econ21
12-07-2006, 21:07
The Battle of Ancrya, Summer 250 BC
Initial Deployment:
https://img224.imageshack.us/img224/647/ancyradeployzj8.th.jpg (https://img224.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ancyradeployzj8.jpg)
Opening divisions
Consular
I. Battle division - main battle line
II. Light infantry division – slingers and skirmish detachment
III. Command division - generals and equites
IV. Light cavalry division
V. Cavalry reserve division
VI. Reserve division
Senate
I. Battle division - main battle line inc. Appius & flanking swords
II. Light infantry division - frontal skirmisher and slinger detachment
III. Second battle division - Numerius + hastati
IV. Cavalry division (to the left)
V. Horse archer detachment
VI. Reserve division
How the battle will be played:
1. I will umpire the battle but not participate. Tamur will act as both Numerius and Appius, controlling all the Senate forces. Braden will control all the Consular ones. (No other players should advise them or communicate with them during the battle.)
2. I have cut and paste all the icons of the units onto a word document.http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/ancrya.zip
Each player should copy the icons of their units into Microsoft Paint and arrange them in his order of battle. They will then save the file, zip it and upload it. I will put the two together to show the intial battle deployment and upload it.
3. We will abstract from terrain - it's a level playing field. Fine viisibility and weather. Fatigue will be a factor though - best keep a fresh reserve for late day.
4. There will then be 6 turns:
- advance to contact (1) - Wed
- mid-morning (2) - Th
- late morning (3) - Fri
- early afternoon (4) - Sat
- late afternoon (5) - Sun
- evening (6) - Mon
At the start of each turn, each player will use Paint to mark his planned maneouvres and send me any accompanying notes.
5. Players should act like historical armies and not try to micro-manage too much. Orders may get lost and things may slip up. The position of the 4 generals will be particularly important in determining the outcome of any fine maneouvring - if he is far away or locked in combat, he may not be able to control events. (Best avoid the RTW bad habit of using your general as a spearhead.)
6. I will put the orders together. Execution of movement will be simultaneous, so I will work out the result of any clashes arising based on my judgement - informed by common sense, unit stats, history and experience of RTRPE. I will upload an end-turn file showing the state of play together with a brief narrative courtesy of my grad student Jack.
7. We will play out one turn per day of real life. We will have Monday to discuss these proposals and agree procedures. Send me your deployments by Tuesday night and then we will try to get through a turn a day, finishing a week on Monday. I know weekends can be a problem, but we can deal with that if you give me notice.
8. The battle will be decisive. The losers will all be killed or surrender. The winners will take casualties on the campaign map (losing whole units) I deem reasonable given the battle.
Further notes:
After deployment, we will then have a "move to contact" turn, where both players will give their opening moves which will be executed simultaneously until either of you gets into missile or charge range.
After that, we will have 6 regular turns, where you will be able to give incremental orders. I am going to try to simulate a real ancient battle, so it may take more than a turn for a melee between two lines of heavy infantry to be resolved. A cavalry charge will be resolved more quickly though (and if successful may overrun into other enemy units during the same turn).
I will also impose fatigue penalties, so units that come into the action later in the day will have an edge. A typical unit will only be able to fight for two turns and then be exhausted. Units will not be able to withdraw easily from a melee, except Roman infantry which was apparently practiced that.
Units may be able to change their facing autonomously so if you want a flank attack, make sure you pin the enemy first. Units next to a general may be able to do even more in reaction to an enemy move so make sure you place your general where he needs to be to control things.
Please don't ask me to align unit x to fight unit y - I don't think a real Roman general would get into such a level of micromanagement (unless he was adjacent to unit x).
On the realism of fog of war - a general can only see through line of sight. He does not have a helicopter or interactive total war style map laid out. Once the lines have met in combat, I doubt he could see much - particularly on level ground. He would have to use riders to keep in touch with his divisons, but riders can be lost, reports garbled and orders can be misunderstood (think Balaclava).
Divisional structure and giving orders
To simplify this, please give orders only to groups (“division”) of your army. You may have a maximum of 8 “divisions” in your army.
