Slitherine

Ok its been awhile but I want this to be clear to me .
light spear foot get a + against everything unless charging shock mounted (is this correct?)
mounted light spear get a + if (THEY) have no other net poa's against any enemy ? (is this right)

reason I ask is I have seen it understood that both partys have no net poa

Spot on.

petedalby wrote:Spot on.

This had 'THEY' in capitals a presume its referring to positie poas only but my understanding if either you or the enemy have a poa the mtd Lt sp doent count. ie it only tips the scales in an even fight.

ok mounted HC armored with LS is charged by mounted HC armored with lance what are the poa's even ?

pyrrhus wrote:ok mounted HC armored with LS is charged by mounted HC armored with lance what are the poa's even ?

HC Lance gets +POA, HC LS not at evens before LS POA, so fights at -POA

HC, LS vs HC, LS - Both get LS POA so fight even.

HC, LS vs HC, Bow - Even before LS POA so HC, LS gets +POA, HC Bow gets - POA.

This assumes no circumstance POAs for these, e.g. no up hill POA.

Chris

i sometimes refer to mounted LS as "the magic POA".

it's suddenly whipped out when things are equal, and turns the tide.

Work out all the other POA's first. After that, if all POA's are then even, apply the mounted light spear POA.

so my impression is mounted LS POA is not used very often and foot LS POA is.
It doesn't seem like the greek HC superior LS cav are worth the points .You pay the same as for a lance and dont get to use the PoA unless things are even . I understand the evading in a single line would be very useful but How do you use this troop type effectively? I dont see it yet (help suggestions ) Thanks (I am taking a successor army)

Bear in mind that Light Spear cavalry are mostly faced by other Light Spear Cavalry. The Lancers are better at Impact (+1 POA and -1 on the Cohesion Test). Though the Light Spear will beat, for example Bow, Sword. It probably isn't worth the full +1 point to make it the same cost as a Lance but that is the smallest unit available.

I don't really know what to do with them either, though I am told that Drilled Cavalry, LS, Sword are good at manouvring round flanks (no CMT to avoid a charge is useful).

In short, if my Roman Equites are in a fight then it genrally means things are going pear shaped.

They do not have to charge, big bonus, they have to test to charge if disrupted, big downer, and they are as good as lancers against a lot of MF in the open. Some better some even.

thanks guys !

They are also useful against lancers in bad terrain such as uneven going, where the lancers will not get their +POA for lance as it only applies in open terrain. This will make the net POAs even, so the light spear then get a +POA.

In most circumstances I would prefer Lt Spear Cav to Lancers. Lancers can be a liability in a lot of armies. They're good if there's a lot of them or if they're supporting other lancers (cataphracts or knights), but not so good in small numbers. Whereas Lt Spear cav can be useful in any numbers.

If Lt Sp Cav charge Med Foot Defensive Spear in the open:
Cav Vs Med Foot in Open +1
Defensive Spear receiving a Charge +1

So Cav get the +1 for Light Spear.

If Lance Cav charge Med Foot Defensive Spear in the open:
Cav Vs Med foot in Open +1
Defensive Spear receiving charge +1

Lance does not work thus Impact is Even.

One situation where Lt Spear is better than Lance. Of particular use in a "Wolves" theme tourney as we have coming up in a few weeks.

Gino
SMAC

philqw78 wrote:They do not have to charge, big bonus, they have to test to charge if disrupted, big downer, and they are as good as lancers against a lot of MF in the open. Some better some even.

And they can evade. Big plus.

anthony

expendablecinc wrote:

philqw78 wrote:They do not have to charge, big bonus, they have to test to charge if disrupted, big downer, and they are as good as lancers against a lot of MF in the open. Some better some even.

And they can evade. Big plus.

anthony

Yes, facing enemy knights or cataphracts, light spear would be much better than lancers.

pyrrhus wrote:mounted light spear get a + if (THEY) have no other net poa's against any enemy ? (is this right)

reason I ask is I have seen it understood that both partys have no net poa

If they have no net POA, then so must the enemy. "Net" means what is left after after all POAs of both sides have been taken into account.

Close combat POAs are always netted out and only the final difference is actually used. That is why they are called "Points of Advantage" and not "Factors" or "Modifiers". If both side have ++ POA in the charts, then neither side has an overall advantage, so the combat is fought with both sides on 0 POA, not with both sides on ++ POA. Hence the rolls to hit are 4+ not 3+.

If Side A has a + POA in the charts and Side B has 0, Side B is at a disadvantage and fights at - POA. Side A fights at + POA. Hence side A needs 4s to hit and side B needs 5s.

It is not possible for one side in close combat to be on 0 net POA and the other on something different:

If side A is on 0 net POA then so is side B.
If side A is on + net POA then side B is on -.
If side A is on ++ net POA then side B is on --.

No other combinations are possible.

The mounted light spear factor only comes into play if the combat would otherwise be fought at 0 POA. It changes the POAs to + for the light spear mounted troops and - for the enemy. (Unless both sides are mounted light spear, in which case the combat is fought at 0 POA again as the light spear factors net out).

thanks for all the info guys ! and the quick responce times great customer service