please let me know.

I don't know anything of Arabic so I'm not sure if my usage of "al" is correct. I went with "al-" in default and "al'" in Levantine province names, with some "ad'", "ash'" etc here and there. Again, if it's wrong, please correct me.

Finally, I didn't like Ibadi/Shia's colors so I changed them to make them stand out more. Shia's { 76 204 76 } and Ibadi's { 7 145 80 }. We need more color variation in the religion mapmode.

...speaking of Ibadi, I really hate their Morale of Navies modifier. It's not like Pate, Mzab and Oman (and lol Mahrah) had anything related to naval battles as part of their religion, or an historical consequence of following its doctrines. I'd rather the +10% Morale of Navies modifier got changed into +1 Tolerance of Heathens, which is something observable in Oman and Mzab (and possibly Pate too).

So yeah that's it I guess. I'll use the next post to post any relevant flavor and NI sets (once I get the NIs I wrote from my dead notebook).

 

[Grand Historian]

I'm not an Expert on this era of Arab history (though I did do an thesis paper on the 1916 Arab Rising) but this looks amazing. But as a few people mentioned above achievements would need to be changed so PDX would need to be able to work that out. But if content suggestions were voted on to become Holy Roman Emperor, and I was an elector, you'd have my vote.

It's not as if changes to achievements haven't happened before.

 

[mattd_]

Hey, hope you don't mind but I've taken a lot of your suggested and implemented them into my own mod It's not an exact replica but it takes a lot of the ideas.

Was really clueless how to do the pirate coast though. Sharjah is actually not in the provinces you gave to them, it's further north (and by giving that province to them it sorts out Oman's name). Beni Yas owned most of Liwa and the province called Beni Yas (which I renamed to Abu Zabi here) so I kinda just gave them everything else? It looks pretty weird though as I wanted to keep the naming scheme the smae (a.k.a. I didn't want Banu Hanifa).

 

[JKiller96]

Hey, hope you don't mind but I've taken a lot of your suggested and implemented them into my own mod It's not an exact replica but it takes a lot of the ideas.

Was really clueless how to do the pirate coast though. Sharjah is actually not in the provinces you gave to them, it's further north (and by giving that province to them it sorts out Oman's name). Beni Yas owned most of Liwa and the province called Beni Yas (which I renamed to Abu Zabi here) so I kinda just gave them everything else? It looks pretty weird though as I wanted to keep the naming scheme the smae (a.k.a. I didn't want Banu Hanifa).

That is pretty.

 

[Grand Historian]

That is pretty.

If it does get a rework along these lines, why can I see someone suggesting an achievement called 'DJ Khalid'?

 

[mattd_]

If it does get a rework along these lines, why can I see someone suggesting an achievement called 'DJ Khalid'?

"All I do is win, win, win no matter what" - As Khalid, own Constantinople, Cairo and Samarkand by 1550

 

[JKiller96]

If it does get a rework along these lines, why can I see someone suggesting an achievement called 'DJ Khalid'?

"Vijay Khalid" As Khalid own Vijayanagar.

 

[FleetingRain]

Hi, both my computers are dead so I have no way of updating this thread, but before the second one died I got to do more research on the subject of South Arabia, specially Yemen. I'm probably going to post it next week.

Popping in to say that as usual we're keeping tabs on map threads. I'd also like to note that you've posted a map without showing any provinces here

...lol I always forget something. Yeah I'll get to post the new names when I update the thread.

If Mahra were to be implemented (which I think it certainly should), it would need to have its own unique "Mehri" culture as part of the Levant group. The Mehri speak a remnant Semitic language independent from Arabic. The language of Socotra is also closely related to the Mehri language.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehri_language
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soqotri_language

My plan will be to add a South Arabian culture, which will encompass the Mahra (Mahrah province), Soqotri (Socotra province) and Dhofar area.

One question, is there actually no connection between Najd and the Persian Gulf?

Yes. As I said in the OP, the idea is that armies shouldn't be able to cross from the Nejd to the Gulf, both because of historical dificulty and lack of conflicts between both regions in the time period. Caravans and whatnot are fair game though, wastelands only really mean that armies couldn't cross.

I'm not an Expert on this era of Arab history (though I did do an thesis paper on the 1916 Arab Rising) but this looks amazing. But as a few people mentioned above achievements would need to be changed so PDX would need to be able to work that out. But if content suggestions were voted on to become Holy Roman Emperor, and I was an elector, you'd have my vote.

Hahah thanks! I'll also post the achievement changes I had in mind in the next update.

 

[FleetingRain]

Hey, hope you don't mind but I've taken a lot of your suggested and implemented them into my own mod It's not an exact replica but it takes a lot of the ideas.

Was really clueless how to do the pirate coast though. Sharjah is actually not in the provinces you gave to them, it's further north (and by giving that province to them it sorts out Oman's name). Beni Yas owned most of Liwa and the province called Beni Yas (which I renamed to Abu Zabi here) so I kinda just gave them everything else? It looks pretty weird though as I wanted to keep the naming scheme the smae (a.k.a. I didn't want Banu Hanifa).

Lol I didn't even notice this post before. Yeah, it looks good, even though I have some obvious reservations (Hanifa-Khalid etc).

Regarding Sharjah, I had chosen them to represent the UAE tribes, even though historically they were not exactly there; in fact, this is what the history files do already, as Sharjah appears in those provinces somewhere by 1700 (I think it's 1727, even). I'm still going to finetune my Oman changes though, so I can't even say you're wrong regarding this change. I'll take this into account while researching for Yas's presence in the inner region in the 15th century, that's for sure.

 

[Zerodv]

I´m quite sure armies should be able to cross from the Gulf to Hejaz, didn´t they repeteadly do so during the conquest of Persia, creation of the Rashidun Caliphate and when the Qarmatian sacked Mecca?

 

[celethiel]

This took a lot of work, AND research to do, Well done. ^_^

 

[FleetingRain]

I´m quite sure armies should be able to cross from the Gulf to Hejaz, didn´t they repeteadly do so during the conquest of Persia, creation of the Rashidun Caliphate and when the Qarmatian sacked Mecca?

Yes, historically, there had been reports of armies crossing from Bahrain to Najd and vice-versa. The problem imo is how reliable these reports are, or how they affect the game.

