Let me start out before the Letters section of this issue by saying that there are two prime directives for AW/MW/RW.

First, they have to be fun. This means (to me) mentally stimulating, emotionally invigorating and filled with laughs as well as grimaces. This last part is very important. In order to be fun, there are certain conventions that have to be used, i.e. putting the wargame into a framework, artificial though it may be. The sequence of play is imperative; die rolls have to be used to bring in the vagaries of war; movement rates must be varied as well; morale has to be tested to determine unit behavior; etc., etc.

Secondly, the games have to result in historical outcomes and therefore must be representative of actual battles. This is the most difficult aim.

So, for a recent example on the egroups list lately, we have Sumerian war wagons/carts. There are several armies that used these. They must have had SOME use, though ceremonial is a good possibility, much as the later Roman images of chariots in triumphant processionals. Yet there is the other possibility as well, that they were used in battle.

Looking at reason-for-the-rules #1, I concede that these could be allowed as MCh, using variable movement (you have to use the Charge movement rate each turn. Another allowance would be to use them as chariot transports, now LCh to carry foot quickly to parts of the battlefield. Frankly, I would allow either of these options to give the player some more latitude and have fun.

From: Jeffery Ball

Elephants and Chariots and Long Bows, oh my!

I have a series of questions/comments that arose either directly or indirectly from a recent game. My apologies if we missed answers within the rules...

A couple of notes about wording within the rules: the fire tables in the rules and QRS give a modifier if the target is in Column while the formation I think this refers to is titled 'Mass' under formations in the rules.

Does the modifier apply to mass or just to road column? The main units likely to be in mass (that I can think of) are pike phalanxes where the large units made a fairly easy target in which to drop a missile, but difficult to get a clean shot against with all the pikes sticking up deflecting many and causing them to lose whatever energy they may have had. Don't know if that was enough to counter the large size of the target....

[The 1-page QRS is correct. It has "Target is Mass/Wedge" A Column is a one-stand wide Mass, so counts as well. Also, make note that the new Ancient Warfare QRS has done away with the bonuses for LB vrs. cavalry. You still get a better range, but no other pluses.]

We also found a discrepancy between the rules/QRS and the 1-page sheet regarding movement rates. The rules and normal QRS had HCh grouped with Skirmish Infantry with a longer charge move distance. I assume this is accurate and the 1-page sheet needs to be modified? Or is it the other way around?

[The HCh charge speed has been cut to reflect that it wasn't as fast as the MCh charge.]

Last item was in Appendix A where you refer to Brave or Charismatic Generals being able to modify terrain picks while the QRS now says Charismatic and Exceptional (which I figure is what you now want).

[The two top categories are correct.]

We had a few questions come up during the game that I hope can be easily cleared up: Do chariots and/or elephants count as shielded for fire and/or close combat purposes. I remember that their point costs were in line with being shielded (camels too I think) but that was back when unshielded was a negative modifier rather than shielded a positive modifier in fire combat. Without specifying in the unit description we played it as though they were shieldless.

[Chariots and Elephants always count shielded for fighting or missile target. Not camels, though.]

We noted a possible point of confusion, at least on the QRS, where elephants armed with pikes might be construed as causing enemy mounted charging them to use the -1d6 modifier. That seemed rather silly to us and we didn't use it, but perhaps that should be noted somewhere.

[Only foot armed with pike or long spear get the modifier, not mounted.]

Regarding ambushers, it specifically notes that ambushers from gullies and ravines take the movement penalty, but under dense terrain it does not say one way or the other. I had a beautiful ambush with Thracians jumping out of a forest into the flank of elephants foiled because I couldn't roll well enough to cover the 3-4" necessary to contact them.

[You played it correctly. Any delaying terrain hamper ambushers.]

We also had questions about how to treat units with some stands in cover and some out. We took a bit of a Solomonic tack and had units closer to the uncovered stands shoot at them as in the open and others at them as covered. [Correct.]

Also, if woods of various kinds block line of sight and count as cover do light woods and orchards have the same visibility limitations as forest? I would guess not... but not sure.

[No. They block visibility for troops behind them, but not for troops in them.]

In addition, if troops enter forests do they become invisible to troops more than 2" away if they remain motionless?

[Yes. You must obey the visibility rule.]

How about if they move more than 2" from the edge? Troops in the open don't see ambushing troops at the edge of forests until they are within 2" right? [Correct.]

On another issue, I see the chariot runner rule in the current rules but do not remember the status of cavalry runners and do not recall if the topic of elephant runners ever came up. I know that Seleucid elephants had large escorts of about 30-50 light infantry per elephant, sometimes close to 100 I think (but am not sure). Also, is it right to read the chariot runner rule as having this 'unit' require only 1 order, must stay together unless one unit fails morale and when the chariot/cavalry/elephants charge they automatically come to the fore with runners tagging along behind?

[The runners for chariots, cavalry and elephants are treated as separate units except for interpenetration purposes. They may freely run through each other with no penalty. They are treated as separate units in regards to orders, morale, casualties and fighting.]