You currently have 6 each and so may create another 2 during the course of the battle by detaching units from existing divisions. It would be foolish to try to re-arrange units locked in melee, though. Your main reserves are probably the best formations to try to break down in new divisions – e.g. if you only want to commit some at a particular time.
However, each general may be given individual orders and need not be in a division. The generals are Numerius, Appius, Manius and son. The Senate Tribune is not a general per se, although his presence in a division may give that division more autonomous capability.
Please draft your orders in character, as if given by a real general. They should be clear and simple. The more confused or complicated, the more likely the divisional commander will mess up. Ideally, I would like to publish these orders in a battle report (after the battle is concluded – so they will be confidential until then). You may allow for contingencies, but if the orders are too complex, the divisional commander may become confused or feel constrained from acting on his own initiative. You can trust your divisional commanders to execute their orders in a competent way (you don’t need to micromanage them and tell them how to fight – I may let the AI control them to see how a division vs division fight would play out). But they will have limited initiative to respond to new developments.
What orders should cover:
- where to move, inc. facing
- which formation to engage or screen (this will help me determine facing)
- for missiles (inc. pila and javelin armed heavily infantry): whether to fire at will or who to target
- for melee units: whether to charge or prepare to receive a charge
- whether to pursue or hold ground once in place
Consular Orders for turn 1:
Main Battle formation (on field):
Aim - To engage and largest enemy battle formation.
Formation standing orders - Advance at a walk, if enemy formation is longer than this formation they advance to concentration on the enemy Right flank and the formations right-flank spears move to present to their right to help prevent "wrap around". IF, enemy formation has roughly the same size in front line this formation advances to meet on equal.
Unit Standing orders -
Principi : Guard formation at all times unless ordered directly otherwise. Use all pila as the main enemy body presents itself. Charge to engage with main formation ONLY once all pila are used. Do not break formation.
Triarii : Guard formation at all times unless ordered directly otherwise. Charge to engage ONLY with Principi.
Front line Gallatian swords : Guard formation at all times unless ordered directly otherwise. Charge to engage ONLY with Triarii.
Italian Spearmen : Guard formation at all times unless ordered directly otherwise. Charge to engage ONLY to support Gallatian swords, flank enemy formations ONCE Gallatian's are engaged.
Gallic Warband : Guard formation at all times unless ordered directly otherwise. Charge to engage ONLY to support Italian spearmen, protect Italian Spearmen's flanks and rear, do not directly engage enemy units. You are to protect the flanks of the formation.
Flank Rear Gallatian swords : Engage at Will. Once front line has engaged, swing wide and flank enemy formations, attempt ALWAYS to engage those enemy flank units that are engaged already. Only once the enemy flanks have routed are you to engage rear enemy units.
Skirmish Cohort Unit orders
Slingers : Advance in formation, engage enemy flank units or isolated infantry units. Attempt to always enable a flank shot. Do not advance within javelin range of enemy main formations. Attempt to isolate and destroy individual units ONLY, if this is not possible merely harass from flanks (flank shots).
Skirmishers : You are direct support for the Slingers. If they are charged by a cavalry unit and cannot withdraw before contact you are to countercharge (loose javelins if possible). Otherwise, remain in formation and engage with Javelins any enemy units that range too close to Slingers.
Do not pursue routing units.
Manius's Cavalry Cohort orders
Advance in formation at all times (strait line formation, four thick minimum), advance on extreme right flank, out of charge range of main formation but level with them. Monitor skirmish cohort for issues, if cavarly looks to wish to engage skirmish cohort then advance to within charge range rapidly behind skirmish cohort. IF they are still engaged by cavalry, countercharge to support skirmishers directly - NEVER Pursue routing enemy.
Gallic light Cavalry cohort orders
Advance in formation at all times (strait line, four thick minimum). Advance supporting (within charge range) of left flank of main battle formation. Only engage unengaged enemy units threatening to envelope/flank main battle formation and only after they are themselves engaged (rear/flank charge). Main job is to chase routers LATE in the battle, so minimal contact is encouraged but presence is essential to secure left flank of main battle line.
