Hun, Alan, Avar, and other Steppe Nomad Movements

[Flavivs Aetivs]

The Kidarites weren't Huns, they were Gok-Turks. There was only one group of Huns, albeit some remaining ones probably got absorbed by the Hepthaltites. The concept of 4 Hunnic groups (Black, White, Red, and Yellow) was a later application to the whole of Steppe nomads.

Eastern Alans also practiced cranial deformation and tools and weapons can pass on to different cultures through trade and war.

Very true, but I believe he also says they had Altaic skull features.

As for the Huns, it's about ethnogenesis. Only beginning in the Mid 3rd century you begin to see the first Hunnic group form, but prior to that there aren't any: they were there, but they were controlled by Alan overlords (like Barbarian Cantons and Gasinders).

By the year 300 there are two Sarmatian and two Hunnic groups on the Don (all, evidently, related): the Itimari and Rhobasci/Boisci, and the Alpilcuri and Tonguri, respectively. 350 saw these groups being pushed west due to nomad pressure and drought. To move West, they had to be able to defeat their Alan neighbors, who were better organized and used armored cavalry.

The Hun advantage was their bow. It had 3 additional lathes in the handle, while the Sarmatian bow only had 4 lathes (2 on either horn). This stiffened the bow, gave it a better recurve effect, and made it far more powerful.