Tasad Studies Tactics

[Tasad R'rowl]

3nd of Kalendryas, Winter Era XV

As the night grew late Tasad set aside the reports that he was reading and stretched. He had completed the requisition forms for the quartermaster, the updated training scehdule for the Heavy Infantry, enemaled his own armor with the Company colors and emblem, and was now ready to retire for the night. But before he did he planned on a little light reading to relax him.

Light reading being a relative term, since the volume that he withdrew from his field desk was rather large, and was entitled," A Testrie on Heavy Infantry Tactics." The author's name had been damaged at some time in the distant past and so Tasad could only guess who had written the volume. He had possed the book for quite some time and had gotten the basics of his heavy infantry experience from it. Now he wanted to increase his knowledge. Having lives depend upon his knowledge of tactics made for a wonderful motivation to read for at least one cnaldemark before retiring for the night.

Opening the book to the Third Chapter, where he had left off reading so many eras ago, Tasad began reading.

'The purpose of the heavy infantry is to become as inmoveable as a mountain in the face of the enemy. To hold the line and not allow the enemy to pass. But at the same time it is to inflict as many casualties upon the enemy as possible, in the least amount of time as possible, and so reduce his ability to carry on the fight, while ensuring that their own casulties remain minimal. In the following chapter there are listed many different battle formations, their strengths, their weaknesses, the terrain they are most suitable for, and the corresponding bugle calls for each.

The first formation that will be discussed is the Shieldwall, which should be self-explanitory. The front of the company creates an impassible barrier out of their shields, leaving only enough space for a sword or spear thrust to be quickly delivered. The additional ranks press their shields into the backs of the rank before them, bracing them against attacks, with the second and third ranks striking at the enemy with their spears. Before your line closes with the enemy your first rank would throw their pilum into the shields of the enemy, and then lower their spears and advance to the attack. When spears are broken or become useless due to close quarters the gladius is then used to stab quickly and brutally into the enemy, striking the face, neck, legs, feet, chest, arms, or even the feet. Any spot upon the enemy that is unarmored is a target to strike at.

The Shieldwall is best used upon relativly flat terrain such as plains, rolling hills, or when fighting across a river. In more rugged locations the Shieldwall is extremely difficult to maintain, even for veteran untis, and can leave opening for the enemy to exploit. Ideally it is best used with flankers, or terrain to the flanks to prevent the enemy from outflanking you and rolling your formation up on itself. The typical Shieldwall has five ranks, with fifty men in each rank, but this of course can be changed to fit any situation you may encounter.

The main strengths of the Shieldwall is that it allows your men to support each other exceptionally well and keeps the enemy busy with the buisness of dying. Your own wounded can be pulled to the rear of the formation with relative ease, while allowing a fresh troop from the rank behind to move up and take their place, therefore maintaining the line and the pressure upon the enemy. The other notable strengths of this formation is that the enemy will be hard pressed to make any gains, retrieve their own wounded, and in the event that your troops come across the enemy wounded, allows the rear ranks to dispatch them easily and end their suffereing, as well as any threat of being struck from behind.

The main weakness of the Shieldwall is that it leaves your flanks vulnerable. If there are no flankers out to provide flanking support, or there are no terrain features such as rivers, mountains, or the like to secure your flanks, then it would be unadviseable to use this formation.'

The traditional bugle call for this formation is one long note, followed by three short notes.

Tasad finsihed reading about the Shieldwall and then sat committing what he had read to memory. He would start on the next formation tommarrow night. It was late and he had an early wake up call.

[Tasad R'rowl]

The followinf darkening Tasad was once again alone in his command tent and had sent the final dispatches out. Turning he picked up his book and thumbing it open to the page he had marked the night before started reading.

' The next heavy infantry battle formation that we are to cover is the 'Flechette' commonaly known as the Spearhead, and it's name is a perfect description which should be as self-explainatory as the Shieldwall. The heavy infantry unit is formed into a spear like formation with the front rank having a two man front and then angling backwards as you move towards either end. As with the Shieldwall other ranks are supporting the rank in front of them.

The Spearhead is used in many different scenarios, but is most useful when facing an opponent who has a thin spot in their own forces, or when it is imperative to drive deep within the enemy lines, as quickly as possible. Ideally, it would be used on a flat piece of ground, but is quite successful in rugged terrain such as mountains and hills.

The main strengths of the Spearhead is to punch deep into your enemie's forces and create a wedge and to therefore divided them. In battle it also can create confusion for the enemy troops as ranks that are not quite expecting combat to reach them so soon are suddenly faced with the enemy at their front. Many routs of enemy forces have been caused by use of the spearhead.

The main weakness of such a formation is that it will increase the number of casualties that you recieve, and increases the chances that the men in the forefront of the formation will be cut off from their fellow is the Spearhead is not supported properly or falters.

The traditional bugle call for this formation is one short note, folowed by a long note, and then followed by two short notes.'

Tasad closed the book and set it on his field desk, absorbing the information he had read about the Spearhead. He coud think of quite a few places where in combat such a tactic would be useful ad decided to try his thoughts the next day in training with his men.

Suddenly feeling tired Tasad blew out his lamp and went to his bed.