From what I've read, until the 18-19th century, the means of Hajj were by caravans; one from Cairo, other from Yemen, another from North Africa, one from Syria and finally one from Iraq. This last one, from Iraq, crossed the "North Arabian steppe" (that is, the Syrian Steppe/Nefud). There weren't any crossing the Ad-Dahna. None from Bahrain. And it was this very route that the Qarmatians loved to attack due to the number and wealth of pilgrims who used it. Considering they arrived in Mecca as a pilgrim caravan, and that they controlled Baghdad, and that they had an army of approximately 1500 men, I very much doubt they crossed the Ad-Dahna to get to Mecca, and believe that they went Bahrain->Iraq->Najd instead.

The Ridda Wars also didn't have thousands of soldiers crossing; in the case of Malik ibn Nuwayrah, in example, he split his troops and crossed in a caravan with his family to Najd, not as a big army.

And now I have an interesting source about Khalid's exploits in the war. I could not find anything pertaining him crossing from Bahrain straight into Najd or vice-versa, but instead these (kinda tl;dr) citations:

Spoiler: CAETANI, Leone. Annali Dell' Islam, vol. II: Dall'anno 7 al 12. H.; Editore-Libraio Della Real Casa, Milano, 1907

In questa circostanza Khalid b al-Walid fece mettere a morte Hilal b. 'Aqqah b Bisr al-Namari, e crocifiggerne il cadavere in 'Ayn al-Tamr. Terminata la conquista di 'Awn al-Tamr, Khalid si accinse ora a passare il deserto, che separava Quraqir da Suwa. Quraqir era una sorgente dei Kalb, e Suwa una sorgente dei Bahra (nel deserto al-Samawah: Yaqut, III, 172, lin. 10-11); fra le due sorgenti si stendeva un deserto privo di acqua, per traversare il quale occorrevano cinque giorni di marcia. Il cammino era ben poco frequentato, e quando Khalid cercó una guida, gli venne indicato un certo Rafi' b. 'Amirah al Ta'i, il quale peró espose a Khalid le difficoltà della traversata, dicendogli essa era pericolosa e difficile per un solo viaggiatore, impossibile per un esercito con cavalli e bagagli.

Kahlid insisté nel suo disegno e disse alla guida di ordinare pure quello che fosse necessario, ma che l'impresa doveva assolutamente riuscire. Rafi' si fece dare allora venti cameli in ottima condizione di carne e bene allenati: li fece camminare e faticare per un tempo, finché li ebbe resi avidissimi de bere: allora li dissetò, curando che bevessero il pú che fosse possibile: tagliò quindi le loro labbra, strinse le loro bocche con museruole, per impedire che ruminassero e diede il segnale della partenza. Ad ogni tappa, egli fece scannare e sventrare quattro cameli, dai ventricoli dei quali estrasse tutta l'acqua necessaria per i cavalli, mentre gli nomini si dissetarono con l'acqua che avevano portata nelle otri[4]. L'ultimo giorno della traversata i viaggiatori corsero grave pericolo di smarrirsi, perchè l'arbusto di spino. che sorgeva un tempo sul sito della sorgente, non era più visibile, quando l'esercito giunse fra i due monticelli di Suwa. Per un momento Rafi', che soffriva di una malattia d'occhi (armad) e non vedeva bene, si credette perduto, ma ordinò allora ai soldati di frugare e (dopo lunghe ricerche) scoprirono (sotto alla sabbia) il ceppo dell'albero che era stato tagliato: trovato questo indizio, Rafi' ordinò di fare uno scavo li vicino, e l'acqua sorgiva sgorgò in abbondanza sufficiente per dissetare tutto l'esercito: allora la guida confessò che egli era passato de là una sola volta in vita sua, quando era ancora ragazzo, con suo padre.

Nota 3. - Quraqir, second Yaqut (IV, 49, lin. 2), era una valle che avera origine nel deserto di al-Dahna, oppure una valle appartenente ai Kalb, nel deserto di Al-Samawah, e che scendeva in direzione dell' 'Iraq. Ignorasi però dove giacesse esattamente questa Quraqir. Yaqut menziona in tutto cinque diversi siti aventi nome Quraqir.

Nota 4. - Queste notizie sono puramente fantastiche e adornamenti posteriori: un camelo può portare sul dorso venti volte piú acqua che non contenga il suo ventricolo, e quest'ultima é piena poi di succhi gastrici, che la rendono nauseabonda. Non si comprende perciò la ragione di questo ripiego inutilmente crudele. Un buon capitano può abbandonare i cameli quando é bevuta tutta l'acqua che portano, per non essere impacciato da soverchi animali inutili, ma non mi consta che i veri Beduini ricorrano mai agli espedienti narrati in quest tradizione. Sarei perciò tentato a porre questo incidente tra gli episodi inventati dalla leggenda popolare. L'episodio poi perde molta parte del suo valore, perché, como specificheremo meglio in appresso, sulla via che doveva percorere Khalid non esistono deserti tanto terribili. Infine si noti che Khalid fece il viaggio nei mesi piú rigidi dell' inverno, quando la temperatura ogni notte scende sotto zero: quando io traversai il deserto sirio, nel Febbraio del 1894, gelava ogni notte. In quest condizioni, i cameli possono viaggiare carichi anche otto o dieci giorni senza bere. Absurda é quindi la presente invenzione tradizionistica, alla quale manca ogni base, ed ogni ragione.

In this circumstance, Khalid b al-Walid killed Hilal b. 'Aqqah b Bisr al-Namari, and crucify the corpse in' Ayn al-Tamr. After the conquest of 'Awn al-Tamr, Khalid now started to pass the desert, separating Quraqir from Suwa. Quraqir was a source of the Kalb, and Suwa a source of the Bahra (in the desert al-Samawah: Yaqut, III, 172, lin 10-11); Between the two springs lay a desert without water, for which it took five days to go. The walk was a little busy, and when Khalid was looking for a guide, he was told a certain Rafi 'b. 'Amirah al Ta'i, who however exposed to Khalid the difficulty of crossing, saying it was dangerous and difficult for a single traveler, impossible for an army with horses and luggage.

