Sweboz Battlefield Tactics, AKA "Quinqtillus Varus..."

[Macilrille]

Dunno, and dunno if I am qualified for it either. This was my attempt at tactics and I hope that it will help as well as spark good debate with ideas from real experts like the Archery Guide did.

Thanks for being on the linking over there.

[athanaric]

Don't worry, I'll just link your threads there.

[Duguntz]

Really nice tactics indeed! I'm proud to have inspired you in your ambushes tactics! continue the good work it's a pleasure to read (and try on the battlefield!!)

[Macilrille]

Few things are more fun in EB than ambushing Romans while shouting "Varus and the Legions, entwined once more in their old doom!".

Thanks for the inspiration. In fact, have a for enhancing my EB fun. i have only given out two before, so balloons given by me are rare.

[Duguntz]

Few things are more fun in EB than ambushing Romans while shouting "Varus and the Legions, entwined once more in their old doom!".

Thanks for the inspiration. In fact, have a for enhancing my EB fun. i have only given out two before, so balloons given by me are rare.

i accept it with joy and Honor! it is true that from all battle of all faction I tried, the most thrilling one are those ambushes, especially when we get the chance to fight them in the night! it add to the effect of surprise (and to the visual!)

[Macilrille]

I quite like the Roman Triplex Apex formation against Hellenes as well, a pleasure it is, and after the Marian Reforms I get quite a thrill out of facing anyone with them too. But, the feeling is different for ambushing Sweboz, I think it is a timing thing.

But, have you no refinement to my guide?

[WinsingtonIII]

Great guide, I've been meaning to start up a Sweboz campaign, and this just might convince me to actually do so.

Just one question, you put falxmen under fright infantry? I may be misremembering, but I thought neither Drapanai or Bastarnae caused fear in enemy units.... Shouldn't they be under shock infantry? But I guess that's really just nitpicking as their role is essentially the same.

[Duguntz]

Well, i like your way of doing things! so i cannot add very much. I fight in the same way but with different disposition. so instead of ''adding'' to your post, I may end upgiving another strategy! Still ambush style though. i'll try to explain it as clearly as you explained yours.

First, my army composition, for an offensive army (on pillaging or invadine mission) is a composition relying on shok, mostly. using Macirille abreviations for describing my army, it would be like this :

LI x 4 Different types of Duguntiz (or 5, depending on wich faction you're fighting against)
SI x 6 (Slogonez, Swordmen)
CAV x 2
HI x 3 - 4 (depending on how many FM i've with me, as i keep always more than 1 FM in every army)
FI x 2 (Black naked spearmen...)
SKI (skirmishers) x2

(of corse, this is an example of army and can varry)
Macilrille dispositions is quiet organised, as a flanking power, wich work very good, indeed. my way is ''disorganiosed'' organisation. it would look like that :

----------------SKI---------------------------------SKI
----------------------------------------------------------------------------SI
--SI
--------------------------------------------------------------- SI-SI-----------CAV
-------SI-SI
------------------------FM-LI-LI-FM-LI-LI-FM-FM-------------
CAV -----------FI ------------------------------------- FI


Remark that, while disposed ''randomly'' no group is far from another. The Skirmishers at the middle top of the line lure portions of the ennemy. The dumb AI will follow you wherever you bring them (pay attention to their cavalry! The disposition i use is make to separate the ennemy army into small group that subish successive ambushes (on a small scale).

Attracting one or 2 units of the ennemy toward each of your Shock infantry in ambushing position. if more ennemy unit come and your little ''parties'' alone can't hold the number, then the skirmisher can act as light infantry and attack their back. keep an eye on your cavalry a they'll have to charge repeatingly on their back as your ''teams'' may be outnumbered. Look at the disposition of the ambushing parties, you see that there are some teamed by two, some alone. drag some ennemy troops to your teamed up ambushers, when they engage (surprising the ennemy when ambushing them) jump on their back with the third one (that you hide a bit further). as I said, if three units aren't enough to hold the troops that you lure tehre, your skirmisher and CAV will be useful.

however, the main ennemy line will come to your line weakened, and your line, with higher moral and higher stamina, will drop the moral of the other army and at that moment you pop yet another surprise, your fear unit, who jump from ambush late in battle, giving a boost to the moral of your troops and a drop to the ennemy's already weakened moraly (maybe even routing one or two unit, and if lucky, ending in a chain rout).

During that time, your ''ambushing'' teams will probably will have finished with their meal, and will jump on the back of the ennemy line,. This plus the cavalry charges will finish the ennemy off. use your skirmishers ansd cav to kill the routers, the LI to finish some remaining pocket of resistence *(maybe one that a ambushing party would have failed to beat?) and the day is yours!

So to recapitulate the strategy, it would be a serie of small ambushes, at different places. It is amazing the moral effect that many ambushes can have on ennemy troops. That's the key, plus the fractionement of the ennemy main battle line. The disposition may seem random, but it is not so (the disposition is ''random'' but the strategy make it into ''random'' organisation), and you must pay attention and remember where your groups are, as in the middle of the battle, having multiple fronts, is can become confusing, especially as it is in a forest, so already hard to orient ourselves!

Hum, it is the first time I try to explain in close details my ''multiple ambushes'' strategy. I hope it is not too confusing!

Macilrille, I see that, to write so many guides and useful tactics, you are indeed a very patient man! congratulation! :D