Line lessons from practice...

Yesterday we did line drills. You guys looked good. Quick run down of things learned.



Formation, we used a two wing formation. A = our Army commander, that would be Surt. B = our Wing commander's that would be me and Smithy.

Each wing has to designated before battle begins, who is with which wing, left and right wings, and who is the wing commander. That way I or smithy can say "Konradr's wing, wheel left, or forward, or whatever" You'll know who you belong too and what's expected of you. C = Wings.

Stay together but leave a gap between eachother for our Spear's to operate where needed. Only lock shields if being charged (shield bash) and that's to support eachother. Talk to one another, yell out whats going on, watch for arrows, javies, etc. Expect if someone is attacking you that your partner, left and right should counter that attack if at all possible. Stay together, fight together. It was great how Taco grabbed my spear and immediately got hit three times by you shieldmen in the line. Excellent teamwork and line work.

D = Flank Leaders. The wing commander will select an experienced Corsair to be the end of each wing. You are the Flank Leader. Make sure the line stays tight. Call out any flank threats. For instance if the enemy is making a movement around the flank, it is the Flank Leader's job to respond. He is not to leave the line and attack, but to initiate the line Rolling with the enemy movement to keep the line facing them. The line leader must call out whats going on to bring it to wing leader's attention and to let the line know why its' rolling back its flank. If the flank threat is gone, the flank leader will move to reform the line to its front. The Flank leader could be shield and blue or a Red.

It is important the Wing commander chooses his second in command. Ie if "If I die, so and so is in command of the wing" More than likely that will be the Flank Leader. Also, the person next to the Flank Leader should be trusted enough to take the Flank Leader's job if he is killed.

E = Archers if we have them or can spare them from the line. We don't have the bodies yet, but archers would be roving "snipers" doing what good they could from anywhere behind or beyond the line.

F = The Royal Guard. It is imperative for this unit to be ready for a variety of Tasks that the Army commander needs. These will include 1. Flank security or exploitation (defence against flankers or attacking an open enemy flank). 2. Exploitation of a gap in the enemy line or to create a gap in the enemy line (shock troops) 3. Reenforcement of the wings due to heavy casualties or to strengthen a wing about to charge into the enemy. 4. Use of support weapons where needed. 7. Protect the Adunakhor/Army commander and 6. Rally point or last stand element in the case of a collapse. The Royal Guard needs to be the best, most experienced fighters most versatile fighters and most disciplined fighters.

G = Taco and his Black Lions. They perform the same duties as the Royal Guard and presently, since the guard has not been formed yet, they are the only unit performing those duties.

Finally we have many unassigned, Mercenaries who fight in our realm. These fall into two categories. 1. Those that have the discapline and desire to fight in the ranks of the line, and 2. Those that don't. They may be good fighters but they are the ones who will charge out to seek the enemy rather than stay in the line. The first kind can be used to augment the line by putting them in between Royal Army Cadre. The second do not put in the line let them skirmish on the flanks and operate however they see fit to harass the enemy. These are H.

I welcome critique on what I have pointed out.

Konradr