Slitherine

Say I am using a formation of 6 Legionaries w/ 3 supporting archers. How do I go from #1 to #2? Contractions? How?? Is it even possible?

There isn't anything in the rules which permits such a formation change directly. You could achieve it (over several turns) with combinations of contractions and expansions, but it isn't something we encourage.

The numbers of men represented by 3rd rank LF is a lot less than the number represented by the same bases in a BG entirely of LF, and the effect they have from the 3rd rank is all the effect we intend them to have.

There is nothing in the rules to stop you putting them in the front rank to gain the minimal advantage of 1.5 extra dice shooting, but there is no mechanism to allow them to evade if charged, so they would have to fight if the BG was charged.

In essence, don't do it. It is not how we intend them to be used, and if you try it and come unstuck well, you have been warned.
The risk/benefit ratio is poor.

rbodleyscott wrote:In essence, don't do it. It is not how we intend them to be used, and if you try it and come unstuck well, you have been warned.
The risk/benefit ratio is poor.

So, did any playtesters try it anyway? Some people can't resist a challenge.

I used Imperial Romans for some friendly games (against Sassanids) during play tests. I can't say I was even remotely tempted to deploy with archers in front of the legionaries.

I suppose there might be some circumstance where I might want to expand the archers out on one side or other of the legionaries to aid another unit shooting, but I'd want to be pretty damn sure that they won't be charged.

I did have situations where the archers got drawn into the 2nd rank as I started to take melee losses, but even then you need two bases to make 1 combat dice.

RBS, your answer is good enough for me thanks.

Neil, you lose 1 dice per 2, so if you have just one LF base in a 2nd rank you'd still roll 1 dice for that, right?

I've got this image of all these archers shouldering their way to the front and then coming back through ( excuse me- excuse me etc...) I think I'd be much happier standing at the back loosing off arrows with several ranks of 'security ' between me and the enemy. Perhaps they'd leave a gap for me!

carlos wrote:Neil, you lose 1 dice per 2, so if you have just one LF base in a 2nd rank you'd still roll 1 dice for that, right?

Looking again at the rules, you are correct.