Reserve List
Main reserve Battle formation - Deployed behind main battle formation (1000+ meters). Advance in concert with main battle formation (i.e. deployed at start), but not to engage until directly ordered to do so. Advance in formation at all times, remain behind and left of the main battle formation (distances as above). You are the main battle reserve but are intended to enter battle at the pivitol time, but to also enter in formation as given.
Unit specific orders :
Hastati - Guard formation initially, loose all Pila then change to Engage at Will.
Gallic Warbands - Hold formation (Guard). Defend formation only, do not charge to engage unless directly supporting cohort (i.e. other units in cohort are engaging), attempt to flank or engage already engaged units.
Eastern Mercs - Guard formation at all times, only advance to engage already engaged enemy units. Defend right flank against cavalry.
Gallatian Swordsmen - Stay in formation at all times, Engage at Will formation for unit. Engage enemy units as they present themselves.
Italian Swordsmen - retain formation at all times until engagement. Engage at Will, flank round your main formation and attempt to engage already engaged enemy formations, watch for cavalry. If Cavalry present themselves - counter charge immediately. Seek engaged cavlary as a priority target.
Reserve Cavalry
Retain formation (line x Four), shadow main formation on right flank, hold back significantly (1500+meters). However, once main formation has engaged, continue to advance at a walk behind Manius's formation. Engage when ordered to do so and what targets to do so - do NOT engage otherwise.
Senate Orders for Turn 1:
Orders:
1. All troops are to march forward in the current formation, except as
noted in special order 5.
2. Two reserve units are to be called up and hastened to the main army:
a. the cyrtian slingers should join with their fellow cyrtian
slingers and fire into the enemy's front line.
b. the thracian light cavalry are to join the cavalry under Luculus.
3. Unforseen strange behaviour (such as the Consular skirmishers
charging the main line's left flank) should be defended against, not
agressively attacked. The exception to this would be if the Consular
bodyguards came within missile range of our slingers. (see orders #3
4. Missile troops who are being charged should fall back to the flanks
of the army (not straight through the army) unless there is no other way
to escape. If they must go straight backward through the army, they
should get to the flank closest to their position as soon as possible.
5. The main focus of the morning's work is to:
a. weaken the centre of the Consular front line while strengthening
our own,
b. keep the enemy missile troops under fire and unable to target our
front line until it is too late.
SPECIAL ORDERS...
1. MOUNTED ARCHERS: You are to focus on harassing the gallic light
cavalry on the Consular army's left flank. Avoid engagement, use a
circle, run from battle, just harass and threaten them with missile fire
no matter where they go.
2. MISSILE: Funditores, you are to focus your fire on the slingers and
skirmishers on the Consular right.
3. MISSILE: Velites and slingers, you are to focus your fire on the
Consular centre. If the Consular bodyguards come within striking
distance, I want ALL of your men to fire at them. I want Manius and his
catamite son lying dead on the field by noon.
4. CAVALRY: You will move in a wide arc outward, then inward again
toward the Consular right flank. Missile cavalry (ooc: that is, all
except Luculus), use agressive feints and missile fire to harass and
threaten the enemy skirmishers and slingers. If faced with a charge from
the Consular cavalry or bodyguard, fall back to our front line's right
flank, and keep the charging cavalry under missile fire while doing so.
Luculus, I want you to stay with them but completely avoid engagement,
you hear me?!
5. HASTATI: Hastati, you will move with Numerius to the centre of the
line just behind the Thrac, following the thracian infantry such that
they can cast their pilae over the heads of the front line. Numerius is
to follow a bit behind the hastati line.
End Turn 1: The Situation After Advancing to Contact
https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4521/ancyraturn1of0.th.jpg (https://img170.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ancyraturn1of0.jpg)
Consular Plan for Turn 2:
Unit movements, orders and Targets.
Light Infantry division :
Slinger targets are depleted slinger unit and Hoplites (angles shown on map, one unit of Gallatian slingers on the depleted unit, other two slinger units on the Hoplite). Readying to withdraw, though, as threat percieved by Cavalry in front.
Italian Skirmishers acting as per initial orders - first unit bracing to receive potential charge and be in melee, second unit ready to loose javelins then enter melee in support. They are correspondingly ensuring they are in a deep formation (which they should have been anyway).
