Slitherine

Newbie question here... given that a) many armies stipulate that you use a cavalry mini for your C-in-C and other field commanders and that b) many 15mm mini producers offer bags of infantry command... where do you place these infantry command bases? In an infantry battle group? Are they just there for visual interest rather than actual game purposes? For instance, I have an imperial roman army and an ancient british army... both armies are supposed to use cavalry for command bases, but I have several infantry command minis. What should I do with them? Place them on regular infantry bases and just use them as part of a battle group and not as "official" command bases?

If you are a perfectionist.

If not, use what you have if it looks good.

vivsavage wrote:Newbie question here... given that a) many armies stipulate that you use a cavalry mini for your C-in-C and other field commanders and that b) many 15mm mini producers offer bags of infantry command... where do you place these infantry command bases? In an infantry battle group? Are they just there for visual interest rather than actual game purposes? For instance, I have an imperial roman army and an ancient british army... both armies are supposed to use cavalry for command bases, but I have several infantry command minis. What should I do with them? Place them on regular infantry bases and just use them as part of a battle group and not as "official" command bases?

You can put infantry command minis on a base of a BG to represent the commander of the unit. This is just aesthetic, since it's of no use in game terms. Remember also that usually officer was on right side of a BG.

You could place some of the standard bearers with the commanders on the commander (IC,FC,TC) bases. Especially the Legion's Eagle. Also people aren't massively bothered what the commander base has on it. It doesn't fight in itself, and whatever is modelled on the base it still moves as a commander. So I say go for what looks good as your commander's bases.

Then, with the command figures you have left, add them to the normal BG, where they have no effect on the game or BG except for visually

I my army the C in C gets a nice white horse, standard bearer, body guard and PR guy, while the lower TC are on foot.

vivsavage wrote:Newbie question here... given that a) many armies stipulate that you use a cavalry mini for your C-in-C and other field commanders and that b) many 15mm mini producers offer bags of infantry command... where do you place these infantry command bases? In an infantry battle group? Are they just there for visual interest rather than actual game purposes? For instance, I have an imperial roman army and an ancient british army... both armies are supposed to use cavalry for command bases, but I have several infantry command minis. What should I do with them? Place them on regular infantry bases and just use them as part of a battle group and not as "official" command bases?

I take the suggested composition of the command bases as just that, "suggestions", and I almost always mix foot and mounted on each command base for almost all my armies.

I can't imagine anyone objecting to this, and if they did I am sure they would be laughed out of the hall ....

tim

vivsavage wrote:Newbie question here... given that a) many armies stipulate that you use a cavalry mini for your C-in-C and other field commanders and that b) many 15mm mini producers offer bags of infantry command... where do you place these infantry command bases? In an infantry battle group? Are they just there for visual interest rather than actual game purposes? For instance, I have an imperial roman army and an ancient british army... both armies are supposed to use cavalry for command bases, but I have several infantry command minis. What should I do with them? Place them on regular infantry bases and just use them as part of a battle group and not as "official" command bases?

it does come into 'visual appeal' side of things, but they have good uses apart from that. I've used my 'Hoplite commanders' as file markers. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember where a BG starts and finishes when you have a battle line of 6 BG's. So, I have 6 'command stands' each on the far left or right... when I get to a command stand I know I've changed BG's.

Additionally, I don't think it really matters one iota what the lists say as to how to depict your C-in-C etc. I'm not even sure what it says Viking C-in-C's should be depicted as, but I'm pretty sure it will say 'Huscarls', but I use early knights (Norman types) for my C-in-C. My thinking goes that a C-in-C would be able to grab a horse from SOMEWHERE to get around the battlefield. However, having said that I have on order a few personality figures that I will use, and then create a little 40mmx40mm diorama.

Ian

philqw78 wrote: Then, with the command figures you have left, add them to the normal BG, where they have no effect on the game or BG except for visually

How do you determine when this base would be eliminated in combat? Do you generally remove non-"command" bases first (in other words, if you have a base with command on it for visual purposes)?

vivsavage wrote:

philqw78 wrote: Then, with the command figures you have left, add them to the normal BG, where they have no effect on the game or BG except for visually

How do you determine when this base would be eliminated in combat? Do you generally remove non-"command" bases first (in other words, if you have a base with command on it for visual purposes)?

Of course - someone ALWAYS picks up the Raven Banner

Ian

vivsavage wrote:How do you determine when this base would be eliminated in combat? Do you generally remove non-"command" bases first (in other words, if you have a base with command on it for visual purposes)?

Bases are removed due to which opponenet did the most hits upon the BG. It doesn't really matter which actual base is removed, but the position of the base removed matters a lot. I would probably leave the command bases on as long as possible.

When I am using my Mid Republican Romans I use Cavalry commands for Cavalry commanders and infantry commands for the main line. I just prefer the look of the foot commander or commanders in the line. Same goes with the mounted. I tried to use mounted command in the line but didn't like the look. So for me its merely a preference. And when I am using either Gauls or Carthaginians I use cavalry commands.