Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[Ewan McNay]

> From: sscott04@...
> The first was against Knights of Saint John (Mark S.
> and Bill C.) with us having Romanian Franks. My command, the
> hammer, was unreliable and under forced wait orders. The
> quickest way to get rid of this situation is to be shot for 2
> cpf (if cav) and charge. My target was a venetian XB unit

OK: I would not have sent my knights to get shot up and charge across
brush, but rather changed my order . Sill, assuming that we're in
this situation...

<snip> I would (I think, from your description) not have sent in the
CinC; it sounds as though you are trying to reinforce weakness, rarely
the best plan. The fact that it's the CinC is of small but limited
relevance, as he'll cause extra wavers, but the same decision would be
made regardless.

> The second part of the question was advancing the
> CinC into harms way. Again in teams this time playing French
> with the Oriflame. The first game the general with the
> peasent command went unreliable and forced wait, so we eneded
> up promting the peasents (Ir D, JLS in first two ranks, IPW
> the second two ranks I think) to charge, and they shook and
> got eaten. So we then put them under the CinC to make sure

I guess again I do not understand why you would not change the order
here. Or are you finding that you don't have time to do this?

> against Indians (Gupta?- Tim B. and Ambrose). The peasents
> lined up on elephants (with one or two of the four peasent
> units also near chariots- under 7th these were two causes of
> unease and not just one). I thought we should toss the
> Oriflame (CinC, Ir) forward to get at least so of the
> peasents charging impetuoesly. Of course the down side if

I agree here. It sounds as though your battle plan is essentialy hosed,
and you have a small chance to get out of it, so send the CinC forward.
if the peasants all die, you've lost anyway.

> From: <spocksleftball@...>
> Subject: Samurai resurfacing
>
> I have some cash in my hot little hand. I've been saddened by the incredible
weakness of hoplite armies (that actually contain hoplites), and the byzantines
just won't fight well at 1200pt. I don't want El, I don't want SHK, and I don't
want chariots. So in casting around I once again find myself eying the later
Samurai army. Skirmishing LHI look good, but everyone is sheildless so I have
to get into HTH or get tired fast. The weakness is ashigaru who are
non-skirmishing LMI and thus taking it on the chin at +5 against shooting bows.
Obviously I want a table frull of brush to avoid vs mounted wavers, and I
certainly want a limited number of shieldless HC. How do the experts feel about
running such a force? Can't it maintain itself long enough to succeed?

I think that this would be more fun for you than hoplites. Maybe not
much more successful, but fun . Yes, the ashigaru totally suck, and
are best deployed in an ambush you hope is never sprung, or on a flank
march.

But I have mulled Samurai many times. I'm not sure that you want brush
- you will want to close as fast as possible, so avoid being slowed.
With IrrA/IrrB troops, taking the odd waver is not a huge deal, and
you're unlikely to be in skirmish against mounted opps anyway.