Re: Missile Troops in SC

From: Lee R. Insley <maelstrom_at_usa.net>
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 1997 16:11:17 -0500

Kevin Rose:
>Swiss pike formations were offensive, not defensive. The Scottish spear
>formations were more of the not very mobile defensive type. The Swiss
>formed a solid block and attacked at a very rapid pace. This included
>attacking into cavalry. They originally used heavy crossbows instead of
>firearms.

I believe the swiss were primarily used defensively against cavalry and either defensively or offensively against infantry (depending on tactics). I don't think a mass of infantry could catch up to a well organized cavalry. Also, it was the use of the firearms that prolonged the use of the pikemen IMO. If they maintained the use of the crossbow, I believe the firearmed opponents would have eaten them to shreds from a distance. Once field artillery came into play, the pikemen were doomed.

>
>Greek city states armies were composed of the adult male citizens (his
>friends, neighbors and relatives) who generally fought prearranged single,
>decisive battles with similarly equipped foes. This later changed
>and battles got very bloody when it did. Hanson's "The Western Way of
>War" is a very good book if you want to understand this sort of warfare.
>The problem is that Praxians don't want to play by the rules that made
>Greek hoplite warfare work.

The Greeks fought many different styles of troops with and against the Persians. The battles you are refering to only apply early in Greek hoplite history - the prearranged stuff went out with the Iliad and Odyssey (along with personal combat). With the invasion of the Persians, this hoplite vs. hoplite only battles changed and more cavalry and light troops were introduced as time went on. Also, all of SC adult males are part of the army - a another similarity with the greeks.

>
>Pure shock infantry is not the ideal type of troops to try to fight light
>mounted archers and shock cavalry. The pikes will keep the cavalry from
>getting to hand-to-hand (usually), but the mounted archers will shoot the
>pike formation to pieces. Therefore it would be logical to assume that
>the Yelmalio guys have a lot (20%+) of missile troops, but they don't talk
>about them. The basic strategic problem is that infantry cannot force
>cavalry to fight them, while the cavalry can chose when and where to
>attack.

According to SC, they do not use missile troops in the open field. They do, however, use mounted Nomad mercenaries. I would play the SC is more or less in a defensive role and would not need to attack the cavalry, just defend against their attacks/raids most of the time.

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