Troop types
Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 11:08 pm
Troop Types
I am attempting to classify troop types in the manner I would prefer. This may not be to everyone's taste, but it may be useful to see an alternative view. I like categorisation to be clear. We are getting feedback that selecting an army list is proving difficult. This is probably related to the troop types issue.
The following looks better as a Word document. This allows, the suggested rule content to clearly separated from my comments.
Cataphracts
I searched the rules but found no specific reference to cataphract armour. The army lists imply that cataphracts are always heavily armoured. This needs to be stated if it is so. Alternatively, it would be better to have it not stated. This leaves open another troop category, the armoured cataphract, for no extra rule work. It also makes the troop classification much cleaner.
Troop types
This is the section I would like to see at the front, immediately after the bases and battle groups. Once those two concepts are established the next step is to expand it:
Troops are divided into two basic categories by how they move around the battlefield, on foot or mounted.
Foot - can be:
Heavy foot, medium foot, light foot, mob, war wagons, light artillery or heavy artillery.
Mounted - can be:
Knights, cataphracts, light horse, cavalry, camelry, elephants, heavy chariots, light chariots or scythed chariots.
These categories, or types, cover all the soldiers of the period. See appendix xxx for a more detailed description of each of these types.
The above does not take up much space in the rules. It does establish exactly what is meant by 'type', 'foot' and 'mounted' and mentions what all the types are before the terms are used later in the rules. It is also short enough not to break the narrative flow that is so important. The more you can read the rules as a simple book, before you have to start dipping into it like a reference work, the better.
Now that the above section on 'type' has been clearly established the next section can be introduced - armour.
Armour
Some troops benefit from wearing armour or carrying shields. For other troops their mounts or vehicles make their personal protection less important. There are four levels of 'armour' used in Art of War:
Heavily armoured, armoured, protected and unprotected.
All troop types must have one of these armour qualifiers except for the following:
war wagons, light artillery, heavy artillery, elephants, heavy chariots, light chariots and scythed chariots.
Maybe this is a suitable place to put in an example. Something like "In the picture above, the Roman cavalry on the right flank are described as 'cavalry, armoured'. The Carthaginian elephants are simply 'elephants'.
Now that types and protection are covered we can introduce the meaning of 'quality' and 'training'. This is straight forward because all troops are either 'drilled' or 'undrilled' and all have a 'quality' level. It would be layed out similarly to the above. This is easy reading. Even a novice should be then quite confident about following the final example, which will be something like:
"The close formation Roman foot we describe as 'heavy foot, armoured, superior, drilled'".
The next part is the weapon categories and other factors. This needs to be quite explicit. The term 'points of advantage' should not be used. Some points of advantage are related to armour for example. I found it quite confusing as to what was a troop attribute and what was a point of advantage. I would suggest that 'attribute' might be used as a specific term. It would usefully describe a feature possessed by a base as opposed to a POA that derives from it in some circumtances. E.g. 'heavy weapon' is a troop attribute that can confer a POA in impact and melee.
Attributes
The weapons and tactical abilities of troops that influence soldiers' effectiveness in combat we name attributes. Some attributes are common terms. A few of the items in the list have been created to give memorable names to particular behaviour or weapon training. Precise definitions are given in appendix XXX.
Attributes can be:
foot longbow, foot crossbow, foot bow, mounted bow, mounted crossbow, bow*, firearm, javelin, sling, swordsman, skilled swordsman, offensive spearman, defensive spearman, pike, impact foot, heavy weapon, lancer, light spear, camelry.
Attributes are features additional to the descriptions we have already covered. Some apply to foot only, other to mounted troops only. Others may apply to both foot and mounted. A few troop types have more than one attribute.
We now have everything we need to describe a base of figures: type, armour, training, quality and attributes. Now, when you look again at the picture above, you will see the Carthaginians have 'elephants, undrilled, average' in their line up. The Romans have several battle groups of, take a deep breath, 'heavy foot, armoured, drilled, superior, skilled swordsmen, impact foot'. Although this may seem quite complicated, a little knowledge of history makes it easier. For a group of charging elephants, motivation is not a big issue (average). They are unlikely to be trying to keep in step (undrilled). Similarly, think of those close, well disciplined ranks of armoured Roman infantry (heavy, armoured, drilled, superior) throwing their heavy pila (impact foot) at short range before closing to fight with shield and gladius (skilled swordsmen).
Follow this section with a list of which troops are skirmishers and which are shock troops and all the terms are together. When POA are introduced, there will be no new terms. A single sentence stating that 'spearmen' used in isolation means either of the spearmen attributes can be included.
The points costs can now be given in terms of attributes for bases, not POA. POA are the effects of attributes in particular situations.
