Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[Harmon Ward]

What advantage does having shields in the second rank give to a unit?

[fourho]

I've moved this from it's original section since it's more appropriate for discussing here.

[Ewan McNay]

As long as they're in a second rank? None. [Well, ok, it might allow you to have a shielded left flank. But that's pretty minimal.]

If in a unit that plans to skirmish with a single-arm weapon (JLS, S, etc), then of course you get to stay shielded while in skirmish.

I think that's it.

[Frank Gilson]

You may also wish to have an infantry unit that loses drop the front rank through and expose a rank of fighting shielded troops.

This would be the case if you had 2HCW troops in the front rank, and JLS,Sh in the second rank and calculated that you needed to count shielded and had lost the first round of combat.

Finally, as far as I can tell, if you win and have loose or open order troops, you can expand and would perhaps want the expansion elements to have shields.

Frank

[Harmon Ward]

Thanks guys, you have helped clarify the situation. My War of the Roses army has a number of elements that can be partially shielded. Some of them, like the Reg C. EHI, 2HCT, Sh just need their shields long enough to approach through missile range. Paying the points for one rank of shields in that case seem like a real good idea, as it is an expensive unit and attracts a lot of attention as it advances. It can expand after it makes contact and then the lack of shield won't matter, as the 2HCT requires both hands.

[joncleaves]

Close order troops do not expand in combat.

Rear rank shields do not matter a whole lot in most cases so long as the unit stays in a two rank configuration. If it is needed to take up more space than "normal", it is at risk doing so without shields.