joncleaves Moderator


Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 16447
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Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2001 5:09 pm Post subject: Mixed Wpn Cav in Warrior Lists |
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Ok, got it.
The issue of units of Warrior cav listed as having front rank lance only and
back rank bow only (in whatever list they are found, Byzantine or otherwise)
is an issue near and dear to my heart. I know why some list writers have
chosen to represent what they have seen on some images of ancient warriors
(frescoes, columns, pottery, etc.) as 'front rank of lead figures L, back
rank of lead figures B'. I just don't agree with them.
Note, first, that ranks of lead figures and ranks of troops in a real unit
are NOT the same thing. Warrior (and WRG before it) uses ranks of lead
figures to give the FEEL of how much of an impact a unit's mass would have in
real life. This is a mechanic for effect, not a mechanic for simulation. If
it were a mechanic for simulation, we would never count figures not in the
first row of elements as the second row of elements is four men or horse back
from the 'front' and no hand-to-hand weapon reaches that far. We'd have to
solve the problem of combat power differentiation some other way. We are not
going to do that.
Therefore, cavalry that was armed some with bow and some with lance might be
given all L and back B or half and half or all L and all B based on how the
unit should do against other units based on what we know of its history and
NOT based on how many guys on the fresco had one weapon and how many guys had
the other. If Byz cav had both weapons in its formation AND was effective in
hand-to-hand, we might give the body all L and half B EVEN THOUGH there is no
pottery shard showing a byz cavalryman of that era having both. This is
because:
1. Figures fighting in Warrior is an effect mechanic
2. The evidence of who this cavalry beat in real life is stronger and more
important than our belief that the pottery maker got everyone armed right in
the right proportion at the right time (maybe on parade byz cavalrymen
displayed one or the other for simplicity and the pottery maker reflected a
parade in his work).
The jury is out on how we arm these figures in our lists. Nothing has been
decided. Debate away! Just frame your debate according to the concepts that:
1. Figures fighting is an EFFECT, not an EXACT SIMULATION OF REALITY.
2. 1.5 rank L is final as a BASE (as opposed to list) rule.
3. Unsupported statements have relatively little weight. And that is being
diplomatic.
Jon
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