Defensive Deployments and Battle Plans
(DBA Virtual Seminar)
The two armies are so similar, it's difficult to construct a battle-plan
in isolation. Things we know in advance:
- The enemy (LREast) has more mounted and heavier mounted (6 to 4), but less
and lighter foot.
- The enemy has a significant disparity in troops and movement speeds. Two
of each Kn/Cv/Lh/Bd/Aux/Ps.
The only significant enemy quick-kill troops are the Knights; the two
enemy Knights must not be allowed to hit our Aux/Psi in the open. The
Lh/Kn interaction is also something to be aware of, but not as dangerous.
- In a foot slugmatch we win. With 4 Bd and 3 Aux to 2 Bd/2 Aux/2 Ps, we'd
crush them in the open, and have a significant advantage in bad going.
- The marsh forms a choke-point for the enemy's mounted troops. His mounted
wing is very likely to be on the Western two-thirds of the board. If it
tries to fight on the Eastern half of the board it will be at a serious
disadvantage, and likely lose.
These observations led to the following very general plan-take the Marsh and Eastern woods with infantry.
The followup depends upon the enemy. If the enemy contests the marsh and
Eastern Woods with infantry, the result is an infantry slugfest which
plays to our strength. If the enemy does not contest it we get an
unassailable position from which to attack towards his camp with a heavy
infantry line; near enough the camp that enemy Lh/Ps will rout off the map
if doubled by troops that do not kill them. Even holding a line in the
open between the enemy camp and the marsh/woods won't work, because that
allows us to choose the time to come out, and the matchups. When we
choose the matchups we can ensure that his Kn don't have a chance to face
our Aux.
What we do on the Western side depends very much upon the enemy. If he is
aggressive, we will delay and avoid engagement, trying to ensure that his
troops are split up by their different movement rates. If he is cautious
and attempts to keep his troops together, we will have a good chance to
catch him in the chokepoint by the marsh, getting the fight we want (an
infantry engagement in the marsh).
OK, now that I have a plan, the element choice is clear: take the Psiloi
and the Knight. The Knight gives greater weight to the mounted; the
Psiloi can be useful either as reinforcement for the Blades against
mounted or as additional force in the marsh. My General will be a Blade. Setup:
6" from baseline_______________________________________________
[Lh][Cv][Cv][BG] [Kn][Ps][Ax]
[Bd] [Ax]
[Bd] [Ax]
[Bd]
||
||
||
|| [Camp]
-------------------------------||----Base Line-----------------
Road
A couple of points about this setup.
First, this is a very aggressive setup. Every unit on the left side can
run straight forward at 4"; every unit on the right can move 3", and
that's with just 2 pips. With three or more pips the center column can
move even farther, since it is using road movement with the general. In
just two bounds I'll be at the center of the board or past it.
Second, this is a flexible setup. It is very difficult for the enemy to
gain much advantage now by setting up second and choosing matchups. My
light foot are relatively immune to attack by his Knights the whole game
unless he chooses the risky tactic of sending a column of mounted through
the gap between the marsh and woods; if he does that the Ax/Ps column can
make a beeline for the near woods and reach safety in time, and his
mounted will be trapped in a cul-de-sac with marsh behind them and
destroyed at leisure (shades of Bannockburn!).
Third, note the two columns. A column of Ax is a very pip-efficient way
to move to attack rough going. The Psiloi is not in the column because it
has a dual role -- if the enemy tries to hold the marsh it goes into the
marsh, but if the enemy forces me to make a blade-line against mounted
attack to the left of the marsh, the Psiloi runs out to give back support
to the blades.
The Knight is left of the Psiloi because its role is to drive off fast
mounted skirmishers that might attempt to block and delay them; once the
column reaches the marsh (and immunity from mounted) it will peel off to
the left of the marsh and assist in the center.
The Blade Column is a little risky, but the road is the best way to get my
Blades into combat fast and support the marsh assault. To time unpacking
the column well it is necessary to be very responsive to the enemy
tactics.
If the enemy charges forward aggressively, the blades will slow their
advance and start unpacking to the right, and the cavalry will stop
entirely to save pips and refuse the left flank. The enemy mounted have
three different movement rates, and are unlikely to get into the Blades
before they can get a line together. Further, aggressive movement by the
enemy will split him into several groups.
