An earlier discovery of ski warfare?

[GauchoBadger]

Someone mentioned skiing for military purposes in one recent thread, so...
IOTL, the first recorded usage of ski boards for military purposes is from 13th century Scandinavia. Some also state that, during the Gothic War of the 6th century, a few of the Germanic tribes who invaded Italy used skis to cross the Alps. But, mostly, it seems like skiing only became widespread in the more snowy and mountainous regions of Europe during the age of gunpowder.
But what if skiing, mainly for practical purposes, had been discovered in Antiquity? Mainly, around the 2nd or 1st centuries BCE.
Who would most profit from this invention, and where?
Could the Germanic barbarians have more ease in traversing the Alps to attack Italy? Or would the Romans benefit from it more?
Could the Armenian kingdom end up possessing a better advantage in communication?
If this invetion spreads to the Orient, then what are the effects on Tibet, Xinjiang, northern India, etc?
Any other ideas?

 

[Aurantiacis]

I don't know much about skiing as a whole, but I would think it would be pretty obvious to say that the Orient won't be troubled much. The humid climate would probably stop the skiing aerodynamics.

 

[GauchoBadger]

I don't know much about skiing as a whole, but I would think it would be pretty obvious to say that the Orient won't be troubled much. The humid climate would probably stop the skiing aerodynamics.

Tibet and the Central Asian mountain chains aren't that humid, if i'm not mistaken.

 

[PuffyClouds]

planes in the 13th centu...r...y... no I read this wrong

 

[GauchoBadger]

Bumping for interest.

 

[Dargonaut]

Well there are many limitations that hold the skis back like that fact that they don't move well in fresh snow and the fact that melee doesn't mesh well with skis. I guess there could be Mongol style ski archers but retreat could be difficult.

 

[Alex Zetsu]

Well there are many limitations that hold the skis back like that fact that they don't move well in fresh snow and the fact that melee doesn't mesh well with skis.

Skis could be used as a way to move stuff. That means more men and horses fighting and less men hauling stuff. Obviously this only applies if you plan to win the battle and don't need a speedly retreat...

 

[FillyofDelphi]

Skis could be used as a way to move stuff. That means more men and horses fighting and less men hauling stuff. Obviously this only applies if you plan to win the battle and don't need a speedly retreat...

So... supply sleds, not skis. Carrying too much weight kind of makes it hard for human-sized skis to do their job

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

Someone mentioned skiing for military purposes in one recent thread, so...
IOTL, the first recorded usage of ski boards for military purposes is from 13th century Scandinavia. Some also state that, during the Gothic War of the 6th century, a few of the Germanic tribes who invaded Italy used skis to cross the Alps. But, mostly, it seems like skiing only became widespread in the more snowy and mountainous regions of Europe during the age of gunpowder.
But what if skiing, mainly for practical purposes, had been discovered in Antiquity? Mainly, around the 2nd or 1st centuries BCE.
Who would most profit from this invention, and where?
Could the Germanic barbarians have more ease in traversing the Alps to attack Italy? Or would the Romans benefit from it more?
Could the Armenian kingdom end up possessing a better advantage in communication?
If this invetion spreads to the Orient, then what are the effects on Tibet, Xinjiang, northern India, etc?
Any other ideas?

Well, personally, I suspect they DID exist, we just don't have records.

Basically, you have to be pretty far north for skis to be reliably useful. So, no it's not going to help the Romans, quite the contrary if they get far enough north to face skiing tribes.

As for the Alps, no.

Skis suck at going uphill, which is what you have to do in hilly, let alone mountainous country. And if you stay in the valleys, does the snow last long enough to be worthwhile?

Also, modern ski waxes with different compositions make cross country skiing as fun possible.