If by chance they are by-passed by the cavalry, the rear Italian skirmishers are ready with Javelin volleys.
Command Division :
Manius is readying and positioning to face off against enemy cavalry ahead. If they charge the Light Infantry division he will also charge to contact, timed to arrive after enemy cavalry have made contact with the Italian Skirmishers. If the enemy cavalry charge past the Skirmishers, he will initiate a charge.
Cavalry Reserve:
As per main orders, following Manius forward and right. Will follow him into charge if he commits. Will arrive into combat just after he has (as planned and explained).
Battle Division:
Division continues to advance strait on now as per initial orders. Also, as per orders they will enage with missiles the Italian Skirmish unit (concentrated fire from Velites and Princeps if they get in range only). Gauls are readying WARCRY. Princeps are lining up to fight the left flank Thracians, unit of 65 Triarii lining up to attack the Italian Spearmen, unit of 77 Triarii likewise will engage Thracians. Manius's left flank (right flank as per diagram) Gallatians preparing to charge round to defend flank once front is engaged.
Once front is engaged - Gallic Warband and Gallatians on Manius's right (left as per diagram) will charge round the Senates left flank to engage Gallatians and Hoplite (who will be faced with a Gallatian unit as well as Italian Spearmen to the front and flank).
The Centurion in command is not expecting the Skrimish units of the enemy to remain where they are.
- Note; Behind one unit of Velites enters battle late, running forward to join alongside/behind unit of Velites in the Battle Division.
Light Cavalry Division
As per orders - forcing horse archers away from main battle. Commander is thinking about splitting his force.
Reserve Division
Have gained correct position so are advancing at pace with Battle Division. No engagement planned.
Senate Orders for Turn 2
The only change of orders I would like is to send Appius into the newly
formed Heavy Cavalry division with Luculus, and give it its own special
order. Order for them will look like:
HEAVY CAVALRY: remain on the left flank, watching for a Consular cavalry
flanking maneuver. The light cavalry should keep the missile troops
occupied, but if they for whatever reason are able to fire on you, get
out of range, even if it means falling back behind the front line.
Other than that, no change of orders.
Initial Deployment:
https://img224.imageshack.us/img224/647/ancyradeployzj8.th.jpg (https://img224.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ancyradeployzj8.jpg)
Opening divisions
Consular
I. Battle division - main battle line
II. Light infantry division – slingers and skirmish detachment
III. Command division - generals and equites
IV. Light cavalry division
V. Cavalry reserve division
VI. Reserve division
Senate
I. Battle division - main battle line inc. Appius & flanking swords
II. Light infantry division - frontal skirmisher and slinger detachment
III. Second battle division - Numerius + hastati
IV. Cavalry division (to the left)
V. Horse archer detachment
VI. Reserve division
How the battle will be played:
1. I will umpire the battle but not participate. Tamur will act as both Numerius and Appius, controlling all the Senate forces. Braden will control all the Consular ones. (No other players should advise them or communicate with them during the battle.)
2. I have cut and paste all the icons of the units onto a word document.http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/ancrya.zip
Each player should copy the icons of their units into Microsoft Paint and arrange them in his order of battle. They will then save the file, zip it and upload it. I will put the two together to show the intial battle deployment and upload it.
3. We will abstract from terrain - it's a level playing field. Fine viisibility and weather. Fatigue will be a factor though - best keep a fresh reserve for late day.
4. There will then be 6 turns:
- advance to contact (1) - Wed
- mid-morning (2) - Th
- late morning (3) - Fri
- early afternoon (4) - Sat
- late afternoon (5) - Sun
- evening (6) - Mon
At the start of each turn, each player will use Paint to mark his planned maneouvres and send me any accompanying notes.
5. Players should act like historical armies and not try to micro-manage too much. Orders may get lost and things may slip up. The position of the 4 generals will be particularly important in determining the outcome of any fine maneouvring - if he is far away or locked in combat, he may not be able to control events. (Best avoid the RTW bad habit of using your general as a spearhead.)
6. I will put the orders together. Execution of movement will be simultaneous, so I will work out the result of any clashes arising based on my judgement - informed by common sense, unit stats, history and experience of RTRPE. I will upload an end-turn file showing the state of play together with a brief narrative courtesy of my grad student Jack.