Kahlid insisted on his design and said he was in charge of ordering what was necessary, but that the business was absolutely to succeed. Rafi 'then gave twenty camels in a good condition of meat and well-trained: he made them walk and labor for a while, until he made them avidicious to drink; then he threw them down, taking care of them to drink it as it was possible; Their lips tightened their mouths with tears, to prevent them from ripping and signaling their departure. At every stage, he scanned and snatched four camels from the ventricles of which he extracted all the water needed for the horses, while the names dropped off with the water they had brought in the hooves [4]. On the last day of the voyage, travelers were in grave danger of being lost, because the spruce shrub. Which once stood on the source site, was no longer visible when the army came between the two Suwa mounds. For a moment, Rafi ', suffering from an eye disease (armad) and did not see well, thought he was lost, but then ordered the soldiers to search and (after lengthy searches) discovered (under the sand) the tree stump Which had been cut off: found this clue, Rafi 'ordered to dig near them, and the water sprung up in plenty to suffocate the entire army; then the guide confessed that he had passed there only once in a lifetime His, when he was still a boy, with his father.

Note 3. Quraqir, second Yaqut (IV, 49, line 2), was a valley that originated in the desert of al-Dahna, or a valley belonging to the Kalb, in the desert of Al-Samawah, and which descended towards Of Iraq. She ignored however exactly where this Quraqir was. Yaqut mentions all five different sites named Quraqir.

Note 4. These news are purely fantastic and rear decorations: a camel can bring back twenty times more water that does not contain its ventricle, and the latter is full of gastric juices, which make it nauseating. Therefore, the reason for this unnecessarily cruel rejection is not understood. A good captain can leave the camels when all the water they wear is drunk, so as not to be overwhelmed by overwhelming unnecessary animals, but I do not know that the true Bedouins ever resort to the gimmicks narrated in this tradition. So I would be tempted to put this incident between the episodes invented by popular legend. The episode then loses much of its value, because as we will better specify here, on the way to Khalid, there are not so terrible deserts. Finally, note that Khalid made the journey in the toughest months of winter, when the temperature every night dropped below zero: when I crossed the Syrian Desert, in February 1894, it froze every night. Under these conditions, camels can travel even for eight or ten days without drinking. Absurd is therefore this traditional invention, which lacks any basis, and every reason.

This comes from https://archive.org/details/annalidellislam22caet. And yes, that's Google Translate.

So what does this excerpt tell us? It says that Khalid (that Khalid from the Ridda Wars) was somewhere in Al-Samawah, a desert somewhere in the Ad-Dahna, and decided to cross it, with a local pointing out it was a difficult desert to cross even alone, and impossible for an army. While the bit about sacrificing camels is probably invented, they still almost died due to a lack of water, and only survived due to finding an underground source.

It doesn't make sense looking at the map, as Samawah is in Iraq. When you read further in the book, however...

al-Dahna, il deserto dell'Arabia meridionale e centrale. 8, 159, 189; 9, 3, 85; 11, 146, nota 1,b; 12, 57, 394 nota 3.

al-Dahna, the desert of Central and Meridional Arabia. 8, 159, 189; 9, 3, 85; 11, 146, nota 1,b; 12, 57, 394 nota 3.

The "Ad-Dahna" here refers to the desert(s) in central and meridional (southern) Arabia. Just from this, one could guess it's also covering the Nefud. So when Khalid crossed the "Ad-Dahna", the map shows it actually was the Nefud, starting from the Samawah province.

And would you look at that,

Prima che sorgesse il sole, Khalid b. al-Walid aggredi i Bahra (forse per punirli d'aver tagliato lo spino della sorgente), e li sorprese mentre se ne stavano intorno a una scodella di vino, ascoltando un cantore (Hurqus b. al-Nu'man al-Bahrani), il quale annunziava la venuta imminente delle milizie musulmane, e la probabilità di una sorpresa notturna e di una strage. I Musulmani compierono le predizioni del cantore, il quale rimase ucciso sul luogo ed il suo sangue zampillò entro la scodella (gafnah) di vino, alla quale attingeva cantando.

Khalid b. al-Walid continuò la marcia, pimbò sui Ghassan in Marj Rahit, mettendoli in fuga, e prosegui quindi fino a Qanah Busra, dinanzi alla quale città, stavano accampati abu 'Ubaydah b. al-Garrah, Surahbil b. Hasanah e Yazid b. abi Sufyan. Tutti insieme i generali musulmani rinnovarono ora gli asalti contro Busra[5] e costrinsero alfine gli abitanti a venire ai patti, ed al pagamento del tributo (al-gizyah). Busra fu pereiò la prima città della Siria espugnata durante il Califfato di abu Bakr[6] (Tabari, I , 2121-2125).

Nota 5. - Busra é la celebre città del Hawran, ai piedi del grande monte Gabal Hawran, che faceva parte, secondo Yaqut (l. 654), della provincia di Damasco, e della quale abbiamo già discorso in altro luogo (efr. §327, nota 1). [...]

Nota 6. - (a) In ibn 'Asakir abbiamo le stessa tradizione di ibn Ishaq, con qualche variante: ivi è detto: '...ed essi trovarono in una sinagoga degli Ebrei alcuni fanciulli che imparavano a scrivere, e precisamente in una delle città di 'Ayn al-Tamr, che aveva nome NFR (?)' ('Asakir, fol. 37,r.). [...]
(b) La medesima tradizione di ibn Ishaq, nel testo di ibn 'Asakir, invece di Marj Rahit, ha la variante Marj al-Udr ('Asakir, fol 37,r.).
(c) In ibn 'Asakir (sull'autorità di abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi, oltre che di abu-l-Qasim al-Samarqandi, da abu Bakr ibn al-Lalaka'i, da abu-l-Hasan b. al-Fadl al-Qattan, da 'Abdallah b. Gafar, da Ya'qub b. Sufryan, da abu-l-Yamani al-Hakam b. Nafi', da Safwan b. 'Umar, da 'Abd al-rahman b. Gubayr) Khalid b. al-Walid si congiunse con i colleghi in al-Gabiyah, ove egli trovò soltanto Surahbil b. Hanasah, Yazid b. abi Sufyan e 'Amr b. al-'As. (Asakir, fol. 34,r.-v., ove è detto che Khalid menasse con sè 3000 uomini). Si noti l'assenza del nome di abu 'Ubaydah.

