Close Order and Open Order Infantry

[RogerCooper]

I was watching a Kings & Generals video on Germanicus's campaign against Arminius. In one engagement, the Romans had created a corduroy road through a marsh. As the Romans, were marching through, the Germans attacked the head of the column, flanking them in the marsh. The rear of the Roman column, ignoring the rules, went into the marsh themselves and pushed the Germans back. It was generally noted that legions could handle bad terrain better than the phalanx,

Troops trained to fight in close order could still fight in open order if they needed to. This could be handled in game without an actual change in unit type. A simple battlecard of "Reduced Penalty in Bad Going" with the effect reducing the penalty of bad going to 1 would do the trick.

[David Kuijt]

The rear of the Roman column, ignoring the rules, went into the marsh themselves and pushed the Germans back.

You can win battles doing the unexpected -- I've won battles by charging Elite Cavalry and JavCav into woods and steep hills, for example.

It was generally noted that legions could handle bad terrain better than the phalanx,

That's already true -- phalanx (pike) are much worse in bad terrain than legions (elite foot).

Troops trained to fight in close order could still fight in open order if they needed to. This could be handled in game without an actual change in unit type. A simple battlecard of "Reduced Penalty in Bad Going" with the effect reducing the penalty of bad going to 1 would do the trick.

Interesting idea for a battle card. It would take some playtesting to make sure you weren't creating a supertroop, or overshadowing other troop types (Raiders for example) -- the Roman Army used Auxilia (Raiders) for fighting in difficult terrain, and tried to fight with their Elite Foot in the open. An Elite Foot with penalty for difficult terrain of -1 would mean that players would have no particular reason to use historical tactics if they were fighting against Picts, Irish, Gauls, Thracians, or Illyrians. But certainly an interesting idea for a battle card.

Another example that supports your concept for a battle card would be Hypaspists under Alexander -- it is difficult to figure out what troop type best represents them, because in some battles he used them as steep hill assault troops and in others as open terrain guys next to his phalanx.

[Rod]

The battle card idea might be interesting (like dismounting knights).

As DK mentions, Alexander's Hypaspists are a perfect example, from what we know they were highly trained and could fill multiple roles. That is why I have some painted and based as Elite foot, unarmored ones based as raiders, they could deploy as pike, they could strip down to light weapons and swim a river to sneak into an enemy camp, light foot? (the seal team 6 of ancient warfare).

The way this is represented in Triumph! right now is by giving you a choice in Meshwesh between raiders, elite foot or pike depending on the army list.

Vikings might be another example, elite foot or raiders? Certainly there were Viking warriors experienced in fighting in both shield wall and who could also had fight in open order. Closing / opening ranks is not more difficult than getting on or off horses.

Currently this choice is made when you select the army as the specific stand. I suppose an argument could be made for them to "change" formation, i.e. you elite foot over there, open ranks and fight like raiders because today we need you to cover the woods on the left or cross that river? Similar to the dismounting card for knights.

[RogerCooper]

I think that most heavy infantry formations could open up. It is reforming back into close order which requires well-trained troops.