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12/28/2011 3:19 PM

	Crocus
7 posts

Troop Types

Just a quick note as tired and just want to sample opinion (that means you Morts - unless there is spomeone else out there!).

Spear armed foot should disregard Cavalry Charge +2 bonus when fighting to the front. I don't know about pikes - don't play them.

I have plumped for across the board +1 Support values, for reasons that will become clear in later posts, except in these cases. Spear and warband-type shock foot gain +2 for support for same type of troops directly behind them; could be called "Deep Formation".

A similar case could be made for rear ranks of missile troops with Late Roman armies, though I will be basing melee and missile troops on one base and giving it Missile 1. Tidier.

If foot charge is the standard +1, Berserker is +2 where is the bonus for the lowly warband? I suggest +1 standard foot charge, +2 Warband charge bonus leaving a whopping +3 to real berserks like the Ulfhednar, Gaestati and Pictish wildmen.

I will be trialling simple evasion rules when the kids are back at school. Others on this forum have said it doesn't suit their idea of scale and fast play, but I like it and it gives flair to my Irish. Dark age armies were tiny and their repesentaion warrants a lighter touch, IMO, and that's all I play. I suggest that Light troops (Foot + Mtd) when charged can use missile attack then turn 180 degrees and move a full M away from the threat, regardless of the success of the missiles. Chargers unaffected by missiles will move their full charge move and melee any enemies in their path contacted.

Hero types: Single figures mobile and attached to elements, or their own bases? FS bonus and/or characteristic lending (priest that lends the unit to which he is attached Fearlessness, for instance). Ideas about inspirational standards/talismans/beloved personages (where do you remember them from, eh?) - what they effect and affect, and so on.

Those are a couple of things - I'll post my health and safety audit making the combat and shooting rules less decisive and bloody (ed. are you sure you want to write that?) soon. I am playing with lego, hello kitty and the ps3 (iPet not FPS Zombie Death Match) for a week or more.

It is a shame conversation has petered out on this forum without a final decision about group melee and so on. MA has great potential and deserves greater credit.

Happy New Year

12/29/2011 12:42 PM

	Morts
8 posts

Re: Troop Types

I think it is just me .... and the others in my little group. We have play tested some of the commands from those I suggested.

Spear armed foot should disregard Cavalry Charge +2 bonus when fighting to the front. I don't know about pikes - don't play them.

About to paint the Macedonians ....... was planning that they would use their FS as support score if attacked from front.
I was wondering if there should be a graded Cavalry charge bonus (we have played it) on the lines of DBA, ie Light Horse, Cavalry get +1, Knights get +2 but MUST pursue.

I have plumped for across the board +1 Support values, for reasons that will become clear in later posts, except in these cases. Spear and warband-type shock foot gain +2 for support for same type of troops directly behind them; could be called "Deep Formation".

I agree this needs clarification - currently we were using the base values of the FANTASY QRS - then adding the modifies. But I was concerned that this didn't differentiate between troop /weapon types enough - DBA/HOTT background there.

A similar case could be made for rear ranks of missile troops with Late Roman armies, though I will be basing melee and missile troops on one base and giving it Missile 1. Tidier.

Last game this was discussed - but as we were using Greeks and Thracians was really applicable to the armies we were using.

If foot charge is the standard +1, Berserker is +2 where is the bonus for the lowly warband? I suggest +1 standard foot charge, +2 Warband charge bonus leaving a whopping +3 to real berserks like the Ulfhednar, Gaestati and Pictish wildmen.

They be tough .... Interesting to see how that plays.

I will be trialling simple evasion rules when the kids are back at school. Others on this forum have said it doesn't suit their idea of scale and fast play, but I like it and it gives flair to my Irish. Dark age armies were tiny and their repesentaion warrants a lighter touch, IMO, and that's all I play. I suggest that Light troops (Foot + Mtd) when charged can use missile attack then turn 180 degrees and move a full M away from the threat, regardless of the success of the missiles. Chargers unaffected by missiles will move their full charge move and melee any enemies in their path contacted.

Sounds good - light units seem to be disposable in MA - might throw some javelins then destroyed in the combat ..... which may have been their role in the Ancient world throw something the leave the scene (sort of replicated by be destroyed in the game).
We have considered how to deal with light infantry and have tried that units with "mobile" get move in any direction - just a MP to move them. But this makes them expensive in AP.

