Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[John Murphy]

It is slowly sinking in that for the earlier Byzantine armies in this
game the "support troop" skutatoi are actually the basic building blocks
of tactics while the kavallarioi are actually the real "support troops".
The regular heavy cavalry, even wholly or partially upgraded to EHC,
simply require solid foot troops to use as a missile screen around which
they can operate. Or something like that.

This post concerns, in particular, the use of a couple "typical"
Byzantine troop types (could be anything from Early Byzantines up
through Early Nikephorian Byzantines and might be valid for some of the
later armies as well). These would be the middling morale regular
"trash" that might make up a Byzantine field force out in the themes.
Yeah one could make all the lancers A/B class or EHC/HC or bow-armed (or
all three) in some lists but that would be both less universal across
lists and also use up enough points to make it difficult to have enough
foot. And the uber-lancers would, inevitably when I run them that way,
be sitting ducks out the open without foot support facing a bunch of SHK
or "mobile terrain" units.

So for sake of discussion, not necessarily the exact way I would play
these armies but let's assume the following.

Troop type #1

Skutatoi unit(s) of 4E Reg C 1/2 HI 1/2 MI LTS, JLS, D, Sh @ 122 pts
With detachment of 2E Reg C LMI B, Sh @ 37 pts

Troop type #2

Kavallarioi unit(s) of 2E Reg C HC L, Sh @ 70 pts
With detachment of 2E Reg C LC B, Sh @ 37 pts

Probably a bit more mounted units than foot units, but not too many more
just enough to provide sufficient un-tired charges and keep the gaps and
flanks covered. Also probably have a sub-general 2E unit somewhere
nearby to permit mass impetuous charges if really needed for some
reason.

The general concept would be to use the close order foot as a base
around everything else operates. They are deployed with gaps allowing
the mounted to move out and charge but preventing the opposition from
charging through against the mounted (or maybe even the loose foot). The
close order foot have good short-range missile fire (i.e. support
shooting or prep against something too cumbersome to get out of the way)
and are big enough units that with the help of the LTS they have a bit
of staying power.

The loose order foot would have a dual function depending on
circumstances. First, they can provide a skirmish screen against enemy
foot with a decent amount of firepower though they are only going to
slow down and harass real monster units ineffectively. Secondly, they
can simply combine with their parent units to provide a back rank for
the close order foot. This gives the close order foot even more missile
power, some of which (a small amount) now has a bit more range. It also
makes the unit a bit more weighty at 20 figs vice 16 for CPF
calculations.

Rules question hidden here - I no longer see in the rules (vs TOG) any
restriction per se on mixing orders in a unit or combined body like
this. Did I miss something?

The loose order mounted wait behind gaps in the close order foot where
they serve a couple functions. They make a threat against approaching
enemy loose order foot, or even some irregular close order, that their
own infantry is less capable of dealing with. They also might be
sacrificed against some high-value units simply to take the brunt of the
action off the more expensive close-order foot.

The open order mounted are used to screen really nasty stuff and
generally to give everyone else room to maneuver. These are also good in
a pinch for getting rid of enemy light foot - though there are better
alternatives in this troop mix for that problem. These I can't really
see a reason for combining into their parents except to allow the
parents to rally them and avoid forfeiting the 37 points. Probably not
very cost-effective though since it disorders the parents and more
importantly incurs all the fatigue suffered by the detachment, even if
the detachment subsequently detaches again.

For that reason it might be better to make the LC into 4E units for the
same points as 2E detachments. This saves the loose order from being
dragged out front on the first bound so their LC detachments can set up
boundaries for enemy march moves. Larger units also makes them more
effective in hand-to-hand against enemy light troops (though this is not
probably the best way to use them).

I don't know enough about using detachments yet to have a handle on
which is the better way to run them in this context.

Now that all that is described in gory detail, what do the Warrior elite
think about this as a tactical concept in a tournament game? It sounds
very similar on the surface to both the Seleucid mixed arms
pike/companion tactic as well as the more general use of lancers,
missile foot and light cavalry as a combined arms tactical element.

It does occur to me that a pike army is going to present some difficulty
against this approach since there is no HTW/2H-weapon or irregular foot
to use against them. Certainly the LC can screen them but I am not clear
on an idea for how to get over the hump from not losing to winning
against that kind of opponent.

And of course it goes without saying that theory and practice and two
different things especially to a less-experienced player.

- jm



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