Melee or 'Line' fighting.

Here's a pretty in depth SCA article on Melee or line fighting.

http://scamelee.freeservers.com/tactics_article.html

Anyone have any interesting articles, drills, or ideas on Melee or Line fighting as it pertains to Dag/Bel fighting, lets hear em.

Here's one on line commands. As you know commands have to be simple, loud and understood by one and all in a battle.

http://scamelee.freeservers.com/warband_commands.html

I'll tell you one comand drill I read about that we may practice. The command to "rally". They use their banner and raise the pole anywhere at anytime during practice. This could be while your sparring, while your fighting a game or while your sitting at water break. When the banner is raised and "rally" is called, every swinging richard (and, er, nonswinging lolita) has to arm up and run to the banner and form line. Could emergancy drill as well as battle drill.

Konradr

From the Dag Forum, interesting concepts on Field Command of the Army.

Quote :

NOW YOU WANT TO DO THIS RIGHT? here is how:
*Pick a general, king, emperor, field commander, ect...
*Each unit has a commander and a second.
*The King (cause it is the shortest name) Holds council with the unit commanders and the second from his/her unit. Everyone else can spar or whine about politics or fix world hunger. THE POINT IS, Battle plans are made!!
*The king then barks orders during the battle (cause the enemy forces rarely do what they are supposed to do) that are carried out by the leaders of the units. If the leader falls, the second then steps in. Orders are given by unit. "Virangia!! Take the left"
*The leader of Virangia sends his/her people left, EVEN IF IT'S A BAD IDEA.... ANY VIRANGIAN NOT GOING LEFT, GETS KILLED BY VIRANGIA'S SECOND!
*Loyalty to your unit commander and second is non negotiable so make sure your second can kill everyone in your unit, he/she is your enforcer! Make an example of someone who does not follow orders KILL THEM!!

I once watched Shaitan kill 3 people in a row who did not follow orders immediately. It went something like this:
Shaitain "Zapp! kill that guy!"
Zapp "huh?"
*THWACK* death by Shaitan
Shaitan "Estekay! kill that guy!"
Estekay "who?"
*THWACK* death by BH
Shaitan "Justice! kill that guy!"
Justice "What the hell are you...."
*THWACK* death by BH
Shaitan "Berek! Kill that guy!"
Berek "GOT IT!" *Runs left, kills 5 guys hoping one of them was the one Shaitan wanted dead*
We might have lost that skirmish, but command was established.

Unit leaders, Knights, Legion commanders...ect... I don't care if your squire, underling, page, grunt....ect... will bring you a drink at a camp out. If they don't follow your orders on the battlefield INSTANTLY, I am not impressed.

Konradr

good things to know, good job on finding them konrade

I'd like to see more of what Smithy was explaining to Edgar, Barikade, and myself off to the side of the marching practice. Using pivoting and line marching? Sword and Board up front with 2 polearms and 2 florentine behind them marching and moving in unison it could be quite impressive.

One of those SCA Articles state to use a pyramid formation. For every two shieldman a great weapon (which would be a red to us) and for every two Great weapons, a Spear (They use the long ones) etc. Spears are their artillery. (range killers) Florentines are their skirmishers.

Konradr

Phoxly wrote:

I'd like to see more of what Smithy was explaining to Edgar, Barikade, and myself off to the side of the marching practice. Using pivoting and line marching? Sword and Board up front with 2 polearms and 2 florentine behind them marching and moving in unison it could be quite impressive.

Sadly, due to the nature of Dagorhir combat, especially in large scale (ie: Ragnarok and most national events), any sort of marching formations or whatnot tend to...not work. Battles on the national scale turn into two lines facing each other. Not a whole lot of maneuvering.

Perusing the Dagorhir forum again.

Quote :

1.) If you your in a line, be in a line. Leaving big gaps between you and the people next to you does absolutley nothing for you except leave easy shots open for your enemys to make bigger holes in your line. If you can reach over and grab the guy/girls shoulder next to you, you're able to protect your buddy and swing your weapon. If your much further, youve left your buddy to get stabbed/hacked. So, protect your buddy's azz and he'll protect yours.

2.) When the person next to you charges in and bashes the line, follow and take advantage of the hole your buddy just made.
2.5) TELL THE GUY NEXT TO YOU when you plan on charging the line by yourself, that way they dont stand there confused when your suddenly gone.

3.) When you see someone on your team wrestling with a spear, kill the spearman while they're busy fighting for there weapons. (I know this seems obvious, but I wrestled five spears in one battle this Rag and only once did I get anyone coming to kill them when I did it. )

4.) When your own spearman is getting his pole pulled in a bad way kill the person doing it. Pay attention to your pole arms in a line and they'll keep you from getting bum rushed.

5.) When you hear the words Pain Train, Column charge, or "GET THE HELL OUTTA THE WAY!!!". Part. Move over, or run forward and charge the enemy line. What ever you do dont just stand there because you will get run over.

And another tidbit

Quote :

Stick with your buddies. Seriously, shoulder to shoulder with the guy to your left and the guy to your right, with the edges of your shields overlapping. Step when they step, don't let a gap form in the shieldwall. If you find yourself in a gap look around, find out where the wall is, then run over and glue yourself to the end of it. If you're on the end of it, try to keep an eye open for flankers.

Pick a captain and let him give the orders. When he gives orders try to follow them. Killing people isn't as important as maintaining a cohesive wall. And if you're in the back put your shield up over the front's head to cover them from arrows and spears.

Also, I believe that if someone is down, like, they've lost a leg, if you lend them a hand they can get up and walk, as you're 'carrying' them. So if the wall moves up, grab that legged guy and bring him with you. It beats running around on your knees by a mile.

Konradr