Before the sun rises, Khalid b. Al-Walid punishes the Bahra (perhaps to punish them by cutting off the source plug), and surprised them while they were around a bowl of wine, listening to a singer (Hurqus b. Al-Nu'man al-Bahrani) , Announcing the imminent arrival of Muslim militias, and the likelihood of a nightly surprise and a massacre. The Muslims made the predictions of the singer, who was killed on the spot and his blood flushed within the bowl (gafnah) of wine, to which he was singing.

Khalid b. Al-Walid continued the march, pounded on the Ghassan in Marj Rahit, knocking them away, and then proceeded to Qanah Busra, before whom the city was camped at Abu Ubaydah b. Al-Garrah, Surahbil b. Hasanah and Yazid b. Abi Sufyan. All together the Muslim generals now renew the assaults against Busra [5] and forced the inhabitants to come to the pact, and to pay tribute (al-gizyah). Busra was the first city of Syria captured during the caliphate of Abu Bakr [6] (Tabari, I, 2121-2125).

Note 5. Busra is the famous city of Hawran, at the foot of the great Gabal Hawran mountain, which was, according to Yaqut (654), in the province of Damascus, of which we have already spoken elsewhere (efr. 327, note 1). [...]

Note 6. (a) In Ibn 'Asakir we have the same tradition as ibn Ishaq, with some variants: there it is said:' ... and they found in a Jewish synagogue some children who learned to write, and precisely in one Of the cities of 'Ayn al-Tamr, who had the name NFR (?)' ('Asakir, 37).
(b) The same tradition of Ibn Ishaq, in the text of Ibn 'Asakir, instead of Marj Rahit, has the variant Marj al-Udr (' Asakir, p. 37).
(c) In Ibn 'Asakir (Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi's authority, Abu-l-Qasim al-Samarqandi, Abu Bakr ibn al-Lalaka'i, abu-l-Hasan b. Al- Fadl al-Qattan, Abdallah b. Gafar, Ya'qub b. Sufryan, Abu-l-Yamani al-Hakam b. Nafi ', by Safwan b.' Umar, Abd al-rahman b. Gubayr ) Khalid b. Al-Walid joined with his colleagues in al-Gabiyah, where he found only Surahbil b. Hanasah, Yazid b. Abi Sufyan and 'Amr b. al-'As. (Asakir, vol. 34, vol., Where it is said that Khalid would go with 3000 men). Notice the absence of the name of Abu Ubaydah.

So Khalid starts in Ayn al-Tamr in Iraq, where a battle happened. Then he crosses the "Ad-Dahna" somewhere in the Samawah and gets to Busra, in Syria. This is obviously not the Ad-Dahna in my map rofl, but the Nefud. He went from Iraq to Syria by the desert, and even that route was dangerous as hell.

But is there any mention that he, in any moment, crossed the damn Ad-Dahna in my map? I haven't found it. At best, I got this:

In una tradizione conservata a ibn Hubays abbiamo minuti particolari del modo come i musulmani sotto al-Garud, assediati in Guwatha (cfr. §40), venissero a sapere, per mezzo di 'Abdallah b. Hadzaf, quale fosse il momento più opportuno per piombare sui nemici, che dormivano ebbri vino (Hubays, fol. 24,v.: autorità: 'Abd al-rahman b. abi Bakrah). Di grande interesse però per noi é un'altra tradizione conservata dal medesimo autore, con il medesimo isnad. Da essa impariamo, che la sconfitta dei ribelli soto Guwatha avvenisse con la cooperazione di al-'Ala b. al-Hadrami, l'esercito del quale contava soltanto trecento uomini (!) (Hubays, fol. 24,v). Un'altra tradizione (ibid., autorità: Ishaq b. Yahya b. Talhah) dice che l'esercito di al-'Ala fosse composto di 326 Muhagirnn. Pur mettendo in disparte l'affermazione poco probabile che l'esercito di al-'Ala fosse composto di Emigrati Makkani, e riconoscendola come una interpolazione posteriore tendenziosa (cfr. per esempio il numero degli Emigrati alla grande spedizione di Hunayn, 8. a. H., §122), abbiamo qui la preziosa notizia che il preteso esercito di al-'Ala, descrittoci da Sayf come una grande armata, constava in realtà di poche centinaia d'uomini. Ciò riduce a ben modest proporzioni la pretesa campagna musulmana nell'Arabia orientale e meridionale. Veniamo per tal via a sospettare che la cosi detta sottomissione di quella parte della penisola al governo di Madinah fosse in realtà un evento che abbracciò un numero ben ristretto di tribù, e che il paese per la maggior parte rimase in condizioni quasi identiche a quelle anteriori. Il Bahrayn è un paese grande quanto due terzi eirea dell'Italia: che impressione vera potevano farvi 300 uomini? Frse altrettanti erano gli 'Abd al-Qays in Guwatha, ed a tanto ammontavano in tutto i membri del partito favorevole all'Islam in quel paese!

Anche le due seguenti tradizioni, benché un poco oscure e confuse, e contradicenti aleune notizie precedenti, contengono ragguagli complementari di molto rilievo:

(Da Ishaq b. Yahya). Quando scoppiarono i torbidi nel Bahrayn, Aban b. Sa'id, efr. poc'anzi §43, nota 1 con 300 'Abd al-Qays venne a Madinah, arrivandovi però quando Khalid b. Al-Walid aveva già conquistato la Yamamah. Avuta notizia di ciò che accadeva nel Bahrayn, il califfo abu Bakr mandò ora al-'Ala b. Al-Hadrami con sedici cavalieri nel Bahrayn (seguendo i 300 'Abd al-Qays, che vi ritornavano con Aban). Pasando per il sito ove si trovava Thumamah b. Uthal, questi gli diede alcuni rinforzi di arabi Suhaym. al-'Ala giunse alfine alla fortezza di Guwatha. Intanto Mukhariq con i Bakr. b. Wa'il si erano accampati in al-Musaqqar. al-'Ala lo assali e nel combattimento vi furono molti uccisi: il maggior numero però fu tra i ribelli. Allora al-Garud, che si trovava nel Khatt mandò rinforzi al generale musulmano, mentre Mukhariq mandò al-Hutam b. Surayh come messo al Marxuban (governorate persiano) di al-Khatt, per chiedere rinforzi. Il persiano gli spedi alcuni cavalieri (asawirah), ed allo stesso tempo fece arrestare al-Garud e tenerlo in ostaggio carico di catene (Hubays, fol. 24,r.) [H.].