7. We will play out one turn per day of real life. We will have Monday to discuss these proposals and agree procedures. Send me your deployments by Tuesday night and then we will try to get through a turn a day, finishing a week on Monday. I know weekends can be a problem, but we can deal with that if you give me notice.
8. The battle will be decisive. The losers will all be killed or surrender. The winners will take casualties on the campaign map (losing whole units) I deem reasonable given the battle.
Further notes:
After deployment, we will then have a "move to contact" turn, where both players will give their opening moves which will be executed simultaneously until either of you gets into missile or charge range.
After that, we will have 6 regular turns, where you will be able to give incremental orders. I am going to try to simulate a real ancient battle, so it may take more than a turn for a melee between two lines of heavy infantry to be resolved. A cavalry charge will be resolved more quickly though (and if successful may overrun into other enemy units during the same turn).
I will also impose fatigue penalties, so units that come into the action later in the day will have an edge. A typical unit will only be able to fight for two turns and then be exhausted. Units will not be able to withdraw easily from a melee, except Roman infantry which was apparently practiced that.
Units may be able to change their facing autonomously so if you want a flank attack, make sure you pin the enemy first. Units next to a general may be able to do even more in reaction to an enemy move so make sure you place your general where he needs to be to control things.
Please don't ask me to align unit x to fight unit y - I don't think a real Roman general would get into such a level of micromanagement (unless he was adjacent to unit x).
On the realism of fog of war - a general can only see through line of sight. He does not have a helicopter or interactive total war style map laid out. Once the lines have met in combat, I doubt he could see much - particularly on level ground. He would have to use riders to keep in touch with his divisons, but riders can be lost, reports garbled and orders can be misunderstood (think Balaclava).
Divisional structure and giving orders
To simplify this, please give orders only to groups (“division”) of your army. You may have a maximum of 8 “divisions” in your army.
You currently have 6 each and so may create another 2 during the course of the battle by detaching units from existing divisions. It would be foolish to try to re-arrange units locked in melee, though. Your main reserves are probably the best formations to try to break down in new divisions – e.g. if you only want to commit some at a particular time.
However, each general may be given individual orders and need not be in a division. The generals are Numerius, Appius, Manius and son. The Senate Tribune is not a general per se, although his presence in a division may give that division more autonomous capability.
Please draft your orders in character, as if given by a real general. They should be clear and simple. The more confused or complicated, the more likely the divisional commander will mess up. Ideally, I would like to publish these orders in a battle report (after the battle is concluded – so they will be confidential until then). You may allow for contingencies, but if the orders are too complex, the divisional commander may become confused or feel constrained from acting on his own initiative. You can trust your divisional commanders to execute their orders in a competent way (you don’t need to micromanage them and tell them how to fight – I may let the AI control them to see how a division vs division fight would play out). But they will have limited initiative to respond to new developments.
What orders should cover:
- where to move, inc. facing
- which formation to engage or screen (this will help me determine facing)
- for missiles (inc. pila and javelin armed heavily infantry): whether to fire at will or who to target
- for melee units: whether to charge or prepare to receive a charge
- whether to pursue or hold ground once in place
Consular Orders for turn 1:
Main Battle formation (on field):
Aim - To engage and largest enemy battle formation.
Formation standing orders - Advance at a walk, if enemy formation is longer than this formation they advance to concentration on the enemy Right flank and the formations right-flank spears move to present to their right to help prevent "wrap around". IF, enemy formation has roughly the same size in front line this formation advances to meet on equal.
Unit Standing orders -
Principi : Guard formation at all times unless ordered directly otherwise. Use all pila as the main enemy body presents itself. Charge to engage with main formation ONLY once all pila are used. Do not break formation.
Triarii : Guard formation at all times unless ordered directly otherwise. Charge to engage ONLY with Principi.
Front line Gallatian swords : Guard formation at all times unless ordered directly otherwise. Charge to engage ONLY with Triarii.
Italian Spearmen : Guard formation at all times unless ordered directly otherwise. Charge to engage ONLY to support Gallatian swords, flank enemy formations ONCE Gallatian's are engaged.
