Re: Setting Spears

From: Bryan Thexton <bethexton_at_...>
Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2000 14:21:05 -0000

A critical point to remember when comparing Glorantha to ancient earth cultures, is that Glorantha seems to know about the stirrup, ancient earth cultures didn't. Lacking the stirrup, cavalry's usual roles were either as skirmishers, or to beat up light infantry and attempt to hit the heavier infantry formations from the flank or rear. Since the cavalry couln't pack as much punch in their charge without stirrups, and given the usual massive numerical advantage that the foot formations had, it was probably more or less a given that it was pointless for the cavalry to charge head-on into solid infantry formations.

Note that into hellenistic times, more-or-less suicide scythed chariots were sometimes driven into infantry formations, in attempts to break them up. These don't seem to have been all that succesful against good troops.

>From a rules perspective, the critical element would seem to be does
the charge manage to break the infantry formation or not. I think this could usually be managed by a simple contest. In extraordinary situations, where the whole battle hinges on the infantry holding their line, perhaps an extended contest along the lines of "terrify" versus "disciplined" or "brave" might be appropriate. After that initial roll, appropriate mods could be given to each side and close combat could start, with probably the winner of the initial contest being the first actor.

Just my opinion, of course.

--Bryan

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