In a tradition kept in ibn Hubays we have minute details of how Muslims under Garud, besieged in Guwatha (see §40), would come to know, through 'Abdallah b. Hadzaf, what was the best time to plummet on enemies, who slept with wine (Hubays, 24, v: authority: 'Abd al-rahman b. Abi Bakrah). Interestingly, however, for us is another tradition preserved by the same author, with the same isnad. From it we learn that the defeat of the rebels Soto Guwatha took place with the cooperation of al-'Ala b. Al-Hadrami, whose army counted only three hundred men (!) (Hubays, pp. 24, v). Another tradition (ibid., Authority: Ishaq b. Yahya b. Talhah) says that al-'Ala's army was made up of 326 Muhagirnn. While disparaging the unlikely affirmation that al-'Ala's army was made up of Emigrant Makkani, and recognizing it as a tendentious rearward interpolation (see for example the number of Emigrants at Hunayn's great expedition, 8. a. H, §122), we have the precious news that the al-'Ala pretended army, described by Sayf as a great army, actually consisted of a few hundred men. This reduces to a very modest extent the alleged Muslim campaign in eastern and southern Arabia. We are in this way suspecting that the so-called submission of that part of the peninsula to the Madinah government was actually an event that embraced a very small number of tribes, and that the country for the most part remained in the same condition as the previous ones . Bahrayn is a country as big as two-thirds of the eire of Italy: what real impression could 300 men make for you? Perhaps as many were the 'Abd al-Qays in Guwatha, and so were all members of the Islamic party in that country!

Even the two following traditions, albeit somewhat obscure and confused, and controversial earlier news, contain very important complementary details:

(Da Ishaq b. Yahya). When the turmoil broke out in Bahrayn, Aban b. Sa'id, efr. Before § 43, note 1 with 300 'Abd al-Qays came to Madinah, arriving however when Khalid b. Al-Walid had already won the Yamamah. There was news of what was happening in Bahrayn, caliph Abu Bakr sent now to'Ala b. Al-Hadrami with sixteen riders in Bahrayn (following the 300 'Abd al-Qays, returning with Aban). Following the site where Thumamah b. Uthal, this gave him some Arabian Suhaym reinforcements. Al-'Ala came down to the fortress of Guwatha. Meanwhile Mukhariq with the Bakr. b. Wa'il had camped in al-Musaqqar. Al-'Ala assaulted him and in the fight there were many killed, but most of them were among the rebels. Then al-Garud, who was in Khatt, sent reinforcements to the Muslim General, while Mukhariq sent al-Hutam b. Surayh as put to al-Khatt's Marxuban (Persian Governorate), to ask for reinforcements. The Persian sent him some horsemen (asawirah), and at the same time he halted al-Garud and held him in chain hostage (Hubays, 24th, r.) [H.].

While not specified how Al-'Ala got to Bahrain (from Iraq? Crossing the true Ad-Dahna? teleporting?), it says his army was of 300-something men. Like. Rofl. That's not even a full regiment in EU4. Even if they crossed the Ad-Dahna, I wouldn't even account for them.

Then we go further and

Sull'insurrezione nel Bahrayn esiste una lunghissima tradizione di Sayf b. 'Umar (da al-Sa'b b. 'Atiyyah b. Bilal, da Sahm b. Mingab, da Mingab b. Rasid) (cfr. Tabari, I, 1962-1976), la quale pretende di narrare tutta la campagna di al-'Ala b. al-Hadrami contro i ribelli del Bahrayn, ma che (come ha già dimostrato il Wellhansen, Vi, 22-24) non contiene se non una versione immaginaria degli eventi, piena zeppa di notizie false, di grossi anacronismi, di miracoli assurdi, di confusioni e di lacune. La narrazione ha quindi scarsissimo valore storico, e ci limiteremo a darne un breve transunto, nel solo intento di dimostrane i numerosi errori.

[...]

Con una forte schiera di Tamim, degli 'Amr, dei Sa'd (Manat), e degli al-Ribab, il generale musulmano al-'Ala si accinse ora a traversare il grande deserto dell'Arabia meridionale, al-Dahna[1]. Giunto nella parte più orrida e desolata del medesimo, al momento di far sosta per la notte, vide improvvisamente disperdesi e scomparire tutti i cameli dell'esercito, lasciando i musulmani senza acqua e senza viveri. I musulmani dinanzi alla sicurezza di dover morire fatalmente di sete e di fame, furono compresi dallo spavento, e stavano per abbandonarsi alla disperazione. Non cosi al-'Ala, il quale rammentò ai soldati che essi erano musulmani, e che perciò Dio non li avrebbe mai abbandonati. Diede ordine, che si riunissero tutti quanti e che insieme si rivolgessero a Dio per soccorso. La preghiera fu immediatamente esaudita: non solo un miraggio comparso dinnanzi agli occhi dei musulmani divenne effettivamente un lago di acqua pura, nella quale poterono lavarsi e dissetarsi, ma contemporaneamente tutti i cameli sperduti ricomparvero nel campo, e poterono essere prontamente ricuperati. I musulmani esultanti si rimisero in cammino, ed appena ebbero abbandonato il campo videro scomparire il lago senza lasciare traccia di sorta, sicchè quelli, i quali di poi vollero rivisitare il luogo, non trovarono più niente e noa furono in grado di scoprire la benchè menoma traccia dell'esistenza del lago miracoloso.

