Yuuki,
You make excellent points, as always, but I think the whole rank bonus system is being revealed as (basically) useless.
In order to "match the frontage" of a 2x50 line shock infantry, you need 2.5 spear units in 5X20. So basically, you need 2.5 spear units to stop one shock unit from "lapping". The attacker can throw 8 shock units in 2x50 at a 16 unit spearwall and tie them up entirely (and get some lapping as well). Meanwhile, he can flank with the other 8 units. How could such a defense be viable? Even if the spears manage to slaughter the 8 units they are facing (which seems plausible if the rank bonuses are any good, and if the attacker has bad flank timing), the spears now have to face another 8 units of fresh shock, plus the rallied first wave. They cant chase but have to stand in the spearwall to retain their defensive advantage.
This assumes 16 spears vs. 16 shock units. I'm still trying to think of ways to beat a single line rush with 16 spears, but I'm not coming up with anything. If 16 spears can't do it with rank bonuses and a purely defensive posture, then it seems like the rank bonuses are relatively worthless. I'm no expert, but I've never been able to make any real use of the rank bonus. It seems more suited to SP where you may very well outnumber the enemy 2.5 to 1.
Anyone up for some testing of 16 spears in hold/hold vs. 16 shock? I'd like to test some of these dynamics. I'm gonna be busy with family this week though........not many heads for Bacchus in the near future.
The only thing that might work is if the attacker has bad flank timing and the spearwall (or parts of it) is able to switch into wedges and slaughter the first wave of shock before the flank can be accomplished. A good attacker shouldnt have this problem. Instead of just throwing 8 shock at the spearwall, he could add another 4 and still have 4 for flanking. If the flankers were set ahead and to the sides of the charging 2x50's, they would complete the flank at the same time the 12 shock hit the wall. I just cant see the spears standing in the face of such an assault.
The fact that it takes 2.5 spears in 5x20 to "match the face" of a single shock unit in 2x50 seems to destroy any benefit (in MP at least) that the rank bonus might give.
I also agree with Magy that lapping around shoulnt give the same bonus as a full flank. The -2 unit-based morale penalty is minor compared to +5 attack just because a few units walk around the edge of a formation. Maybe the hold/hold should be a little more flexible to allow spearman on the edge of the unit to spin to face "lappers". Thats what I want them to do. Just as I want my attackers to lap, I want my defenders to meet them face on when they do. Nobody is going to stand there facing forward with nothing to do while an enemy carves at their side.
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