Army
Egyptian Foot Soldiers:
The Egyptian New Kingdom army had a core of full-time soldiers distributed in peacetime among garrisons in Upper and Lower Egypt, Nubia and Asia. For large scale expeditions into Asia to fight Mitanni or the Hittites or to put down revolts, the pharaoh would conscript one in ten from the able-bodied of the temple communities to augment the standing army. Footsoldiers were grouped into companies of two hundred, consisting of twenty platoons, and companies into divisions of around five thousand men under the banner of their local god. Companies were commanded by captains who carried a staff topped with the company insignia; divisions were led by a general or lieutenant-general. The Infantry used javelins, stabbing daggers and short scimitars; but their armor was restricted to padded caps, elliptical raw-hide shields and triangular sporrans. Another conventional weapon of the Egyptian infantry was the average Egyptian mace powerful when swinging in battle.
Egyptian Battle Chariots:
Chariots, of light wicker-work, were valued more for speed than armament. The driver wore a helmet of leather or bronze and body armor; his companion was armed with a bow and arrows and javelins. Chariots were grouped in bodies of fifty under a major, with larger groupings under colonels or lieutenant-generals. With their light weight structure, Egyptian battle chariots could race into battle passing everyone behind them with a severe blow to the head or body, giving the Egyptian infantry the advantage.
Egyptian Archers:
The most feared Egyptian units were the archers, who used the powerful composite bow. They were grouped in battalions under their own commanders, or seconded to infantry units. Powerful composite bows could launch arrows into great distances with almost perfect accuracy. The Egyptian archer could hardly miss a shot, under the right training and equipment, Egyptian archers always knew how to find an edge.
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