Formation changes

jre · Post by **jre** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 6:56 am

I have been looking through the rules and I have not found (though that does not mean they are not there) specific rules for formation changes for mixed type BGs. Though most of the time the ideal formation is obvious and will be kept the whole battle, some unusual circumstances would make an alternate formation desirable. Some examples:

- Byzantine Lance and Bow cavalry might prefer to have the bows at the front to stop being shock troops.
- Mixed HF-MF spear-bow would be better off with the bows at the front in disordering terrain, specially if the bows are protected-swordsmen.
- LF supporting bowmen could be useful at the front if facing an enemy you do not wish to charge that will not charge you back (BWg or Orb formation, for instance) but you are shooting up.
- In some circumstances a 4 Spear 4 bow BG would be better off as two files of spears and two files of bows, depending on the lining up of the enemy.

As the rules stand, those formations can be achieved by a combination of contractions and expansions, not too hard for small drilled BGs, but quite hard for big and undrilled BGs.

For a time we wondered if a BG bases could interpenetrate the same BG, making this formation changes easier, but it is not clearly specified so we assume no. Except for the LF, of course.

I do not particularly dislike the situation as it stands now, I just wonder if it is a deliberate mechanic or chance that brought it that way. And it may penalize certain armies more than others. Or if I am missing something.

José

rbodleyscott · Post by **rbodleyscott** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:59 am

We don't want to make it easy for players to adopt unhistorical formations.

jre · Post by **jre** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:11 am

But if there is an advantage to be won by being unhistorical (but legal), it will be used.

José

rbodleyscott · Post by **rbodleyscott** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:14 am

jre wrote:But if there is an advantage to be won by being unhistorical (but legal), it will be used.

José

Absolutely, they can if they want but we won't make it any easier to do.
Moreover mixed spear/bow BGs get to be in 6s only in the lists (apart from Byzantines) so that they can't unhistorically form up 4 ranks deep to get 2 ranks of spears. (The Byzantines can because their manuals do specify deep alternative formations),