Gallic Warband : Guard formation at all times unless ordered directly otherwise. Charge to engage ONLY to support Italian spearmen, protect Italian Spearmen's flanks and rear, do not directly engage enemy units. You are to protect the flanks of the formation.
Flank Rear Gallatian swords : Engage at Will. Once front line has engaged, swing wide and flank enemy formations, attempt ALWAYS to engage those enemy flank units that are engaged already. Only once the enemy flanks have routed are you to engage rear enemy units.
Skirmish Cohort Unit orders
Slingers : Advance in formation, engage enemy flank units or isolated infantry units. Attempt to always enable a flank shot. Do not advance within javelin range of enemy main formations. Attempt to isolate and destroy individual units ONLY, if this is not possible merely harass from flanks (flank shots).
Skirmishers : You are direct support for the Slingers. If they are charged by a cavalry unit and cannot withdraw before contact you are to countercharge (loose javelins if possible). Otherwise, remain in formation and engage with Javelins any enemy units that range too close to Slingers.
Do not pursue routing units.
Manius's Cavalry Cohort orders
Advance in formation at all times (strait line formation, four thick minimum), advance on extreme right flank, out of charge range of main formation but level with them. Monitor skirmish cohort for issues, if cavarly looks to wish to engage skirmish cohort then advance to within charge range rapidly behind skirmish cohort. IF they are still engaged by cavalry, countercharge to support skirmishers directly - NEVER Pursue routing enemy.
Gallic light Cavalry cohort orders
Advance in formation at all times (strait line, four thick minimum). Advance supporting (within charge range) of left flank of main battle formation. Only engage unengaged enemy units threatening to envelope/flank main battle formation and only after they are themselves engaged (rear/flank charge). Main job is to chase routers LATE in the battle, so minimal contact is encouraged but presence is essential to secure left flank of main battle line.
Reserve List
Main reserve Battle formation - Deployed behind main battle formation (1000+ meters). Advance in concert with main battle formation (i.e. deployed at start), but not to engage until directly ordered to do so. Advance in formation at all times, remain behind and left of the main battle formation (distances as above). You are the main battle reserve but are intended to enter battle at the pivitol time, but to also enter in formation as given.
Unit specific orders :
Hastati - Guard formation initially, loose all Pila then change to Engage at Will.
Gallic Warbands - Hold formation (Guard). Defend formation only, do not charge to engage unless directly supporting cohort (i.e. other units in cohort are engaging), attempt to flank or engage already engaged units.
Eastern Mercs - Guard formation at all times, only advance to engage already engaged enemy units. Defend right flank against cavalry.
Gallatian Swordsmen - Stay in formation at all times, Engage at Will formation for unit. Engage enemy units as they present themselves.
Italian Swordsmen - retain formation at all times until engagement. Engage at Will, flank round your main formation and attempt to engage already engaged enemy formations, watch for cavalry. If Cavalry present themselves - counter charge immediately. Seek engaged cavlary as a priority target.
Reserve Cavalry
Retain formation (line x Four), shadow main formation on right flank, hold back significantly (1500+meters). However, once main formation has engaged, continue to advance at a walk behind Manius's formation. Engage when ordered to do so and what targets to do so - do NOT engage otherwise.
Senate Orders for Turn 1:
Orders:
1. All troops are to march forward in the current formation, except as
noted in special order 5.
2. Two reserve units are to be called up and hastened to the main army:
a. the cyrtian slingers should join with their fellow cyrtian
slingers and fire into the enemy's front line.
b. the thracian light cavalry are to join the cavalry under Luculus.
3. Unforseen strange behaviour (such as the Consular skirmishers
charging the main line's left flank) should be defended against, not
agressively attacked. The exception to this would be if the Consular
bodyguards came within missile range of our slingers. (see orders #3
4. Missile troops who are being charged should fall back to the flanks
of the army (not straight through the army) unless there is no other way
to escape. If they must go straight backward through the army, they
should get to the flank closest to their position as soon as possible.
