4 Pak drilled MF bows in those Roman Swarms

[Blathergut]

I've noticed that some of you are running little 4 paks of drilled MF bows...usually protected...in your Roman swarmish armies. Just wondered as to:

1) Expectations of these little BGs?
2) Ever run them unprotected?
3) Successes/failures with them?
4) Any particular way you position them in the deployment/line?

Dan T.

[expendablecinc]

I dont have a dom rom army but like take 4packs often
- MF Xbow in my latin greek army (catalan ally)
- kushite Bow in the neo assyrian list

Bow is only really good when concentrated and having these guys at the end of a long line or inbetween larger BGs is best for them.

They cant do much on thier own but are great at adding 3 more shooting dice to an existing shootout.

From these positions they are also in a fine place for possible flank charges or to angle in to provide rear support for larger average battlegroups.

[domblas]

I've noticed that some of you are running little 4 paks of drilled MF bows...usually protected...in your Roman swarmish armies. Just wondered as to:

1) Expectations of these little BGs?
2) Ever run them unprotected?
3) Successes/failures with them?
4) Any particular way you position them in the deployment/line?

Dan T.

they are good to push skirmishers in terrain on ur flanks
they can turn and flank charge easily
they get 3 dices when shooting and can be superior
they are not easy to charge as they have 3 dices

last time i played dom rom, they broke a pique phalanx: disrupted it at shooting, won the impact fragmented it, won the close combat. yummmmy

[benos]

arrghhh : Dice is a plural, not dices !!! (ok english rage over )

I think the manoverability is the big factor.
the only time i would thik about unprotected would be to provide rear support only, and there are other options for that in the list, unless you have a lot of front line superiors

Ben

[madaxeman]

I always take them as unprotected Superior - they will get butchered in any sort of serious shooting match anyway, and without hand weapons are dogmeat in melee so why waste the points on protection, just rely on Superiority (and a generals umbrella) to pass the inevitable waver tests?

They hide between blobs of armoured foot and drive off skirmishers and LH, as well as causing problems for enemy mounted who may otherwise attack your auxilia with impunity.

[pcelella]

Hmmm...I'll have to try them as unprotected since I usually go with them as protected, Superior.

Don't forget that a 4 stand group in two rows also gets 2 dice for support shooting in the impact phase, against both foot and mounted chargers - something that I did unfortunately forget in my last game (grrrr!).

And these troops, in most games, have been my best guys getting in on a flank - my opponents are usually more concerned with the armored Auxilia and sometimes overlook the bowmen.

Peter C

[timmy1]

Unprotected help you to remember that they are not melee troops...

[Xelee]

I'm no great FOG expert, but my Dominate list is either armoured, or it isn't.

Drilled MF Shooters are only really for flanks anyway so I'm relying on them to hit cohession and get theat one strike at ++/--.