I am attempting to classify troop types in the manner I would prefer. This may not be to everyone's taste, but it may be useful to see an alternative view. I like categorisation to be clear. We are getting feedback that selecting an army list is proving difficult. This is probably related to the troop types issue.
The following looks better as a Word document. This allows, the suggested rule content to clearly separated from my comments.
Cataphracts
I searched the rules but found no specific reference to cataphract armour. The army lists imply that cataphracts are always heavily armoured. This needs to be stated if it is so. Alternatively, it would be better to have it not stated. This leaves open another troop category, the armoured cataphract, for no extra rule work. It also makes the troop classification much cleaner.
Troop types
This is the section I would like to see at the front, immediately after the bases and battle groups. Once those two concepts are established the next step is to expand it:
Troops are divided into two basic categories by how they move around the battlefield, on foot or mounted.
Foot - can be:
Heavy foot, medium foot, light foot, mob, war wagons, light artillery or heavy artillery.
Mounted - can be:
Knights, cataphracts, light horse, cavalry, camelry, elephants, heavy chariots, light chariots or scythed chariots.
These categories, or types, cover all the soldiers of the period. See appendix xxx for a more detailed description of each of these types.
The above does not take up much space in the rules. It does establish exactly what is meant by 'type', 'foot' and 'mounted' and mentions what all the types are before the terms are used later in the rules. It is also short enough not to break the narrative flow that is so important. The more you can read the rules as a simple book, before you have to start dipping into it like a reference work, the better.
Now that the above section on 'type' has been clearly established the next section can be introduced - armour.
Armour
Some troops benefit from wearing armour or carrying shields. For other troops their mounts or vehicles make their personal protection less important. There are four levels of 'armour' used in Art of War:
Heavily armoured, armoured, protected and unprotected.
All troop types must have one of these armour qualifiers except for the following:
war wagons, light artillery, heavy artillery, elephants, heavy chariots, light chariots and scythed chariots.
Maybe this is a suitable place to put in an example. Something like "In the picture above, the Roman cavalry on the right flank are described as 'cavalry, armoured'. The Carthaginian elephants are simply 'elephants'.
Now that types and protection are covered we can introduce the meaning of 'quality' and 'training'. This is straight forward because all troops are either 'drilled' or 'undrilled' and all have a 'quality' level. It would be layed out similarly to the above. This is easy reading. Even a novice should be then quite confident about following the final example, which will be something like:
"The close formation Roman foot we describe as 'heavy foot, armoured, superior, drilled'".
The next part is the weapon categories and other factors. This needs to be quite explicit. The term 'points of advantage' should not be used. Some points of advantage are related to armour for example. I found it quite confusing as to what was a troop attribute and what was a point of advantage. I would suggest that 'attribute' might be used as a specific term. It would usefully describe a feature possessed by a base as opposed to a POA that derives from it in some circumtances. E.g. 'heavy weapon' is a troop attribute that can confer a POA in impact and melee.
Attributes
The weapons and tactical abilities of troops that influence soldiers' effectiveness in combat we name attributes. Some attributes are common terms. A few of the items in the list have been created to give memorable names to particular behaviour or weapon training. Precise definitions are given in appendix XXX.
Attributes can be:
foot longbow, foot crossbow, foot bow, mounted bow, mounted crossbow, bow*, firearm, javelin, sling, swordsman, skilled swordsman, offensive spearman, defensive spearman, pike, impact foot, heavy weapon, lancer, light spear, camelry.
Attributes are features additional to the descriptions we have already covered. Some apply to foot only, other to mounted troops only. Others may apply to both foot and mounted. A few troop types have more than one attribute.
We now have everything we need to describe a base of figures: type, armour, training, quality and attributes. Now, when you look again at the picture above, you will see the Carthaginians have 'elephants, undrilled, average' in their line up. The Romans have several battle groups of, take a deep breath, 'heavy foot, armoured, drilled, superior, skilled swordsmen, impact foot'. Although this may seem quite complicated, a little knowledge of history makes it easier. For a group of charging elephants, motivation is not a big issue (average). They are unlikely to be trying to keep in step (undrilled). Similarly, think of those close, well disciplined ranks of armoured Roman infantry (heavy, armoured, drilled, superior) throwing their heavy pila (impact foot) at short range before closing to fight with shield and gladius (skilled swordsmen).
Follow this section with a list of which troops are skirmishers and which are shock troops and all the terms are together. When POA are introduced, there will be no new terms. A single sentence stating that 'spearmen' used in isolation means either of the spearmen attributes can be included.
The points costs can now be given in terms of attributes for bases, not POA. POA are the effects of attributes in particular situations.