LI= light infnatry, usually
HI = heavier infantry
sk= skirmishers
S= spears
Ca= cavalry
f= generally native troops, cheap/fast troops/whatever i can afford with the rest of my cash. i try to make them falxmen though since they are cheap and awesome.
anyway, i've been experimenting with this as a formation, it's still rather defensive and vulnerable to missile attack, but i'm reforming it.
i move the whole column forwards, and generally shift up and right, but this is the basic idea.
i built it around a manipular idea of anchoring my line infantry, and keeping my spears and skirmishers mobile.
the red arrows shows what areas are covered.
the light infantry forms the middle of the line- sort of as a trap, but it also optimizes my placement of my spear and regular infantry.
if i face a cavalry charge aimed at my middle i can send my spears from the back ranks up to meet the flanks of the engaged cavalry, i generally side on taking a few casualties.
if he attacks my front flanks, or divides i can again send my spears forward and hit the sides/rear.
here, the skirmishers protect the flanks and rear of my spears from counter attack.
in case of a wide sweeping flanking manouvre my spears can pull down and to the side while my skirmishers pull into the safety of the group.
if my spears are not fast enough, i bank on my skirmishers being temporarily engaged while the spearmen pull up. i rely heavily on my skirmishers as screening and miring enemy cavalry while appropriate units can get there.
while my line infantry engages in wide open lines, in an attempt to draw out units and create spaces i send my falx forward and around to the rear/flanks.
they are great for this due to speed/good weapon.
they are also great if there is cavalry engaged, i've had alot of luck cutting down cavalry with the falxes.
kind of different approach to the maniple, with the spears being the most mobile and most important, but it's worked pretty well so far.
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