Doug Centurion

Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 1412
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Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2002 10:34 pm Post subject: Frontage & Command Control [was Contracting 10E to 5E] |
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Jon made a good point about never seeing a group of "regular" troops
as large as 1800-3800 men having the relatively small amount of
"command control capability" represented by paying "regular unit
points" for a single unit in Warrior.
OTOH, Ed makes a good point about the nature of an "irregular" group
of the same size-- they are a composite of sub groups with enough
leaders in each sub group to move them around slowly in a long line,
under the somewhat vague directions of an agreed-upon overall leader
sending runners and/or making signals.
Perhaps a solution to this issue might be to allow Regular units of
certain large frontages or in/deploying into formations of a
specified unwieldy nature to do so BUT be required to use the rules
for maneuver as if they were Irregular troops.
This would allow the use of the very long, one-deep line of pikemen
which one member thought he recollects in a historical Seleucid
battle. This might have occured, and getting INTO it probably would
have been much easier than getting OUT of it, since the ratio of
frontage to file-closers would be so large.
But there might be 'gamesmanship' issues known to the designers which
preclude the utility of allowing for unusual formations of Regulars.
Beyond the scope of Warrior, this is a whole game-design issue. One
could design rules around the concept that the efficiency of movement
and maneuver is proportional to how far away the unit frontage is
from its design limits. More officers/file closers allow wider units
to be efficient. You could pay a Command Point for each element
width allowed before penalties accrue. A surchage of X Command
points would allow more 'extra' maneuver in one turn.
Hmmm... that could be an interesting DBM variant using fixed units.
Instead of paying for a General, work it out to pay army points as
outlined above. PIPs would be spent on ording a Unit to act; and it
must act within the limits of the points paid for its maneuver
capabilities.
--
Doug
The price of freedom is infernal vigilantes
"The tyranny of the legislatures is the most formidable dread at
present, and will be for long years. That of the executive will come
in it's turn, but it will be at a remote period." James Madison, 15
March 1798 (_Papers of J.M._ vol 12, p.14; LC call no. JK.111.M24)
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