5. The main focus of the morning's work is to:
a. weaken the centre of the Consular front line while strengthening
our own,
b. keep the enemy missile troops under fire and unable to target our
front line until it is too late.
SPECIAL ORDERS...
1. MOUNTED ARCHERS: You are to focus on harassing the gallic light
cavalry on the Consular army's left flank. Avoid engagement, use a
circle, run from battle, just harass and threaten them with missile fire
no matter where they go.
2. MISSILE: Funditores, you are to focus your fire on the slingers and
skirmishers on the Consular right.
3. MISSILE: Velites and slingers, you are to focus your fire on the
Consular centre. If the Consular bodyguards come within striking
distance, I want ALL of your men to fire at them. I want Manius and his
catamite son lying dead on the field by noon.
4. CAVALRY: You will move in a wide arc outward, then inward again
toward the Consular right flank. Missile cavalry (ooc: that is, all
except Luculus), use agressive feints and missile fire to harass and
threaten the enemy skirmishers and slingers. If faced with a charge from
the Consular cavalry or bodyguard, fall back to our front line's right
flank, and keep the charging cavalry under missile fire while doing so.
Luculus, I want you to stay with them but completely avoid engagement,
you hear me?!
5. HASTATI: Hastati, you will move with Numerius to the centre of the
line just behind the Thrac, following the thracian infantry such that
they can cast their pilae over the heads of the front line. Numerius is
to follow a bit behind the hastati line.
End Turn 1: The Situation After Advancing to Contact
https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4521/ancyraturn1of0.th.jpg (https://img170.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ancyraturn1of0.jpg)
Consular Plan for Turn 2:
Unit movements, orders and Targets.
Light Infantry division :
Slinger targets are depleted slinger unit and Hoplites (angles shown on map, one unit of Gallatian slingers on the depleted unit, other two slinger units on the Hoplite). Readying to withdraw, though, as threat percieved by Cavalry in front.
Italian Skirmishers acting as per initial orders - first unit bracing to receive potential charge and be in melee, second unit ready to loose javelins then enter melee in support. They are correspondingly ensuring they are in a deep formation (which they should have been anyway).
If by chance they are by-passed by the cavalry, the rear Italian skirmishers are ready with Javelin volleys.
Command Division :
Manius is readying and positioning to face off against enemy cavalry ahead. If they charge the Light Infantry division he will also charge to contact, timed to arrive after enemy cavalry have made contact with the Italian Skirmishers. If the enemy cavalry charge past the Skirmishers, he will initiate a charge.
Cavalry Reserve:
As per main orders, following Manius forward and right. Will follow him into charge if he commits. Will arrive into combat just after he has (as planned and explained).
Battle Division:
Division continues to advance strait on now as per initial orders. Also, as per orders they will enage with missiles the Italian Skirmish unit (concentrated fire from Velites and Princeps if they get in range only). Gauls are readying WARCRY. Princeps are lining up to fight the left flank Thracians, unit of 65 Triarii lining up to attack the Italian Spearmen, unit of 77 Triarii likewise will engage Thracians. Manius's left flank (right flank as per diagram) Gallatians preparing to charge round to defend flank once front is engaged.
Once front is engaged - Gallic Warband and Gallatians on Manius's right (left as per diagram) will charge round the Senates left flank to engage Gallatians and Hoplite (who will be faced with a Gallatian unit as well as Italian Spearmen to the front and flank).
The Centurion in command is not expecting the Skrimish units of the enemy to remain where they are.
- Note; Behind one unit of Velites enters battle late, running forward to join alongside/behind unit of Velites in the Battle Division.
Light Cavalry Division
As per orders - forcing horse archers away from main battle. Commander is thinking about splitting his force.
Reserve Division
Have gained correct position so are advancing at pace with Battle Division. No engagement planned.
Senate Orders for Turn 2
The only change of orders I would like is to send Appius into the newly
formed Heavy Cavalry division with Luculus, and give it its own special
order. Order for them will look like:
HEAVY CAVALRY: remain on the left flank, watching for a Consular cavalry
flanking maneuver. The light cavalry should keep the missile troops
occupied, but if they for whatever reason are able to fire on you, get
out of range, even if it means falling back behind the front line.
Other than that, no change of orders.