Historical formations

**Parallel Pain** · 01-30-2008, 09:41

Just wondering if anyone uses them. They were used all over east asia and therefore in the Sengoku period as well.

Those who studied east asian warfare knows there are 8~10 standard army formations. Some are concrete, but others I'm not so sure about strengths and weakness of others so I need some help.

I'm making up their names based on their shape as each one had different names in different eras and different places. Again these are not unit formation like the testudo or a cavalry wedge, but formation for the entire army.

Ones I have some idea. But I want some input or someone point out some possible mistakes.

1) Triangle:
Basically a giant wedge. Seems that the general unit would be at the centre of the base instead of the tip as Alexander's was.

2) Arrow:
Small wedge with a column behind. General unit supposedly at the centre of the shaft. Supposedly even better than triangle at penetration (better speed and power), but with a much higher risk of being enveloped.

3) V: General unit at the point. For envelopment. As general is in the open and vulnerable it's often a Y instead. Supposedly quite weak against the arrow (probably the arrow takes out the general before anyone can do anything). Supposedly you should be outnumbering the enemy if you use this formation. Makes sense. And supposedly this is the formation Tokugawa Ieyasu put at Mikatagahara and Takeda Shingen, outnumbering him 2:1 or 3:1, just formed triangle and plowed through it.

4) Circle/Square: General unit at centre to direct I guess. No attack power, no mobility. Purely defence. Good for camping to guarding against night attack or a surprise attack. Supposedly because the troops are spread out evenly, it's not good for defending against a concentrated attack from one direction either. But this formation also have the advantage of being relatively easy to change into other formations (supposedly).

Right now the ones I have questions about:

5) Wheel/Whirlpool: General unit at centre. The other troops are placed around it like a whirlwind, or multi-layer circle. Supposedly can be used as circle for defense (so why not throw out the circle all together and just use this?), but has a special offensive property: The wheel/whirlpool can turn, then send out a part of the wheel to fight, and after awhile the fighting unit will return to the circle and to march while the next unit charge out to fight, and so on. This gives each unit time to rest, so I guess it's good in an attrition fight. Also it is supposedly useful in winter as the walking keeps the troops warmer (wouldn't it tire them out too?).

6) Column: High speed. Should only be used in battle in terrains such as a pass, bridge, valley, and such narrow places. How's its penetration compared to arrow? How vulnerable would it be to being attacked from the sides, or in other words would the troops be able to react fast enough to turn and change into another formation? Where should the general unit go, front, centre, or rear?

7) Half Circle: General unit at centre, or base of the curve. Other than that absolutely no idea. Don't know how curved it is, or if it's curvature changes as it spreads out. It might even be more of a V than a half circle. Don't know if it's suppose to be convex (general charging ahead, or just another penetration with the general leading it, thereby increase attack power and morale but risk the general's life) or concave (envelopment formation, don't know how that would differ from the V than, though supposedly it would still be as vulnerable to the arrow)

8) Double Column: Two columns side by side. I guess...no I don't know.

9) Echelon: Same as Epaminondas' echelon. Is it suppose to move faster than the others? (discounting the columns)

Suggestions? Strengths? Weakness? Speed? Limitation by terrain? By numbers? Which is strong against which and weak against which?

Or even other formations I missed?

Or does anyone feel like trying them out in the game and tell me how it turns out. I don't have the game but I plan on buying it.

**Wasp** · 01-30-2008, 12:12

I'll try to try a few next time I play Shogun, looks interesting!

**Sasaki Kojiro** · 01-31-2008, 07:40

Well, the game includes about 10 historical formations that your can select at the beginning of a battle. But I can't say I ever used them. You have to remember that shogun you'll usually have at most 16 units and less than a thousand men. Simple formations are the most useful. Archers in a line, infantry behind them, cavalry on flanks.