Rise two armies, pick one and fight! [land battles]

[chadwicknight]

Title says it all:

1 - Choose two of the playable factions.

2 - Rise the best army you can think of. One per faction.

3 - Min 20, max 40 units per army.

4 - Pick a side and attack or defend against the opposition using the best tactic you can think of.

5 - Any type of land battle will do: open field, ambush, river battle, supply train and so on


Since we don't know the unit roster yet, I prefer to stick with generic units: light\heavy infantry, spearmen, phalanx, cavalry, mounted archers and so on. But you feel free to speculate and add your favourite units as you please (incendiary pigs\screeching women overload!).

I use Paintbrush and Preview softwares, but you can use whatever you like, simple codified characters will do just fine. For example LI=light infantry, HC=heavy cavalry.

Down here is my key icon list, I may add new icons for more specific units. For now this should be enough.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I started with a hypothetical open field clash between Rome in its early republic and Arverni. 40vs40, I like full scale battles.

My Rome Army composition:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I used the polybian consular army model for it. 1 legion of roman core troops (General, hastati,, principes, triarii, velites) and 2 alae of allied troops (skirmishers, light\heavy troops and spearmen). (historically there were 2 legions and 2 alae). Anyway, as a true early roman army, strong infantry force, weaker cavalry, with the right flank somewhat stronger than the left one.

Now for our beloved Arverni:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I designed this army for a full scale charge, led by elite units like oathsworn and noble spearmen (based on the faction wiki). The mass is composed mostly of brave light infantry with a couple of morale boosting unit (like arcani or druids, you name it). The left flank is protected by 2 units of spearmen. The right flank is ready for aggressive cavalry maneuvers, led by the general himself.

Now the battle! I picked Romans, as defenders (yeah I know... ).
Be ready for some old fashioned Al Bickham action

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

My tactic here is to lay a trap for the enemy cavalry, while trying to hold the line (inspired by Caesar's maneuver in the Battle of Pharsalus).

- I quickly withdraw my skirmishers behind my first two lines of infantry, this way the enemy cavalry may be tempted to chase down my weak cavalry of the left flank.

- At the same time I compact the first two lines, ready to absorb (hopefully) the impact of the whole enemy infantry.

- If the enemy cavalry buy it and start to chase my left cavalry, I withdraw them towards my left spearmen and center triarii

- I run my left spearmen in front of the incoming cavalry and my triarii on my left flank. Ready to unleash the trap.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

- If it goes as planned, the enemy cavalry should be half-surrounded by 3 units of spearmen on its front and 3 units of triarii on its left.

- By now the infantry charge should be imminent. With my right flank cavalry I hope to hook up 1 or two enemy units and to kite them away from my infantry lines.

- My general stay still in the middle behind the first to lines, barking orders and keeping the front troops solid.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

- To prevent the half-surrounded cavalry from escaping, I roll my former withdrawing cavalry around my spearmen and back straight on their right flank and rear.

- Now they are trapped!. To finish the job quickly, I order my skirmishers to fire right in the middle of the massive horse-slaughter.

- Full focus on the front line now. They must hold until the enemy cavalry is slaughtered. Hold dammit! Hold! I burn every morale boost ability of my general and be ready to use fatigue relief ability.

- On the right flank, I continue to kite the units hooked around the battlefield.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

- The arverni's general should be dead or shattered by now,as long with his entire cavalry force

- I have 3 units of cavalry free to charge the enemy skirmishers. 5 units if I manage to free 2 of the 3 right flank kiting units.

- I have suffered some losses in the front line by now, especially in the center where oathsworns and spear nobles are, but I still have my triarii and allied spearmen if necessary. My line should hold.

- Once the Arverni skirmishers are shattered, the Arverni flanks and rear are exposed to my cavalry.

- The battle should not last any longer.



That's it for today.

Looking forward to see YOUR favourite army composition and relative tactics!

Enjoy

[Xyloto]

I choose Rome with 40 Urbans!