Stakes query

[pbrandon]

Except there is no post-deployment dismounting in FoG.

[rogerg]

The FoG design eliminates a lot of complexity. There are only two factor to deal with when considering stakes:
1) The archers getting the stakes emplaced in time.
2) The mounted having trouble when fighting across them, however they manage to achieve it.

1) This is dealt with by a CMT. The task is performed more efficiently by drilled high quality troops with commanders present than by undrilled low quality troops left to their own devices.
2) In the knight lancers versus longbow situation the knights go from being PoA ++ to being a PoA - in the impact and then from a PoA+ to no advantage in the melee. If you want to consider this including the knights dismounting and getting through on foot you can.

Both factors related to stakes are dealt with. No extra rules are required. This is excellent top down design. It ignores the actual mechanics and concentrates on getting the correct outcome without additional burdens on the 'operators'.

[Claudius]

Thank you Warrior/rogerc for the clarifications.
Cheers

[paulbgau]

I'm somewhat confused after reading this thread.

Costs of stakes

3 points ber element in the BG is what I had assumed, the starter armies are also pointed this way.

The thread talks of 3 points for each 2 elements

Stakes and terrain

I can see nowhere in the rules that say that portable defences negate 'open terrain'.
So in impact
Knights + for lance, + against MF
Bows + for stakes (defending field fortification)

In Melee
Knights + for Swordsmen, + for better armour
Bows + for stakes

In both cases Knights are POA +


Or am I totally in left field ?

[peterrjohnston]

Which reminds me, someone here in Italy asked me. Do you have to declare troops as having stakes? I assumed yes, but best to check.

[paulbgau]

All

Sorry

In Melee
Knights + for better armour
Bows + for stakes


Bowmen are also Swordsmen

[NicktheLemming]

I'm somewhat confused after reading this thread.

Costs of stakes

3 points ber element in the BG is what I had assumed, the starter armies are also pointed this way.

The thread talks of 3 points for each 2 elements

Longbow get 1 set of stakes per 2 bases of longbow, not one for each base. If you look at the main list that that the stater army is based on, it tells you this. See also p/ 121 in the main rules: "Enough are carried to cover the front of the battle group when it is 2 bases deep."

Stakes and terrain

I can see nowhere in the rules that say that portable defences negate 'open terrain'.
So in impact
Knights + for lance, + against MF
Bows + for stakes (defending field fortification)

In Melee
Knights + for Swordsmen, + for better armour
Bows + for stakes

In both cases Knights are POA +

See p. 135, definition of Open Terrain: "POAs and Cohesion Test modifiers only applying "in open terrain" do not count...If attacking or defending fortifications or a riverbank." PDs (stakes) count as fortifications (see p. 121 again).

[nikgaukroger]

Which reminds me, someone here in Italy asked me. Do you have to declare troops as having stakes? I assumed yes, but best to check.

If you have to fully define the troops placed then yes.