If the enemy is more conservative and sticks together with a
slow-developing wall of troops, the blade column will move forward
aggressively until about 4-5" from the foe, then start unpacking. If the
enemy is set up to contest the marsh, some or all of the forward elements
of the blade column will march off the road at an angle and into the marsh
to assist in the fight there. If the enemy wants to fight in the open,
the blades will form a line at a shallow angle from the marsh back to the
southwest. The angle will make the enemy use a lot more pips and time
getting his lines set to attack before the lines hit; this will work in
our favour in the marsh (either to win that fight, if he contests it; or
to move through the marsh and threaten his camp, if he yields it to us).
Given my aggressive movement and formations, it is very unlikely that the
enemy Lh/Cv will get around to attack my camp. If they do make a serious
effort in that direction, they will have to go around my own Lh/Cv, and
without Kn support they'll be in a battle at a disadvantage.
Reponse by Joe Mann
As an Eastern Roman commander versus General Swampy Kujit, I would mount a bold response to his bold deployment:
-------------------------------||----Base Line------------------
||[Camp]
||
||
||
[LH][Cv][Bd][Kn][Kn][Ps][Ps]
[Lh][Cv][Bd] [AxG][Ax]
--------------------------------------------------------------- 6" limit
I believe Swampy has made a miscalculation. He has decided the terrain on
the east holds the key, but has placed his general with the large blade
formation. I hope to have enough PIPs early to form the three fighting
units I desire: Horse to the top of the near hill in the west, Terrain
troops (nearer than his and certain to get their first with their feet in
the marsh and the forest but straddling the gap, heavies in the middle, but
farther north, not in line with the terrain, forming the cul-de-sac I hope he
will foolishly advance into. The long line tied together with the weak Ps
link gives me the insurance that I can at least advance my entire train at
move rate 3 should I roll a one first time around.
There is no way around the fact that Swampy has a preponderance of heavies.
I will count on the cul-de-sac to allow me to develop flanking
possibilities, the slight advantage in horse in the west to offer up some
snippets as well, patience to live with what appears to be a good terrain
layout, and of course the Goddess of the Dice.
David Kuijt (The "Wall of Steel" Plan)
Here's a second response to your virtual seminar. This is not intended to replace my earlier response; it is just showing that there are many, many answers to this sort of question.
This deployment ("Wall of Steel") contrasts with my previous entry ("Win
the Marsh"). It is more conservative and more of a "normal" plan, with a
wall of mainstream troops holding the place of honour. However, as such
it is also more easily predictable by the opponent, and less likely to put
him off his stride.
The fundamental observation here is that the Roman West has better heavy
foot than Roman East; nothing in R.East gets better factors than the
R.West blades. This means that R.East cannot choose a "perfect"
offensive matchup against them (although they might skirmish them with
Psiloi or LH). Result of this observation: the "Wall of Steel".
Elements: Choose the Kn and Ps options. The Kn to fortify your mounted
and threaten enemy Aux/Psiloi; the Psiloi as the only thing that can move
through a line of blades (to give the "Wall of Steel" some offensive
flexibility against skirmishers).
Camp: SE Corner. We still have dominance in bad-going troops. Also, it
is a lure, to try and get the enemy to make an effort on the right side.
Setup:
6" from baseline_______________________________________________
[Bd][Bd][Bd][BG][Ax]
[Cv][Cv][Kn][Ps] || [Ax]
[Lh] || [Ax]
||
||
||
|| [Camp]
-------------------------------||----Base Line-----------------
Road
Important observations about deployment:
As before, the Aux column is going to run by towards the edge of the
marsh, pips permitting. Ignoring the Aux (who are facing Marsh) the open-going battle line is 7
units wide, all Combat Value +3 (or better, depending upon opponent). The
enemy can't make a line as long without putting Lh, Aux, or Ps into the
line.
Note the Psiloi, used as connector between the mounted left wing and
the foot right wing.
