Here a some more tactical hints. I had an email asking about a mixed unit of spearmen in the front rank, armed with spear and shield, and two ranks of archers behind them with only bow. The question was, could this unit go into shieldwall?

Yes. The rule specifically states that the front rank has to have shields and be considered shielded (meaning axemen with shields could NOT be in shieldwall after the first turn of a close combat.

Next, how do we deal with Feigned Flight or Fire and Flee? One solution is to have your close order troops behind an obstacle....i.e. a stream, hedge, etc. If the enemy retreats, whether ordered or not, the close order troops would not be required to follow as they would disorder themselves doing so. You are never required to follow up, charge or pursue if it would cause your unit to be disordered.

For Fire and Flee, place your missile troops close to your units the enemy will be using F & F against. He does his F & F, then during normal movement, move your missile troops right up behind him and shoot him into oblivion. Amazing how this can dissuade an overzealous horse archer army commander from trying this too many times!

The problem with armies using numbers of warbands and lance armed cavalry is a loss of command control. Sure, these guys are terrific in the initial round of a close combat, the warbands counting as frenzied fanatics, but if you don't win, they are in bad shape thereafter.

How do you control those hordes of warbands and/or fanatics you have in your army? How about the lance armed cavalry?

The first thing you have to do is keep them away from the enemy until you are ready to use them. As long as they are outside their normal movement range, you don't really have to worry about them running off and charging. If you aren't going to use them to 'lead the charge', keep them back behind your front lines until you feel the time is right to commit them.

Okay, the enemy has seen right through this and moved up into your normal movement range. Now what? Well, be prepared to use Recover orders to keep your guys in line. I know it's expensive, but you might have to bite the bullet to keep your warbands from charging blithely forward, unsupported and into close arrow barrage range if their charge falls short! As for the cavalry, it'll cost you two Recover orders to keep them in tow. Remember Richard Lionheart's problems with the Military Orders at Arsuf!