ancient LF of Choice: Javs, Bows, or Slings??

[Blathergut]

Was curious if souls out there had preferences and why.

What LF do you like to use in front of HF or MF? How do you like to use them?

I've been puttering with two 6-paks of slings directly in front of two Spanish BG of 10 ea MF...but do you prefer javs for that extra bit of punch when fighting other LF?...

Dan T.

[GKChesterton1976]

I dont like to put LF in front of my HF at all - it just slows down he HF getting into action!

I do like Slingers - but that was after a particularly lucky roll from my Thematic Byzantine Staff Slingers in one of my early games against Early Spanish where I actually dropped an opponent LH a cohesion level with just 4 bases of shooting and took a base off him!

Adrian

[SirGarnet]

Bows cost more - if all you are doing is trying to screen or keep the enemy from second moving then cheap works. Bows and slings on the flanks where they can shoot, javelins are fine in the middle.

In our last Punic Wars matchup there were some 4-base Velites who went out to engage 6 Numidian LH that had been sent forward to slow the battle line's advance. If stuck in melee with the Velities, the Numidians might have been struck on their overlapping base by some Superior legionaries, but the Velites were too proud to become disrupted. The Numidians either evaded or broke off successfully turn after turn and were successful in keeping the legionaries from moving a full 6 MU. This plan might have gone better with weaker light foot.

[flameberge]

I dont like to put LF in front of my HF at all - it just slows down he HF getting into action!
Adrian

How? HF can interpenetrate with the LF and so can charge right through them, or am I missing something?

As to the original question I guess it depends. Javelins troops are good for fighting other skirmishers and for possible melee uses after they are done screening the main advance while foot bows provide a good deal of range that can help chase away annoying horse archers that want to pester your Battle Line. I guess I might use slings if I want better range than javelins but can't seem to be able to squeeze the couple of extra points that bows cost.

[Jason_Langlois]

pg 47 "No interpentrations are permitted when charging."

Of course, the LF can interpentrate on an evade to get out of the way the turn before you charge the HF forward.

Also, Javelins are good against Elephants.

[sagji]

My preference is slingers.
Bow has a range advantage - but at 1D/3 at long range you don't get much benefit from it.
Javelin only gives a bonus at impact so gives only a small advantage in the close combat - Roman Velites are much better because they are protected. Also the short range makes it risky to use them unsuported.

[MarkSieber]

Light foot can pass through any troops in any direction [p. 48] but not vice versa: the only troop type MF & HF can interpenetrate is artillery, perpendicularly.
Shock foot who are charging without orders might burst through screening LF, but only if failing a CMT not to; they can't charge through voluntarily [p. 58.]
The upshot is that the LF must pull back through the BG's they're screening--voluntarily or by evading--before those BG's can charge.
IIRC, there was discussion in another part of the board about melee between opposing, screening skirmishers taking a long time and preventing the main lines from closing.

[Probert]

Instinctively I prefer bows, as they seem like they are more dangerous.

As a practical matter - using the game rules, and not my instincts - I prefer javelins.

[nikgaukroger]

I generally like Slingers - as has been mentioned the long range shooting from bows doesn't usually achieve much. I got great value from 2 8 base BGs of Poor quality slingers at the Challenge - mind you I was a bit lucky with the rerolls when I usually got hits anyway

[gavin]

What ever is cheapest as I tend to use them to just get in the way of the enemy BGs and there fore make it more difficult for the opponent.

Don't really see them as effective killers, so I leave that job to the HF and Elephants.

[Agesilaus]

For Spartans I have found a cheap unit of 8 bases of Poor Javelinemen good value. I prefer to spend extra points on decent MF for rough terrain.