Pip usage in the initial rush:
- if I roll a 1, everyone moves forward 2"
- if I roll a 2, the column of Ax moves forward 3" and everyone else
moves forward 2". The Ax column will still be touching the Bd line, so
will still be a group if I roll a 1 next turn (this can happen three
times before the back of the Ax column passes the line of Bd entirely).
- on a 3 or more, the above happens, and the mounted wing may also respond
to enemy threats on the Western flank (making line with the Bd line, or
passing the Bd line (with the Psiloi passing through the Bd to maintain
the connection), or expanding out to block any end-runs on the Western
flank.
The line is wide enough that there is only space for two elements to pass
around the Western flank. If faced by faster, weaker troops (i.e., not
Knights) the line of mounted can easily block that gap by wheeling and
moving, spreading the Lh into a position to face enemy Lh on the right or
left side of the main line. If faced by enemy mounted in strength the
whole formation will hang back and delay as the Bd line chooses where to
win the battle and marches toward that position.
The Eastern flank is open, giving the appearance of a straight run towards
our Camp, but that is a trap. An enemy foot effort on that flank just
precipitates the foot action that we want, with our Ax/Bd against their
foot. An enemy mounted effort on that flank requires moving in column
through the bad going or the gap between marsh and woods; either way it
invites disaster, as our Ax column runs for the woods and our Blades face
right, giving us secure flanks and the enemy vulnerable ones. And an
enemy combined-arms effort has the same problem. If the whole enemy army
attempts to fight on the Eastern flank it will take us some time to
redeploy (wheeling the Blade line, running the Aux into the woods and
making line with them, and running our mounted over from the far flank)
but the enemy will be slow also (moving through bad going in line, or
reforming a formation after passing through the gap). At the end of it
they'll be fighting in a cup with insufficient frontage to fully deploy.
If the enemy tries to fight in the open, the "Wall of Steel" will advance
to the front of a hill and hold there, spending pips charging the Aux into
the rough and winning the marsh. If the enemy tries to fight in the
marsh, the "Wall of Steel" can advance and plug the main opening between
marsh and western woods, reinforcing the marsh fight with the Blade
General and the psiloi.
And the psiloi is multipurpose. Either moving with the Knight/mounted
wing (passing through the Blade as necessary), or lurking behind the Blade
line for anti-mounted support and ready to exploit any opening, or moving
off to the right to reinforce the marsh as best suits defeating the enemy
effort.
Reponse by Joe Mann
As the eastern Roman Commander versus General Steely Kujit:
-------------------------------||----Base Line------------------
||[Camp]
||
||
[Cv] [Cv]
[Bd] [LH]
[Ps][Kn][Kn] [BdG] [Ax][Ax][LH][Ps]
--------------------------------------------------------------- 6" limit
This is pretty much all confusion and bluster and may well lead to extreme
disaster, but if I win I want to see him have to write it up in Fanaticus.
I am sure no one can guess what I need my fast horse column to do. The wing
on the east is designed almost purely to force him to abandon his long
line. I often place skirmishers with my Knights since they move at the same
speed. I want to form a short line with my blades linking to Ax anchored in
the swamp and the east skirmishers waiting to anchor the edge of the board in
the woods. I expect I will halt the rear Cv in the gap, leaving one more Cv
as mobile reserve (I think I am going to need it).
Larry Nellinger, Jr.'s Battle Plan
Army choice: 1x4Kn, 2X3Cv (including General), 1x2Lh, 4X4Bd, 3X4Ax, 1x2P
Deployment:
[Lh][Cv][CvG] [Kn][Bd][Bd][Bd][Bd] [Ax]
[P] [Ax]
[Ax]
[Camp]
---------------------------||-----------------------------
Road
Battleplan: I would place my camp in the SE corner of the battlefield.
As your cav. opponent has obviously set the terrain to favor a mounted
attack in the open, do everything possible to force them to fight around
the largest patch of rough-going.
To begin with I would advance the Ax
in column through the woods, while advancing the Bd/Kn/P along the edge
of the woods and leaving the Cavalry in place on the first bound to see what
develops. My main goal of the Ax would be to tie down the enemies light
troops or if he refuses to engage threaten their camp by running the
length of the woods.