Nota 1. - Cfr.anche Athir, II, 282-284 - Baladzuri (83-84), ignora l'incidente favoloso del lago nel deserto e la spedizione miracolosa contro Darin: dopo la strage dei ribelli presso Guwatha, i musulmani pongono assedio, nell'anno 12. H., alla città (? cfr. §55, nota 3) di al-Khatt; Yaqut, (I, 510, lin. 12, e segg.) dopo aver data una versione in circa eguale a quella di Sayf, aggiunge (pag. 511, lin. 5 e segg.) le seguenti notizie di non piccolo rilievo. Dopo la uccisione di al-Mundzir b. al-Nu'man al-Gharur in Guwatha, il generale al-'Ala scrisse al Califfo abu Bakr, chiedendo soccorsi, e per quest ragione a Khalid b. al-Walid, ch si trovava nella Yamamah, fu ingiunto di andare nel Bahrayn, dove arrivò dopo la uccisione di al-Hutam: poco tempo dopo, precisamente nel 12. a. H., Khalid ebbe l'ordine di recarsi nell' 'Iraq, e perciò dal Bahrayn si avanzò (direttamente?) verso il confine persiano. Intanto però al-Muka'bar al-Farisi, luogotenente del re di Persia (sahib Kisra), che era stato inviato dal re a punire i Tamim in al-Zarah, aveva riunito le milizie persiane in al-Qatif ed assunse un contegno ostile verso i musulmani, fortificandosi entro al-Zarah. al'-Ala lo cinse d'assedio, ma non riusel ad assoggettare il paese se non sotto il califfato di 'Umar (vale a dire per lo meno nel 13. a. H.), quando al-Muka'bar fu ucciso. al-'Ala espugnò al-Sabun e Darin, prendendo ambedue d'assalto, mentre regnava 'Umar (cfr. poc'anzi §§40 e segg.). È evidente che Yaqut attinge queste notizie da Baladzuri; cfr. F. H. Heer, Die historischen und geographisehen Quellen in Jaqut's Geographisehen Worterbuch. Strassburg, 1898, p.53).

[...]

La narrazione è composta nella più completa ignoranza di tutti gli altri eventi contemporanei o immediatamente precedenti o successivi. La spedizione è messa prima della sconfitta dei Hanifah, rendendo percò impossibile el assurda l'affermazione che Thumamah b. Uthal partecipasse alla conquista del Bahrayn: egli era allora impegnato a combattere nella Yamamah contro Musaylimah, ed alla comparsa di Khalid, si uni a lui e fece con lui la campagna di 'Aqraba. Thumamah non poteva trovarsi contemporaneamente in duo luoghi: edil suo nome fra i conquistadori del Bahrayn è un'altra prova che il Bahrayn fu invaso dopo 'Aqraba.

Constantiamo perciò che tutti i particolari della narrazione sono introdotti dal narratore soltanto come riempitivo od ornamento letterario e non come istruzione storica: caratteristico infine di Sayf è l'introduzione continua di una quantità di nomi di persone non già per narrare quello che abiano fatto (per lo più non fanno nulla), ma soltanto per renderci famigliari con essi, iu previsione del momento, quando più tardi ce li presenterà quali attori operosi nel grande dramma delle conquiste. Cosi ha già fatto una volta com Qa'qa' b. 'Amr, è nella presente tradizione con al-Muthanna b. Harithah. Il preconcetto Tamimita, che ispira poi tutta la narrazione, si tradisce con quel noi (Tabari, I, 1965, lin. 15) messo in bocca a un Tamimita narratore del miracolo nel deserto.

On the Bahrain uprising there is a very long tradition of Sayf b. 'Umar (al-Sa'b b.' Atiyyah b. Bilal, Sahm b. Mingab, Mingab b. Rasid) (cf. Tabari, I, 1962-1976), who claims to narrate the entire campaign of Al-'Ala b. Al-Hadrami against the rebels of Bahrayn but that (as Wellhansen has already demonstrated, Vi, 22-24) contains only an imaginary version of events, full of false news, great anachronisms, absurd miracles, Confusion and gaps. The narration has therefore little historical value, and we will limit it to a brief transposition, in the sole intention of demonstrating the many errors.

[...]

With a strong array of Tamim, Amr, Sa'd (Manat), and al-Ribab, the Muslim general al-'Ala now began to cross the great desert of southern Arabia, al-Dahna [1 ]. Coming to the most dull and desolate part of the same, at the time of stopping for the night, he suddenly dispersed and disappeared all the camels of the army, leaving the Muslims without water and without food. Muslims in the face of the safety of having to die fatally and hungry were fraught with fright, and were about to abandon themselves to despair. Not so to'Ala, who reminded the soldiers that they were Muslims, and that therefore God would never abandon them. He gave orders, all of them gathering together and turning to God for help. Prayer was immediately fulfilled: not only a mirage appeared before the eyes of the Muslims actually became a lake of pure water, in which they could wash and drink, but at the same time all the lost camels emerged in the field and could be readily recovered. The exultant Muslims went on their way, and as soon as they abandoned the camp, the lake disappeared without leaving any trace, so those who later wanted to revisit the place could find nothing and could not find out what was happening A trace of miraculous lake existence.

Note 1. - See also Athir, II, 282-284 - Baladzuri (83-84) ignores the fabulous lake accident in the desert and the miraculous expedition against Darin: after the massacre of the rebels at Guwatha, Muslims lay siege , In the year 12. H., to the city (see §55, note 3) of al-Khatt; Yaqut, (I, 510, line 12, and so on) after giving a version about the same as that of Sayf, adds the following not-so-small news (page 511, line 5 et seq.). After the killing of al-Mundzir b. Al-Nu'man al-Gharur in Guwatha, General al-'Ala wrote to the Caliph Abu Bakr, asking for relief, and for that reason to Khalid b. Al-Walid, who was in the Yamamah, was ordered to go to Bahrayn, where he came after the killing of al-Hutam. Shortly after, precisely in 12 a. H., Khalid had an order to go to Iraq, and so Bahrayn advanced (directly?) Towards the Persian border. Meanwhile al-Muka'bar al-Farisi, lieutenant of the king of Persia (sahib Kisra), who had been sent by the king to punish the Tamim in al-Zarah, had gathered the Persian militias in al-Qatif and took a hostile outlook Towards Muslims, fortifying themselves within al-Zarah. Al-Ala besieged him, but he would not subject the country again except under the caliphate of 'Umar (ie at least in 13 a. H) when al-Muka'bar was killed. Al-'Ala espotted al-Sabun and Darin, taking both assault while reigning Umar (see above §§40 et seq.). It is evident that Yaqut draws these news from Baladzuri; cfr. F. H. Heer, Die historischen und geographisehen Quellen in Jaqut's Geographisehen Worterbuch. Strassburg, 1898, p. 53).

[...]

Narration is composed in the most complete ignorance of all other contemporary or immediately preceding or subsequent events. The shipment was put before the defeat of the Hanifah, making impossible and absurd the assertion that Thumamah b. Uthal participated in the conquest of Bahrayn: he was then engaged in fighting in the Yamamah against Musaylimah, and at Khalid's appearance, he came to him and made with him the campaign of 'Aqraba. Thumamah could not be at the same time in two places: his name among Bahrayn conquerors is another proof that Bahrayn was invaded after 'Aqraba.

