First off, the Sun Domers are mercenaries and would be in several foreign armies. What I was mainly refering to is infantry versus infantry where the sun domers are part of a larger more diverse army (probably the more typical scenario that you will see the Sun Domers used in an actual army), however I can also see the Sun Domers using similar tactics against cavalry in defense of their homeland against major Nomad incursions. If you look at the terain of Sun County, there are bogs and many rivers - neither of which are friendly to cavalry. If the Sun Domers secure their flanks against the nomads (which they should be able to do in Sun County lands), then they can move forward and push the cavalry back. Strategically, yes this is a defensive action, however tactics employed are offensive and consistent with how the Templars would fight against infantry (again see the significance of the Shield Push games). The Templars would tactically use missile skirmishers to harass the nomads and prevent the nomads from harassing the hoplites with missile fire. In the majority of situations, however, I would think that the Sun Domers are really defending against raids and would just hold up in fortified positions or harass the nomads with missile troops. (NOTE: I believe that in another posting I mentioned that Sun Domers don't utilize missile troops in battle. This was not entirely correct. They use skirmishers (IMO - same as peltasts), just not massed missile troops - such as crossbowmen or longbowmen).
Also, you seem to be assuming that the Sun Domers will not have cavalry support on their side. It specifically states in Sun County that the Sun Domers use Nomad mercenaries (SC pg. 8) for their cavalry arm on occation. If there was a real outside threat by an occupying army (as opposed to just nomad raiders), I would assume that the Sun Domers would employ this cavalry - thus reducing the possibility and problem of encirclement by enemy cavalry and allowing the infantry to be brought to action.
Also, the Swiss pikemen did not use shields if I remember correctly. They needed two hands to handle those pikes and halberds. How do you reconcile this with the Sun Domers use of shields?
I have not seen any reference of Sun Domers going into the wide-open plains for Prax to wage campaigns against the nomads. You are right, this would be suicidal using hoplite tactics without proper cavalry support. I believe what probably happens is that the Sun Domers win in the infantry favorable Sun County, but lose in the semi-deserts of Prax creating a stale mate where the nomads are *safe* from the Templars in their homeland, while Sun County is normally *safe* from full-scale occupation in theirs.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the Pikemen developed to counter the heavy cavalry of the Knights. With the exception of the Rhino riders, the nomads of Prax would normally be considered light cavalry. *Light* cavalry would be more the type that the Greek Hoplites faced.
>Swiss pikemen used as much defensive as offensive tactics. That was their
>greatest asset. They would fight defensively against heavy cavalry and
>offensively against infantry and missiles.
Agreed. I was thinking in terms of just cavalry.
>I would call it 'prudence' and 'tactical wisdom', not cowardice. If you
>think that to stay put wainting for the rhinos to charge against you, even
>if you have your pike in front of you is cowardice... I can tell you it
>isn't: In Portuguese bullfight we have what we call a 'pega de caras'
>(something like 'face to face grapple') where a group of men called
>'forcados' have to block a charging bull formed in straight line. Even if
> the bull is tired after the bullfight (which in Portuguese bullfight is
>against mounted 'toureiros' - in Spanish toreadores) and he loosed a lot of
>blood, it requires about 6 to 10 skilled men to stop him. And the lucky
>leaders of the forcados (the first man in the line) count on broken ribs
>the number of bulls they grappled. If you meet one of them, just tell him
>he is a coward for waiting still for the bull...
>
I sort of piture the Sun Domers of having some of their DP heritage left in them. IMO the DP armies (using the Celtic/Viking analogies) use the all out attack method. Every soldier was trying to prove he was braver than the next soldier and the best way to accomplish this was to engage the enemy and defeat him quickly. Sitting back would be seen as cowardness (thus the barbarian lack of reserve troops). This is also how I interpret "Maneuver and stratagem are disdained by generals and troopers alike; the coming together of stoud, courageous warriors in honorable, decisive battle, where strength, will, and mettle are tested, is the proper Yelmalian mode of warefare." (pg.7 SC). Also, the use of pikemen requires both maneuvering and strategy, while the Greek Hoplite formations require very little. Another negative in the Swiss pike theory IMO.
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