Having wargamed in the Ancients period for a few years I have learned a few basic principles of wargaming that people new to the Ancient period should find helpful when planning a battle. There are three principles: 1. Cavalry/Infantry Superiority or Inferiority 2. Missile versus Melee Army 3. Fast Moving versus Slow Moving Armies PRINCIPLE #1: CAVALRY/INFANTRY SUPERIORITY OR INFERIORITY A. Cavalry superiority, infantry superiority or equality: Combined arms and close control, especially of flank forces covering the main body of infantry, is the key to success. Engage enemy flank forces (probably cavalry) with your own cavalry only a move or two before the infantry engagement. This prevents the cavalry forces from being outflanked by the enemy infantry supporting its flank troops. By the time the cavalry have secured the flanks, the enemy forces will be pinned from the front by your infantry and unable to maneuver. Your cavalry may then hit him in the flanks and rear. This is particularly important when fighting highly mobile opponents. B. Cavalry Superiority, Infantry Inferiority: In this situation the most important thing to do is draw the opposing cavalry away from their supporting infantry and defeat them in detail with your cavalry. Once this is done use the mobile power of the cavalry to wear down the opposing infantry to a more manaeable size. Once you have done this, you can revert back to the cavalry/infantry superiority tactic. C. Cavalry Inferiority, Infantry Superiority: Press for a quick infantry-to-infantry battle. Recess both flanks to slow down the enemy cavalry envelopment. Use terrain to protect your flanks when possible. D. Cavalry Inferiority, Infantry EqualitylInferiority: Hold back and try to separate the enemy cavalry from their slower infantry. Defeat the enemy cavalry with your cavalry and infantry, then revert to the cavalry superiority tactic. PRINCIPLE #2: MISSLE VERSUS MELEE ARMY A. Missile Armies: Missile oriented armies generally have very poor melee capabilities, so they should avoid melee as much as possible. The best tactic for them is to use defensive terrain from which to fire at effective range. If no favorable terrain is available, fire at maximum range and continue to back away from the enemy as he approaches. Where possible, concentrate the fire of as many units as possible on a single enemy unit; when it breaks it could start a rout. B. Melee Armies: Melee oriented armies should take the offensive and seek a melee as soon as possible;  they can't afford to stand still and be bombarded by missiles. Use terrain and light infantry to shield yourself from enemy fire until just before melee contact. PRINCIPLE #3: FAST VERSUS SLOW ARMIES A. Fast Armies: Armies with considerable battlefield speed are generally lightly armored and have loose formations. Use their speed to envelope the enemy flank while diverting him from the front with mobile skirmishers. Don't be afraid to travel over rough terrain; a fast army can travel over most rough terrain as fast as a slow army can travel over clear terrain. Use the fast army's speed advantage to avoid melee till the circumstances are right. B. Slow Armies: Close with the enemy as fast as possible. This should be to your advantage since most slow armies are heavily armored. Use terrain to protact its flanks. Support each flank with reserves to free a pinned flank so it can continue to press the attack. Following these principles should increase a player's chances for victory; they will certainly increase the quality of his generalship. A corallary of these principles is: Don't fight on your opponent's terms; make him fight on yours. COMMENTS BY PHIL BARKER It's nice to see someone trying to use his head to fight with! Mostly I go along with David, and I'm tempted not to mention the cases where I don't, in the hope that next year's opponents will follow his advice too literally. However, mustn't be selfish, so I'll come clean. Firstly, with 6th edition, to have too many of your units retreating simultaneously risks a catastrophic fall in morale, so a missile army that continually backs away is quite likely to back further and faster than you like. Most missile armies have at least a few good charging troops, i.e. Huns have HC, Egyptians have chariots, Indians have elephants, so instead concentrate shooting on one enemy unit and charge it with your band of heroes. With enough shooting, it will be easy meat. Secondly, using light infantry to screen a melee army from shooting can be dangerous if the enemy charges instead. Your troops then have to halt while the lights evade or be caught disordered. There's one Assyrian in Massachusetts who knows what I mean! - Phil Barker Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. III #2 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1981 by The Courier Publishing Company. 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