By advancing slowly with the rest of my force I
would hope the enemy might separate his mounted by allowing the Lh to
outdistance the others. Failing that I would try to contact the enemies
mounted with my Hvy. foot first, hopefully slowing them down and
allowing the the Cv/Lh to make flank/rear attacks.
If the enemy seems intent on going for the Cv I would run them behind the HI again tring to force hem to engage the Bd's first or at least allowing the Bd to be
position to make flank/ rear attacks.
In general I would try to fight a "defensive" battle moving slowly to try to force the enemies superior mobility to work against him by separating his forces. Don't know if this plan would work or not but it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the map so I would at least try it. Live and learn.
The Psiloi's position is flexible. I want them behind the Bd to add support where it looks like it will most be needed (i.e., against the enemies general or the flank most
likely to be overlapped.)
Note that the Cv/Lh group can move every other turn (at 400p) and still keep up
with the Bd group. I put the Ax in column because its the only way to
move as a group in the rough; not my favorite formation you end up
spending PIPs in the end to go to line.
Here's another thought on deployment. Take the Art option instead of the
Ps. Personally I have nothing but trouble trying to use Art, so why
not make it your camp garrison? Let your enemy run Lh on a camp with Art for a
garrison; it won't kill them, but should keep them busy running back and
forth.
Reponse by Joe Mann
As the eastern Roman Commander versus General LuvDaRuff Nellinger, I see only one obvious setup:
-------------------------------||----Base Line------------------
||[Camp]
||
||
||
[Kn] [Ps]
[LH][LH][Cv][Cv][KnG][Bd][Bd][Ax][Ax][Ps]
--------------------------------------------------------------- 6" limit
Since LuvDaRuff has deployed his slow troops in line facing the rough, I
will only try to stymie him there with inferior numbers but terrain in my
favor. As he slow marches up to the place he expects to be the main battle,
my mass of horse will aim to decimate his own, smaller band.
I think all three would be fun to play and offer my thanks to the
strategists for offering their tactics for me to think on.
Chris Brantley's Battle Plan
Comparing the two forces available, it is obvious my Late Roman East opponent has slightly greater mobility in mounted, while I have an edge in heavy foot (i.e. my 4 elements of Blades) and we're about equal in rough terrain troops. My goals must be to neutralize the enemy's mounted, get my Blades into the thick of battle as soon as possible, and take advantage of whatever rough terrain is available. Unfortunately, the field gives fairly free play to cavalry movement; moving troops on the hill(s) would force me into a static defensive position with is sure death; and the marshy ground, which would be a good playground for my Aux, looks too far away to reach in time to force a battle there. If I try to force march forward in column, I am also trusting the PIP gods won't fail me and that the enemy doesn't hit me when it comes time to unpack my elements into a battle line. Using the road is tempting, but the road runs both directions and my opponent has the advantage of choosing the first match-up.
So what is my plan? It is very similar to Larry Nellinger's above. In a nutshell, put the cavalry on the left wing, put my Blades in the center, and put the Aux in the woods and try to envelop the Eastern Romans by moving through the rough terrain on that flank. I'll take Artillery over Psiloi and use it as my camp garrison. Alternatively, I could use the Psiloi like Larry Nellinger to support the Blades against mounted attacks, but I'm a bit concerned about an end-run on my camp and feel that the Artillery gives it reasonable protection.
Here is the deployment/P>
6" from baseline_______________________________________________
[Lh][Kn][Cv][Cv][BdG][Bd][Bd][Bd] [Ax]
|| [Ax]
|| [Ax]
||
||
|| [Art]
|| [Camp]
-------------------------------||----Base Line-----------------
Road
Note that my general is in the center of the battle line so that he can control/support the cavalry movement as much as possible (i.e., avoid the loss of PIPs for units beyond the CnC's 12 inch control radius).
My Knight is on the far left wing in case he goes impetous, so that I minimize the risk of opening up a hole in the middle of my line and having my Blades and/or CnC overlapped or flanked.
The gap between my Blades and the Auxilia will be filled by an element of Auxilia if necessary. Otherwise Auxilia will try to advance beyond the Blade line and then swing left onto the Eastern Roman flank (assuming they are complacent enough to let me draw them into that position).