We therefore conclude that all narrative details are introduced by the narrator only as filler or literary ornamentation and not as historical instruction. Finally Sayf's characteristic is the continuous introduction of a number of people's names not to tell what they did (for Most of them do nothing), but only to make them familiar with them, in anticipation of the moment, when later he will present them as actors acting in the great drama of conquests. So he has done this once with Qa'qa 'b. 'Amr, is in this tradition with al-Muthanna b. Harithah. The preconceived Tamimita, who then inspires all the narration, betrays with us (Tabari, I, 1965, line 15) put into the mouth of a Tamimite narrator of the miracle in the desert.

Ok, so what could I get from these excerpts...

There's a report about al-'Ala crossing the damn Ad-Dahna, losing his camels, almost dying but then miraculously finding a lake after calling on to God, only to shortly after recover the camels and proceed with his travel. The whole report is riddled with fantasies and fabrications, from the looks of it. Not only this part, but the whole conquest of Bahrain thing. There was even an episode mirroring Moses's parting of the Red Sea event.

The most interesting bit imo was the one mentioning Thumamah. From what I got reading about the conquest of Bahrain in this book is that it happened in the year 13, not 12. What happened in the year 12 was an al-'Ala meeting with some small tribes and having them join Medinah/convert to Islam, possibly along with some small sieges in certain areas. What's most likely is that even those sieges waited for reinforcements from Medinah. Most importantly, if Thumamah really only came for help after dealing with 'Aqraba, then he came from Syria, not from the Najd. So he (and probably Khalid) went Syria->Iraq->Bahrain. So, while Khalid had 3000 men going to Syria, al-'Ali only had 300 crossing to Bahrain. While al-'Ala's travel may have happened (even without the miracle lake), Khalid and Thumamah most likely came from Iraq, avoiding the (true) Ad-Dahna altogether.

This is important to affirm because, if you go look for other books/Google about it, you may find people talking about warriors crossing the Ad-Dahna to get to Bahrain and/or the Ridda Wars. Yeah fine, they crossed the Ad-Dahna, but either it was the Nefud by another name, or it was a <1000 men regiment in a story involving miracles and temporal contradictions so it might not even be real. And yet this isn't highlighted in the Enciclopaedia of Islam, a big source I'm using for this thread (can I even link the book like that?), with the tale being referenced as a historical source.

So what does this all mean? At least looking at the Ridda Wars and the Sacking of Mecca, there wasn't any big army crossing the Ad-Dahna to get to Najd/Hejaz. They would either go from Iraq or be an army too small to be taken seriously in EUIV. From this alone, I wouldn't hold such events as historical proof that the Ad-Dahna should be an open province, on the contrary.

Unfortunately, I admit I did not look into the invasion of Persia, so maybe there's something in there that makes it clear that a "big" enough army had the technology to cross the Ad-Dahna directly without detours. But for now, I'd say the evidence's against it.

Note that this is about historicity here, not gameplay. The latter makes things even more complicated. Take @Mattymooz's map as an example. There's a full province connecting the Najd with Bahrain, cool. What happens if I put a fort there? You force a ZoC over eastern Subay, northern Hanifa and Khalid's capital.

Like. A fort in a desert string that's known to be an erg, in which tales of crossing it go as far as including miracles to glorify a Muslim warrior crossing it? Such fort being strong enough to enforce movement restriction in two different areas? Ad-Dahna being a choke point in Arabia? I'm sorry Mattymooz, I'm not calling you out or anything, it looks cool as hell and I'd love playing in such Arabia, but I don't think this be acceptable in gameplay terms. And this is before even accounting for the 1444 setup, in which Hanifa/Khalid AIs would be able to attack each other easily crossing this province with their 5-7k armies (which would get worse as time went by, with cannons and doomstacks merrily crossing it).

At best, the Ad-Dahna could be an empty province with some "quasi-Wasteland" modifier, which greatly reduces supply limit and army movement (which is actually a good idea nonetheless to use in other problematic areas lol). I'd still rather not to, however, specially because of that fort issue which would only be solved by opening yet another route connecting both areas, which would make the whole redrawing pointless lol. This redrawing really has this Ad-Dahna wasteland as its cornerstone, due to how much it changes the AI's focuses and conquest sprees.


EDIT-- Also, for reference, I'm quoting the one person who inspired me to make this thread:

As others have pointed out, the lack of connection between inner Arabia and Bahrain/Oman is very deliberate for two main reasons.

1. The first is geographic. Coastal Eastern Arabia is seperated from the rest of the subcontinent by Saudi Arabia's 3 great deserts, the Rub' Al Khali in the south, the An Nefud in the north, and the long strip of burning sand which joins the two called the Ad-Dhana. Deserts come in a lot of shapes and sizes, not all of them are just scorching expanses of nothingness - most of the subcontinent is desert, yeah, but its the kind of desert with dirt, rock, grass, some water, trees - things needed for any sort of ecosystem. The 3 great deserts have none of those things, they're 'ergs'. Ergs are literally just sand. Nothing else. Its incredibly difficult for even a caravan to pass through them let alone an army! Portugal and Britain controlled the eastern coast throughout the time period but never managed to extend their influence into the interior - those 3 ergs is pretty much why. Additionally, a large mountain range (the Twaik range) separates Ahsaa from the rest of the peninsula. The combination of these ergs and the mountains make it pretttyy much impossible to cross the peninsula with a large force for most of the games period.

2. The second is for gameplay. Oman, Bahrain, Portugal and the UK all had bases along the east coast, they were powerful states which dwarfed the tiny tribes of the interior but didn't project their power inside, they looked outward. India, Persia and Africa all became targets for these big maritime empires and ingame that's what we should be pushing them towards. The Arabian coast is a great stop-off for anyone looking to colonise the East and controlling the Aden node is pretty useful for anyone trying to get their trade back to Europe. Therefore a colonial power, native or otherwise, can dominate Eastern Arabia without being politically involved with the interior at all. It makes it way harder to control the interior, right now whoever controls Iraq ends up pushing into Arabia and vassalizing everyone, or Ahsaa goes crazy and annexes half the peninsula - this makes no sense! The 2 colonisable provinces in the modern day UAE mean a colonial power like the UK or Portugal doesn't need to do a no-CB war against Oman or Yemen just to control the Aden node but can colonise the areas they historically did and not end up owning the whole peninsula. I for one don't want to see a huge Portuguese Arabia - this version limits the Europeans to little bases on the east coast just like in reality!

