The Pointy Stick thread

[levied troop]

Found my copy of Chariot Wars - hurrah, Joy is unconfined throughout the Shemish-like nations. Still a little confused as to what a ‘unit’ is as the stats appears to apply to one model, but it’s early days yet - plenty of time for me to get very confused.

Edit: so, minimum size for a unit is 5 infantry or mounted models, or 3 for chariots. No maximum size.
Question: that must make for significant overlap on units, therefore 1 big unit attacking 2/ units simultaneously. Or is it a standard frontage but any depth, so big units don’t attack more frequently but absorb losses more easily?

Also found a copy of Shieldwall for Warhammer. Anyone interested? Reasonable price to loose asses.

[Paul]

Found my copy of Chariot Wars - hurrah, Joy is unconfined throughout the Shemish-like nations. Still a little confused as to what a ‘unit’ is as the stats appears to apply to one model, but it’s early days yet - plenty of time for me to get very confused.

A Unit is as big as you want it to be.
Most players conformed to what was seen as standard WFB unit sizes when WAB came out, which is units of 20 Infantry, sometimes 10 specials or skirmishers and units of 5 or 10 cavalry. Chariots generally in units of three or more. Heroes can wander the battlefield alone but I prefer them to be in a unit.

[levied troop]

Ta Paul, just edited my post as I’d seen the unit size rule - now it’s raised another question

[Paul]

I agree the WAB rules look they might be fun. I bought them when they first appeared but never got around to rebasing all my figures. I'm more than happy to give them a go - although Paul rang some alarm bells when he mentioned competition gamers getting arsey if your figures aren't based quite right.

No need to be alarmed really 20mm squares will work for most games. I've got in the habit of 25mm rounds so they look a bit odd to me atm
Iains 18mm bases on sabots designed to make a unit equivalent of 20mm based figures is a nightmare (unless they never change formation) but otherwise anything works fine really.

...and as Simon said no competition games, which is good because earlier armies will get mullahed by the later ones every time as the armies were designed to be used against opponents within the same army book.

[Paul]

Question: that must make for significant overlap on units, therefore 1 big unit attacking 2/ units simultaneously. Or is it a standard frontage but any depth, so big units don’t attack more frequently but absorb losses more easily?

However you choose to deploy them.
Depth makes a difference with some troop and weapon types on combat resolution and frontage affects mostly how many figures get to fight, especially at first contact.
If you had a sword armed unit of 20 figures you could happily deploy them two deep but with a 20 figure unit of pike 4 depth would probably be more normal.
Most cavalry don't get a rank bonus in combat, Shock cavalry, true Cataphracts and Eastern Shock Cavalry being exceptions that spring to mind, so are often deployed in a single rank.
Unsurprisingly big units absorb more damage before becoming concerned, which is the reason I normally used a 40 strong unit of Saxon Fyrd!

[garyp]

A question. A light chariot gets 2 attacks in HtH. Do the guys in the chariot fight as well? Or do you only count the extras over the normal 2 crew?

[Paul]

A question. A light chariot gets 2 attacks in HtH. Do the guys in the chariot fight as well? Or do you only count the extras over the normal 2 crew?

Chariots and their crew are considered as one entity so the two attacks are all it gets. Extra crew or heroes can add to the attacks (I think a hero replaces one crew member but can't remember for sure!).
Light chariots are really just platforms to shoot/throw from and sometimes 'joust' if armed with a long spear. Only heavy and scythed chariots add to your combat potential and Myceneans don't get those WAB doesn't handle the psychological effect of chariots very well, I think they should really cause fear or even terror as it seems armies were sometimes broken by the arrival of a few chariots!

[grizzlymc]

I am surprised that well formed pointy stick chaps had anything to fear from them, although I guess it's harder for the horse to refuse with a bloody big wagon pushing it forwards.

[Jeremy]

That’s the problem with having Ancients rules cover such a broad spectrum. Early armies may be struck down by fear at the sight of a few chariots. I see to remember Alexander’s phalangites opening ranks to let the Persian chariots pass through and then dealing with them in the back in a rather short, sharp and nasty manner.

Elephants would be much the same. Armies soon learned how to handle these one trick pony’s. The question is, will Andy be featuring his incendiary pigs?

[levied troop]

Never let pigs play with matches, it only ends in tears.