A couple of comments/historical questions. Did elephants really cause disorder or unease among cavalry at a distance of up to 100 yards? That is the range of the disrupting odor right now. Should the disorder come only when cavalry are actually in contact with the elephants or perhaps when within 3" directly in front or in contact with a stand that is itself in contact with a friendly elephant. This would allow elephants to support infantry units in a staggered line such as:

ELSpSpELSpSpEL

[Elephants disorder all horses, including chariots. We have discussed not having ANY elephant disorder from odor, but it seems that they did cause problems in cavalry not familiar with them. As to range, we could discuss this with some historical backup for arguments.]

Lastly, were indian bowmen really early versions of English 100 years war longbowmen? (Kevin -- and I think Paul, not sure -- thought they were ahistorically powerful too.) With both LB (and Axe -- gut them, gut them goes the chant from Bruce...) and based 4 per stand they seem extremely powerful. I envision that they can nearly do to pike phalanxes what the HYW/WotR men did to Jamie's Scots: hack the few survivors from the bowfire into pieces and watch them run. I know that the Indians all supposedly had large swords with them but did they know how to use them? I had the impression from some things I once read that they were as much symbols and family heirlooms as deadly weapons commonly used in combat.

[From my research into the Graeco-Indians, the Indians did use the swords, noted in the epic Indian poems. Unlike their counterparts in the Medieval period, the bows were not great at penetrating power, so get no bonus there. They also cannot use arrow barrage, as you can in MW. Thirdly, they are shieldless Unarmored Infantry...not quite the same as HI in the medieval period. They are either Poor or at best, Warriors, so no Veterans either. Stakes? Nope. No, they are certainly not the quality of the Medieval longbowmen. Oh, yeah, they are Irregular as well...no fancy maneuvers!]

Did Alexander or other invaders from the west really have a hard time with this part of the army? I admit to being fairly ignorant of India campaigns but would like to know more.

[Alexander used a masterful outflanking maneuver to defeat Porus. The Indians are cheap, but vulnerable.]

Editor's note: well…from what I gathered rather quickly, the longbows are okay as they are.

1. Arrian's Anabasis Alexandri: Bk VIII xvi - "Indian war equipment differs; the infantry have a bow, of the height of the owner...drawing the bowstring a very ong way back; for their arrows are little short of three cubits, and nothing can stand against an arrow shot by an Indian archer, neither shield not breastplate not any strong armor. All carry a broad scimitar, its length not under three cubits; and this, when they have a hand-to-hand fight...they bring down with both hands in smiting, so that the stroke may be an effective one."

Herodotus' History of the Persian Wars VII.65 - "The Indians...carried bows of cane and arrows also of cane with iron at the point."

Strabo's Geography: Book XV: On India - "Their weapons...consist of bow and arrows, the latter 3 cubits long...and a broad sword 3 cubits long..."

From: Michael Panko

1. In missile combat how do you decide who gets a casualty? Is it measured to the stand (my archer stand of unit x fires at the warband stand of unity) ---- or is it I have 6 stands eligible to fire from unit x at the 6 stands in unit y. I know it is done from stand to stand in Armati.

[It's the same in AW. You fire from closest stand to closest target.]

2. Similar question in hand to hand. (see illustration)

a b c d
1 2 3 4

In the above illustration you have two units of 4 stands each (abcd) & (1234). When combat occurs I decide to fight from left to right. Does this mean that a fights 1, b fights 2....etc? In that example casualties would be placed directly on the stands that received them from the stand to stand combat.

Editor's Response:

[No. In close combat you fight unit vrs. unit. Your four stands would fight as a UNIT against his four stands. Let's run through this: We will say both units are charging into each other.

1. You both roll for your random (each rolls a d6) and the higher roll add the DIFFERENCE to his modifiers. Let's assume you rolled four and your opponent rolled two. You add +2 to the following.

2. You check your morale. Assume you are Warriors. Nothing extra for that.

3. Check the enemy armor class. He is heavy infantry. Nothing for that.

4. What is your weapon? Let's say a Spear. The spear weapon factor vrs. foot is +1

5. You are infantry charging. You get 1/2 of a d6 roll (roll again) which is say a four...always round up. So half of four gives you a +2.

6. for simplicity's sake, we'll leave it at that and go to casualty calculation.

• Okay, you started with a +2 for your Random roll. You add +1 for spear and +2 for charging. Your unit has a total Close Combat Factor of +5. You have four stands eligible to fight.
• You take the number of stands eligible to fight TIMES the Close Combat Factor.
• Your total is 20. Divide this by ten.
• You have inflicted two casualties on the enemy unit. He loses two figures.
• Do the same for his calculations. Let's say he had a total of four Close Combat Factors. Multiply that times his four stands for a total of 16.
• Divide this by 10.
• He has inflicted one casualty and has a 60% of inflicting another. He rolls a single d10 (percentage die). If he rolls a 1-6, he inflicts another casualty on your unit. If not, he only gets the one.

Assume he did get the hit. You have both inflicted the same casualties and lock in combat. If he had failed to get the second hit, you would have won and pushed him back 1", and he would now be disordered. Next turn, you would have a very good chance of continuing to push him back into fragmented and then rout.]

PS: Terry a combat example with a diagram would be helpful to illustrate this question to the neophyte. I have been playing for (gulp) 20years and couldn't figure it out....it must be Monday)

[Actually, we used to have diagrams but discarded them...might be time to bring them back.]