Slitherine

How many bases of Bow does an army need in FoG to be considered a true Bowmeister ?

Scrumpy wrote:How many bases of Bow does an army need in FoG to be considered a true Bowmeister ?

I would say a minimum of 32 bases at 800 points and probably more.

Also do you think you can make a bowmeister out of unprotected undrilled Average bow.

Or do you really need something like Longbows, firearms or superior shooters to be part of the deal?

hazelbark wrote:Also do you think you can make a bowmeister out of unprotected undrilled Average bow.

Or do you really need something like Longbows, firearms or superior shooters to be part of the deal?

Not sure about that one.

I quite fancy undrilled unprotected averavge bow swordsmen with lots of elephants in support.

Given the choice I think unprotected undrilled superior bow are probably the best value for the points in a bowmeister army.

Looking at the costs:
Average Drilled Protected Longbow Swordsmen - 9
Superior Undrilled Unprotected Bow - 6
Average Undrilled Unprotected Bow Swordsmen - 6
Average Undrilled Protected Bow - 6
Average Undrilled Unprotected Bow - 5

The extra point for superior is very good value. Protected seems to not be that much use for massed bow. Swordsman is nice especially as the support troops you get with them are quite handy.

hammy wrote:I quite fancy undrilled unprotected averavge bow swordsmen with lots of elephants in support.

I think this is a mistake. I think the Protected, bow, no swordsmen option is better. In many cases the close combat POAs will be the same either way, in a few cases the swordsmen will be better, but what use is a Bowmeister army that can't win a shoot out?

We shot Craig's Indians (unprotected, average, bow, swordsmen) to pieces with Kushan light horse at Burton.

rbodleyscott wrote:

hammy wrote:I quite fancy undrilled unprotected averavge bow swordsmen with lots of elephants in support.

I think this is a mistake. I think the Protected, bow, no swordsmen option is better. In many cases the close combat POAs will be the same either way, in a few cases the swordsmen will be better, but what use is a Bowmeister army that can't win a shoot out?

We shot Craig's Indians (unprotected, average, bow, swordsmen) to pieces with Kushan light horse at Burton.

The way I look at it is that with a solid line of bow I am willing to take 4 dice at + on a BG of bow. If you have an IC you are unlikely to suffer too badly from shooting and will deal a decent amount of pain to enemy light troops.

When I used Classical Indian against shooty cavalry they performed admirably.

My feeling is that with protected bow you are unlikely to get enemy skirmishers trying to engage you and you really want to have the opportunity to shoot some of them away. Protected is normally a waste of space in close combat so it really only helps deter enemy skirmishers.

Having used Classical Indians before I found they rarely worked, more me than them I expect. Is it still the theory that the drilled version is the only one worth trying ?

Cheers

Not sure, but if the Normans are allowed Welsh as an Ally, Undrilled Longbows, Unprotected, Swords might just be your answer in shedloads

My 28mm Welsh army is bowlicious. THe effect of banks of bow on a Pike army at challenge last year makes me smile even now. I think if a horse bow army outshoots you then you are not sending in enough bow!

To the Pikeys you are indeed a blackheart !