It's not a case of wondering about squad sizes, because at the end of the day i am quite happy to say i know what the squad sizes are in my the area of my current campaign (Prax and Pavis). The antelope lancers use 10 (Shadows on the Borderlands), the lunar phalanx uses 7 man half files (TotRM 12 and Big Rubble) and the Yelmalions use 8 man half files (Sun County) and following on from Griffin Mountain i suggest that the lunar pelasts use 7 man half files as well.
What i am trying to work out is some suitably gloranthan reasons (traditional or mythic) as to why.
In the RW (at modern times) squad sizes are as much decided by budgetary and recruiting restraints on manpower levels, as by tactical theory. I am sure that we can come up with some reasons behind Gloranthan military traditions which are a little less dry.
For the lunars it appears easy to build a case for the use of 7 (lots of precedent for it being a popular number, 7 mothers, 7 phases of the moon etc). I can see the bureaucrats now "yeah, lets reorganise the army into a 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 legion, the Moonson will love it".
I like the idea that the original phalanx was organised around 8 (though i would say this is a half file) because this ties in with what the boys in Sun County are doing (and you can bet that if that's the system they're using now, its the system they've always been using). It also has an interesting implication for the lunar phalanxes (meaning the named units of the Heartland Corps e.g. Marble Phalanx etc. with a long and possibly pre-lunar history, rather than units of the provincial army). They still have the traditional 8 files per lochos but appear to be influenced by lunar bureaucracy into having a 7 man half file.
But, to get back to a point, what i am looking for inspiration on, is why did the the Pelandans organise around eight and why if as you say
>Dara Happan versions of the phalanx would have a more formal hierarchy,
>with a 10 (men) x 10 (files) x 10 ("squares") being the obvious Yelmic
>structure.
do the Yelmies see 10 as an obvious number, while the Yelamions have stayed with the traditional 8 ?
Well enough already, if any of the above appears irrelevant or ignorant i am sure you'll let me know
t.t.f.n
Adrian
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