Optimum unit size

[Tiger]

Having played a few games read many posts and contemplating redesigning my armies I am trying to determine what the optimum unit size is.

There are a number of factors that need to be considered namely quality, equipment, cost and strategy or historical application of type. [may well be others].

I note that many designs show Roman infantry as 4 bases but rarely at 6 bases, no doubt a factor of cost and overall army size. But what size warbands HF or MF - should they be different? How do you provide for rear support cheap units with minimum cost as they are not really intended to fight or top quality troops who can make that masterstroke interception to turn the tide of battle.

How much should we bow down to historical organisations or just design best fit with the points we have.

In particular i am designing EIR and Warband armies - having rebased over 200 barbarians!!! and am interested in other players views and organisations, and why?

thanks

P

[hammy]

Well, it's not that easy really.

For Romans there are advantages to 4 base battlegroups and advantages to 6 base ones. 8 bases is getting pretty big and is IMO too large for decent Roman troops but only just big enough for most barbarians.

A few rules of thumb

Bow armed cavalry should always be in BGs of 4 (or 2 in very rare cases)
Average knights should really be in BGs of 6
Armoured foot can work OK with smaller BGs than protected ones
Most of the time there is little point in having 12 bases in a BG, 10 are almost always as good
Light foot work best in 8's reasonably in 6's and are very fragile in 4's