If an element of Eastern Light Horse or Cavalry manages to exploit that gap, I'll trust in good die and my Artillery to save the day. My own Light Horse is prepared to swing wide for a camp raid if the opportunity presents. In fact, the entire cavalry command will be able to swing out wide toward the hills if prospects look favorable
There are no reserves to support the main battle line. This is a weakness. But I don't feel that I can risk shortening the line further for fear of overexposing my flanks.
I thought about putting my CnC with either the Knights or one of the Cavalry elements to give my mounted more punch. But then I reminded myself that I want the infantry to win the battle and having that additional +1 advantage with one of my Blades makes that element even more deadly.
It is likely my opponent will put up a fight for the woods and attempt to take advantage of my early deployment of Cavalry by lining up his Knights for a charge down the road. Since my plan is to fight the battle on my half of the board (except for the Auxilia envelopment), I trust I'll have time to adjust if necessary. My opponent may also choose to head for the high ground, hoping to strike my flank as I advance across mid-board. Let him; because I won't be there to accomodate his plans, and his flanking troops will become spectators.
My greatest fear is that my enemy will send forward his cavalry in a right hook to test my mounted flank, and withhold his infantry...forcing me into an advance if I want to bring my Blades into battle. If that is the case, I will release my mounted from the battle line as well, and refuse my infantry line so that it covers the camp. My cavalry would then maneuver to avoid trouble as much as possible and/or could even be drawn back behind my line as a reserve.
In a nutshell, this battle plan is defensive in nature, will require patience to implement and flexibility to adapt, and relies on the superiority of Roman legionary infantry to prevail. For those of you who are also into American Civil War gaming, you now know why I am often jokingly referred to as "Longstreet".
David Kuijt Responds
I like the Art in the camp, I'd thought of that myself. I discarded it
because I like to be more aggressive, but it has some very interesting
effects, and with a defensive battleplan it is a neat tool.
However, I think your placement of the Art/Camp is far too conservative.
Artillery in a camp is almost invulnerable. In concert with your
deployment, and with your concerns about your left flank, I think you
should put the ArtCamp on the road, or even slightly to the left of the
road.
Putting your camp behind your left wing serves two purposes. If you
decide to withdraw/refuse your cavalry in the face of heavy enemy effort,
the artillery's 500 pace range and field of fire will be well aimed to
support your effort. In fact, one very strong defensive deployment is to
pull back into a line parallel to the road, with the artillery firing
along the front of your line.
The second purpose is a lure to the enemy. The lure of an "exposed" camp
and a relatively weak mounted force can inspire the enemy to try and
maneuver his two light horse in an end-run around your line to get your
camp.
What does this get you, if the East falls for it? A heavy expenditure of
enemy pips, for many turns, with dubious chances of success. Remember
that the enemy Lh will very likely be out of command range for much of
their end-run, so paying 2 pips for each move. (If the LH are IN command
range of their General, that is also good -- that means that it will cost
double pips for every enemy move in the marsh, where your Blades and Aux
are fighting the REAL battle).
And the Arty/Camp is nearly impregnable to LH assault. At +6 vs mounted
against the enemy LH +2, you only lose on a 1:6 against you (3% chance),
and you rout the enemy LH 600 paces to the rear 40% of the time. Every
recoil or rout means that the enemy must spend more (doubled) pips to get
back into combat.
Even if the enemy gets Kn or Cv into the assault on the Artillery Camp,
that is still great odds for you. At +6 to +3, your camp will fall 8% of
the time, and you will kill the enemy Kn/Cv 25% of the time. Totally
aside from the chance of getting a ranged-combat kill either when
the enemy forces are coming in, or after they are recoiled.
And numbers don't matter -- you can't count overlaps against a Camp.
To recap, your Arty in Camp should be treated as a field gun emplacement,
rather than hiding it. If your enemy tries to assault it with an end run
of light mounted troops he will waste time and pips better spent
elsewhere. And if he sends a full complement of mounted, his chances of
success aren't increased much, and his chances of losses are.
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Last Updated: April 5, 1999
Comments and suggestions welcome. Send them to Chris Brantley, brant@erols.com.
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