Re: MEPBM: When can an army force their way past another army

From: marc@shum.cc.huji.ac.il (Marc A. Volovic)

Date: Wed, 10 Aug 1994 20:30:47 +0000

eichmann@ceres.amp.uni-hannover.de (Holger Eichmann) writes:

>Hi!

>I want to stop an enemy army (around 900 HC, 1000 HI) with a part of
>my troops. Does anybody knows how many heavy infantry I need for this
>task? I fear, if I send only 100 HI, that the enemy army forces its way
>past my troops and rout them.

I do not know anything about MEPBM (though I would like to know). However,
I do know wargaming, specificly Middle Ages on.

To answer your question - unless the ground is EXTREMELY advantageous (i.e.
Thermopilae, etc), there is precious little chance of actually BLOCKING
an eney army (Agincourt does NOT count, by the way - the French were seeking
battle) with 100HI. If the ground is somewhat advantageous, use HI and
missile troops, preferably long range capable (archers). If the ground is
neutral, you WILL have to use cavalry to block, even if it is only LC
(which, by the way, will take heavy casualties in a pitched battle against
HC, but can block their advance pretty well by maintaining scirmishing
contact)...

Have fun, you have a problem :-)...

Seriously, a final thought: Send a minimal *C/HI/MI unit. Maintain
harassment fire against the Cavalry by the archers and use HI to protact
same from the enemy HC. Use your OWN *C to prevent the enemy HI from
attacking the archers by threatening your rear but DO NOT allow your
own cavalry to become embroiled with the enemy HC.

--
---MAV

Marc A. Volovic                     Fencers do it with rapid thrusts!
(marc@shum.cc.huji.ac.il)          Guess how SABRE fencers do it, eh!?

References

MEPBM: When can an army force their way past another army
eichmann@ceres.amp.uni-hannover.de (Holger Eichmann)
Tue, 09 Aug 1994 16:59:35 +0000