 

[mattd_]

I dunno, I feel like there should be a connection there but putting a fort there would be an issue. However, I'm not sure that issue is big enough to warrant making the Arabian peninsular so awkward to move around. I guess the way I have it set up highlights the importance of the Riyadh area? I'm not sure.

I personally think the geopolitical reason isn't that big of a reason. Yes OK the 2 halfs of arabia didn't really fight but that doesn't mean they couldn't. If this is supposed to be an alt history set up then in theory they could fight early if thats the way the AI plays.

The bigger issue in my observe runthroughs I have done is that the mamluks just conquor everything after integrating Mecca, even if the Ottomans have taken like the whole of the levant. I think the way to get around this may be to make Mecca into a March (so it can't be integrated as easily) but I have no idea if that is historically accurate or not?

 

[Zerodv]

I mean ok there wasn´t a big army but there wasn´t any big army going trough Siberia either, or some parts of the Steppes, yet we don´t have wastelands there either.

How did they move their army there then? Going all they way through the Syrian desert? But isn´t that still a desert? Or going through Yemen and Oman´s coast? That doesn´t seem convenient either.

 

[FleetingRain]

I dunno, I feel like there should be a connection there but putting a fort there would be an issue. However, I'm not sure that issue is big enough to warrant making the Arabian peninsular so awkward to move around. I guess the way I have it set up highlights the importance of the Riyadh area? I'm not sure.

I personally think the geopolitical reason isn't that big of a reason. Yes OK the 2 halfs of arabia didn't really fight but that doesn't mean they couldn't. If this is supposed to be an alt history set up then in theory they could fight early if thats the way the AI plays.

Well, that's an important point. I'm basing on historicity and gameplay, but gameplay itself could favor your approach. I do believe, however, that separating both halves is the best way for Arabian AIs.

The bigger issue in my observe runthroughs I have done is that the mamluks just conquor everything after integrating Mecca, even if the Ottomans have taken like the whole of the levant. I think the way to get around this may be to make Mecca into a March (so it can't be integrated as easily) but I have no idea if that is historically accurate or not?

Yeah, the best solution would Mecca be an unnexable subject. Problem is that we only have Marches (doesn't match) and Tributaries (Mamluks can't demand it) right now. Either we get a new subject type (Sharifate?) for Mecca, or some awkward solution like making them a historical Tributary even without Mamluks being able to demand so (they can't demand but it can be given by history files and events).

I mean ok there wasn´t a big army but there wasn´t any big army going trough Siberia either, or some parts of the Steppes, yet we don´t have wastelands there either.

How did they move their army there then? Going all they way through the Syrian desert? But isn´t that still a desert? Or going through Yemen and Oman´s coast? That doesn´t seem convenient either.

From the looks of it, they either were small armies which didn't even see much fighting, or they went through Iraq. If we go by the caravan routes, it would be more plausible to open a 2-3-province route between Subay and Baghdad, even.

And the difference between Siberia and Ad-Dahna imo is that colonization happened in the whole of Siberia, while the Ad-Dahna remained uncontested for centuries. People really didn't bother crossing it unless it was urgent or the like. Even the Nefud/Syrian steppe seems less harsh than the Ad-Dahna, as there was even a pilgrim caravan going through it.

 

[Zerodv]

From the looks of it, they either were small armies which didn't even see much fighting, or they went through Iraq. If we go by the caravan routes, it would be more plausible to open a 2-3-province route between Subay and Baghdad, even.

And the difference between Siberia and Ad-Dahna imo is that colonization happened in the whole of Siberia, while the Ad-Dahna remained uncontested for centuries. People really didn't bother crossing it unless it was urgent or the like. Even the Nefud/Syrian steppe seems less harsh than the Ad-Dahna, as there was even a pilgrim caravan going through it.

What do you mean by "went through" Iraq? Did they go all the way up to Jordan, Syrian and then through the Euphrates? That seems awfully inconvenient, plus I´m quite sure the Arabs didn´t invade Persia like this.

 

[FleetingRain]

What do you mean by "went through" Iraq? Did they go all the way up to Jordan, Syrian and then through the Euphrates? That seems awfully inconvenient, plus I´m quite sure the Arabs didn´t invade Persia like this.

No, I mean that they went from Madinah to Iraq crossing the Nefud, and would get to Bahrain from Iraq.

 

[Zerodv]

Oh I think I understand what you mean, but I guess I´d need a map with the deserts to visualize that better.

So you would make it so you can reach South Iraq from Najd?

 

[FleetingRain]

Oh I think I understand what you mean, but I guess I´d need a map with the deserts to visualize that better.

So you would make it so you can reach South Iraq from Najd?

This is what I have in mind right now, yeah. I'll just read to find a source about the exact Iraq-Mecca pilgrimage route to make the provinces.

Another idea too is to give the four Nefud non-wasteland provinces (the ones connecting South Iraq and Najd; Al-Rutbah; Al-Jouf) a province modifier called "Unhospitable Ergs", with harsh negative modifiers on development, supply limit, attrition, defensiveness and movement speed. The way the game's made means provinces are "binary", that is, either it's a full province or it isn't; you can't have a "semi-wasteland" or whatever. Those modifiers would make such provinces terrible, but still provinces that can be crossed and used for escaping or maneouvering or putting a desperate fort etc. The concept itself could be expanded into other wastelands, to open them here and there in places where passage was precarious but still possible (that corridor in the Rocky Mountains wasteland comes to mind).

 

[Trin Tragula]

The David rumsey map collection have plenty of period maps that show the pilgrimage routes if that's what you need. If this region is ever revisited I would likely lean on those maps for a whole bunch of things (they are way later than the start date but I cannot see the caravan routes changing much before the age of rail or oil).

 

[FleetingRain]

The David rumsey map collection have plenty of period maps that show the pilgrimage routes if that's what you need. If this region is ever revisited I would likely lean on those maps for a whole bunch of things (they are way later than the start date but I cannot see the caravan routes changing much before the age of rail or oil).

I actually already may have decided the name of the two provinces I want crossing the Nefud but I'll absolutely take a look at the collection (which I didn't even know existed lol).