Hero types: Single figures mobile and attached to elements, or their own bases? FS bonus and/or characteristic lending (priest that lends the unit to which he is attached Fearlessness, for instance). Ideas about inspirational standards/talismans/beloved personages (where do you remember them from, eh?) - what they effect and affect, and so on.

This is our current work in progress for Hero types (not play tested at the moment)
Independent Generals
General is on a separate base and can be attached to units giving +2 to FS (not beyond a total of 6), moves as Light Cavalry with mobile ability.
If intercepted when unattached - Consider as FS 3 and fight as normal.
If unattached General can NOT be targeted by commands/missiles - but can be by magic.
If attached to a unit, General - is targeted as part of that unit - however if unit is hit by missile attack and destroyed roll D6 - 5/6 General is saved move 10” away.
If in melee - if the General’s unit/group is “driven back”, winner of melee rolls D6 5/6 General is killed/captured. If General’s unit/group is “Massacre” the General is killed/captured.

Those are a couple of things - I'll post my health and safety audit making the combat and shooting rules less decisive and bloody (ed. are you sure you want to write that?) soon. I am playing with lego, hello kitty and the ps3 (iPet not FPS Zombie Death Match) for a week or more.

We found the shooting too effective in the last game .... but that could be just the dice rolls. I like lego!! I wish 30+ years ago they had the stuff they have now!!

It is a shame conversation has petered out on this forum without a final decision about group melee and so on. MA has great potential and deserves greater credit.

Agreed - I have spent more time thinking of the stuff I like and what I can do to make the rules .... more in line with my thinking, than I have with DBA/HOTT (I still like those rules and use them to create armies).

Happy New Year and to you Sir!!

1/5/2012 12:21 AM

	Ken
21 posts

Re: Troop Types

I'm liking your thoughts on independent generals. Sounds like they could work well to add another level of detail to the game. Shooting in MA has always been pretty brutal, luckily it's not to reliable. I'm really glad to see some posting here, MA defiantly deserves more credit and players. Ken

1/8/2012 8:51 AM

	Crocus
7 posts

Re: Troop Types

Hi there and happy new year!

Morts I think the FS for rear support for pikes could differentiate Sp and Pk nicely, if Sp got +2. I too like the fantasy support values as they tone down the combat. You may catch the drift that I think MA may be too bloodthirsty for my taste!

The graded cavalry charge sounds feasible, tho perhaps the Cv and LH might have Shooting to offset their loss. This would mirror our view of their ancient role too, maybe.

In the murky Dark Ages I don't think the lack of differentiation of support matters much - just the scrum of the untrained and unwashed! For the Roman acies support formation, for deep pike, foot sirmishers with German cav and so on perhaps an across the board bonus for "Compatible Troops" or some such. "Deep formation" doesn't scan for the cav runners...

The mixed spear-bow units for the LIR look lovely and worked nicely the other day in my single hurried battle. I have altered the missile rules a bit as they are too overpowered.

I made a mistake - interference from Justified Ancients that I'm looking at now too. +3 would be too too much, agreed!

I am hung up on evasion rules and will continue to thrash them out! Worked nicely in the last battle with the Roman skirmishing horse. Units can evade once per turn, and are caught on the hop and normally destroyed if caught. Evade as a skill/characteristic might be free if FS<3, 1pt if 3+.

Your unattached general rules are neat and would work fine for combat heroes, tho I still like the addition of skills for other personality types.

I play DBA in a modified form, tho find HoTT designed for a different idea of fantasy than that to which I subscribe: Arthur won't be ensorcelled in any game of mine, and if there's no MU's, why clerics etc etc. I am tinkering with using some of the mechanisms from Basic Fury in MA, found on the Ambler Gamers yahoo group, as they enhanced my DBA games greatly. Except the missile rules. Which sem incomplete.

I do recommend you pick up a pdf of JUSTIFIED ANCIENTS on Lulu - the cheap rules are fascinating and tho quick play manage a lot of interesting concepts. I am trying out various rulesets to find the best for my liking as I finish painting the last mountain of barbarians for the BIG CAMPAIGN. Again!

1/8/2012 8:51 AM

	Crocus
7 posts

Re: Troop Types

Nice to see you here Ken!

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