Re: Shafting the sunny boys of Prax

From: Lee R. Insley <maelstrom_at_usa.net>
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 13:43:48 -0500


James Frusetta:  

>True. Sergio's suggestion is well-taken, though, when you consider that
>the Yelmists in Prax, like the Swiss, deal with more effective and more
>numerous cavalry than the ancients. Use of the Swiss square might be
>logical, just because flank and rear attacks are a real threat. An
>addition, as it were, to the otherwise ancient Greek tactics they use
>based on the very different environments of Prax and Greece. Possible...?

Depends on which ancients you are talking about. Alexander in his many battles fought several armies made up of numerous cavalry. He constantly was under the threat of being enveloped on all sides in almost all of his battles in Persia (especially at the battle of Gaugamela where the greeks/persians were in wide-open plains). The Macedonians, however, extensively used light troops, which the Templars seem to distain (at least on the open field), had their own national cavalry, and used the phalanx similar to how the Swiss pikemen were used (as a defensive arm, not an offensive one). The Macedonians relied on the cavalry as being their main shock arm.

Personally, the tactics I would employ with the Templars would be to try to break the center of the enemy (thus the military importance of the push shields contests/training) and cause a general rout before cavalry could encircle. I view the Templars as more of an offensive arm - similar to the Greek hoplites or Roman maniple rather than the Macedonian phalanx or Swiss pike square. The Roman's viewed cavalry as unreliable (they could easily run away) and placed all of their training and tactics into the use of the infantry as the main shock arm. Since the Templars seem to use mercenary Nomads as their cavalry arm, I would assume that they would have similar attitudes.

The important distinction is that the Swiss square formations were more of a defensive formation. I do not think the Sun Dome military uses defensive formations and places greater emphasis on offensive action. To the Sun Domer, a defensive action would seem cowardly IMO.


End of The Glorantha Digest V5 #265


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