Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[John Murphy]

Here is how I would do these for a real open competition. Who knows
this could even be my NICT list (naahhh). This is not my "fun" list -
although I think that one is also reasonable - but this one is a bit
more balanced for open competition. Hope I added everything up
correctly.

Later Polish, Late Period 1454-1510
17 units @ 1,602 points, 95 scouting points
1x CinC 2E Reg A/C SHK/HK L,Sh (PA std) @ 208
1x Sub 2E Reg A/C SHK/HK L,Sh (P std) @ 138
4x 2E Irr B/C SHK/HK L,Sh @ 109
1x 6E Irr C LC CB @ 73
2x 4E Irr C HI/MI 2HCT,Sh/JLS,Sh @ 97
1x 10E Irr C LI B,Sh @ 85
2x 4E Irr B LC L,JLS,Sh @ 89
1x 6E Irr C LC JLS,B,Sh/B @ 91
3x 2E Reg C LC JLS,B,Sh/B @ 42
1x 4E Irr C LC L,Sh @ 73

A bit of excuses for the way I do these...

First off I think C class HK is fine for a rear rank, even for the
generals. Best bang for the buck. Admittedly, however, this is not to
everyone's taste. But for me there are too many other goodies in this
army I want to spend the extra points to upgrade the back rankers to
B class EHK.

Two Reg generals and 4 Irreg knights is 6 SHK units - I agree with
Frank (to my credit!) this is about right for open competition
although this starts to become less of a rush across the table and
charge the first enemy kind of army.

I took all 3 L-armed LC units you can get in the late sub-period.
They can clear smaller LI units and beat up on most LC except the
dreaded 1.5-rank JLS types (anyone get _those_ with SHK), break-
through against larger LI setting them up for other LC to follow-on.
Otherwise they do all the stuff every LC unit does - pin and screen.

The 6E missile-suckers are the LC CB and the very-optimized Cumans.
These function as "shooters to front" drawing enemy missile fire away
from the knights and "pseudo-Brigans". If the LC CB can ever get into
skirmish they will be effective shooters, but at least they can
fulfill a role this way instead of being a waste of 41 points at 2E.

To afford all this (more on the foot below) I had to drop one of the
four Tartars. That is okay. Four is nice but three will do with the
balance of the remainder of the army. I like these as all Reg C with
all the goodies so they can make flank charges after moving into any
gaps. They will not do a lot of damage but will be a cause of unease
and cancel/prevent counter-charges. If they get a chance, but I
prefer to leave that as a possibility. Plus they can be follow-up
finishers or additions against LI broken through by the L-armed LC. A
lot of uses.

That brings up the foot. I like the two "pseudo-Brigans". With "only"
6 SHK it gives something to use against pike blocks to get them
disordered for a SHK finisher, and it provides a good elephant
counter. Against other foot it is additional shock power to
supplement the knights. And this army has plenty of mobile missile
capability to stop them from getting shot up in prep with no Pa.

In an army with all this LC and anti-light capability I think the
close order foot is more likely to get into action than in some other
armies with a dearth of real light troops.

Finally, I keep the LI Irregular. First, I expect the list weirdness
to be cleared up and do not to change this list after that happens,
but even as-is the army has plenty of other light units and number of
units is not the benefit here - the bulk is needed to give them some
staying power. And as a 10E unit it is cheaper to make them Irregs
anyway. If they have to pass a waver better to be Irr C than Reg D. I
do not see them as a maneuver unit really - just a screen thrown out
for me to charge through or around or to keep something away that I
do not want to fight.

I'd almost be tempted to add some HG as Reg LHI. But I can't really
think of what they can do that this list can not already handle, and
I don't want to drop anything off to afford them.

I still like my list with the 2 more SHK units and the 4th Tartars
instead of the HI/MI and the Serbs. But this list plays at a less
hectic pace and gives a better open competition balance.

The item sorely missing versus Frank's list is really the
concentrated 4/stand firepower. I'm okay with that here because the
function of shooting here is more to neutralize enemy shooting in
preperation for a shock attack rather than to disorder or waver
someone, although that would be nice. The fact the firepower is
mounted in this list versus afoot in Frank's is good and bad. This
list moves its firepower quicker, but his Reg LMI keeps up with SHK
just as well as my LC does. On the other hand my firepower is going
to become disordered around elephants or camels and his is not. THat
is one area that could prove a bit tricky to manage. But remember the
idea is still just to pull off enemy shooters so the -2 is not as big
a deal as the reduced counter and rally ability.