Slitherine

How many ranks or bases can each of these troop types deploy in?
I am particularly interested in how Sumerian and Akkadian spear, both defensive and offensive spears are to be modelled. For instance, do the protected spear have front rank shields or interspersed with 2 shields and 2 two-handed spearmen or front rank shields only and second rank only spear. Can there be more than 2 ranks of bases?

player wrote:How many ranks or bases can each of these troop types deploy in?
I am particularly interested in how Sumerian and Akkadian spear, both defensive and offensive spears are to be modelled. For instance, do the protected spear have front rank shields or interspersed with 2 shields and 2 two-handed spearmen or front rank shields only and second rank only spear. Can there be more than 2 ranks of bases?

I don't know how you can model Sumerian spear, but you cannot mix Offensive and Defensive Spear in the same BG. You can deploy such BG in more than 2 ranks. For example, you can use 8 bases' BG with front 3 bases, 2nd rank 3 bases and 3rd rank 2 bases.

player wrote:How many ranks or bases can each of these troop types deploy in?
I am particularly interested in how Sumerian and Akkadian spear, both defensive and offensive spears are to be modelled. For instance, do the protected spear have front rank shields or interspersed with 2 shields and 2 two-handed spearmen or front rank shields only and second rank only spear. Can there be more than 2 ranks of bases?

There can be as many ranks as you like, but only 2 will actually fight. The last rank can have less bases in it than the others. One of the most effective formations for spearmen is an 8 base BG with 3 bases in each of the first 2 ranks and 2 "spares" in the 3rd rank to allow for losses. (The two bases in the rear rank can be assumed, in reality, to be spread across the full width of the battle group, although wargames basing does not allow this to be depicted).

As for how you choose to depict protected Sumerian/Akkadian HF Defensive spearmen that is up to you - any of your suggested methods would be OK.

MF Protected Offensice spearmen have different smaller shields - basically a single animal skin stretched over a frame, and each man has his own shield.

The place to look is Nigel Tallis and Nigel Stillman's Armies of the Ancient Near East (WRG) if you can beg, borrow or steal a copy.

Thanks for that Richard
of course the MI protected spear which you talk about are the Reg Sp(I) with the Amorite shield. in DBM terms and would therefore be on a narrow base in DBM with 4 figures. It seems with FOG now the MI are on the deeper base of 20mm for 15mm figs or 30mm for 25/28mm figs.
In Fog these seem to be the protected retained offensive spear after 2050 BC.
However there is no option for these to be the majority spear type as the militia, which was standard troop type for the sumerian sucessor states and third dynasty of Ur (see tallis and stillman)

The militia spear are either the early spear of Ur with cloak (unpotected) or after 2500 BC with the shield (protected).

I assume the unprotected medium infantry in the retained list is what in DBM is Auxilia (X)?

Richard
on a side issue and in advance of the lost scrolls book, out next month, I am building armies for the various Amorite states, Zagros Highlanders and Nomads.

Are you able to tell me what classification the main medium/heavy regular infantry are in the Amorite armies, together with the light troops
and the main troops in the Zagros highlander lists.

Any information would be appreciated as I have time in the next few weeks to work on the project

player wrote:How many ranks or bases can each of these troop types deploy in?
I am particularly interested in how Sumerian and Akkadian spear, both defensive and offensive spears are to be modelled. For instance, do the protected spear have front rank shields or interspersed with 2 shields and 2 two-handed spearmen or front rank shields only and second rank only spear. Can there be more than 2 ranks of bases?

For my Akkadians I would typically use an 8 base battle group of protected defensive spear. Through painful experience I found the best way to use this is three bases wide, forming two ranks of three and a third rank of two bases. Consequently it can suffer two base losses and still fight at maximum potency. The model this I give the front rank bases the big "wall shields" or put a standard bearer there - DBM Pk(X). In the second and third rank I put the shieldless guys. That way I can alternate shield colours so my opponent can see where the battle-group boundaries are.

player wrote:I assume the unprotected medium infantry in the retained list is what in DBM is Auxilia (X)?

Well we are not here to make comparisons with DBM, but probably yes.

player wrote:Are you able to tell me what classification the main medium/heavy regular infantry are in the Amorite armies, together with the light troops
and the main troops in the Zagros highlander lists.

Very approximately

Amorite kingdoms:

Regular infantry
Medium Foot Protected Average Drilled - Light Spear, Swordsmen

Regular archers
Medium Foot Unprotected Average Drilled Bow -

Amorite levies
Medium Foot Protected Average Undrilled - Light Spear, Swordsmen
Medium Foot Protected Average Undrilled - Light Spear

Light foot with bow, sling or javelins



Zagros highlanders

Warriors
Any date
Medium Foot Unprotected Average Undrilled - Impact Foot, Swordsmen

Only from 2100
Medium Foot Protected Average Undrilled - Impact Foot, Swordsmen

Medium Foot Protected Average Undrilled - Light Spear, Swordsmen

Poor quality warriors
Any date
Medium Foot Unprotected Average Undrilled - Light Spear
Poor

Only from 2100
Medium Foot Protected Average Undrilled - Light Spear
Poor


Light foot with bow, sling or javelins