Infamy, Infamy!

[Atheling]

don't forget to check the latest Lard content on the subject in youtube:
very interesting

Done. Spoiler Alert!

I loved Richard's Charge of the Ancient Light Brigade  It's exactly the sort of blunder I would make 

[wmyers]

I'm interested!  I will wait until the reviews are in, though, I think.  Maybe. 

Being off work for months has put a dent in the disposable cash and I haven't even tried Clash of Spears yet.  (and I fell asleep watching the TFL videos about it)

[Shahbahraz]

Done. Spoiler Alert!

I loved Richard's Charge of the Ancient Light Brigade  It's exactly the sort of blunder I would make 

And he forgot the assassin card in the first charge of the German elites that could well have wounded or killed the centurion.

[Quackstheking]

Well the next instalment is now up on Lard TV - Caesarian Roman vs Britons!

I’m off to watch it now.



QTK

[Johnp4000]

I'm interested!  I will wait until the reviews are in, though, I think.  Maybe. 

Being off work for months has put a dent in the disposable cash and I haven't even tried Clash of Spears yet.  (and I fell asleep watching the TFL videos about it)

It would be interesting to see a  unbiased direct comparison between Clash of Spears and Infamy, Infamy, they both seem to cover a similar situation, small combined arms units fighting in the same manner as a larger force. Clash even has rules for elephants and Pikemen which I must admit I wouldn't expect to see in the usual small action. The latest youtube video With the Caesarean v Ancient Brits was more entertaining.

[wmyers]

It would be interesting to see a  unbiased direct comparison between Clash of Spears and Infamy, Infamy, they both seem to cover a similar situation, small combined arms units fighting in the same manner as a larger force. Clash even has rules for elephants and Pikemen which I must admit I wouldn't expect to see in the usual small action. The latest youtube video With the Caesarean v Ancient Brits was more entertaining.

I had thought of pikes in small action.  We are used to mass pike blocks, but if a small group of pikemen were ambushed or got separated somehow, would they use their pikes to defend themselves like medieval and ECW era pikemen?

I would think so, as they are trained in that weapon and should know how to use it and being thinking adults would be able to adapt to their situation.

If we can imagine two ranks of 5 i am sure they could. 

They did carry melee weapons for a reason, too. 

No, I have no idea if Infamy has any rules for pikes.

[Atheling]

I had thought of pikes in small action.  We are used to mass pike blocks, but if a small group of pikemen were ambushed or got separated somehow, would they use their pikes to defend themselves like medieval and ECW era pikemen?

I would think so, as they are trained in that weapon and should know how to use it and being thinking adults would be able to adapt to their situation.

If we can imagine two ranks of 5 i am sure they could. 

They did carry melee weapons for a reason, too. 

No, I have no idea if Infamy has any rules for pikes.

An interesting question and one that might be worth asking about in the reenactment community.

[WuZhuiQiu]

I think that it would depend on whether their flanks were protected. Regardless, there must have been a reason why Hypaspists sometimes used spears instead of pikes.

[Antonio J Carrasco]

It would be interesting to see a  unbiased direct comparison between Clash of Spears and Infamy, Infamy, they both seem to cover a similar situation, small combined arms units fighting in the same manner as a larger force. Clash even has rules for elephants and Pikemen which I must admit I wouldn't expect to see in the usual small action. The latest youtube video With the Caesarean v Ancient Brits was more entertaining.

My guess is that Infamy is more focused on the Romans vs Barbarians theme, while CoS is somewhat more "catholic" in scope. If Infamy follows the same tongue-in-cheek approach that you can -if you wish- introduce in Sharp Practice games, my guess is that the ocasional elephant or pikemen unit can be used  as special asset. However, it will be -as happens in Clash, to be honest- part of a scenario -a story- rather than the core of the game as such. Anyway, I don't expect either of them will appear in the first book, which is set in the period 60 BCE to 100 CE.

Rationally, pikes don't look particularly efficient as a skirmish weapon, but in the context of a scenario it can make sense: to represent an ambush, part of a bigger battlefield, or the remnants of a phalanx trying to retreat in good order from a defeat. Not totally unthinkable.

[Atheling]

My guess is that Infamy is more focused on the Romans vs Barbarians theme

It is. At least for now. There are solid plans a foot for expanding into different time periods from what I've read.

[Johnp4000]

I think that it would depend on whether their flanks were protected. Regardless, there must have been a reason why Hypaspists sometimes used spears instead of pikes.

That will always be the issue in a small game how can your flanks be protected, a small group of pikeman could easily be flanked, by either close order troops or lights. I always have the impression of a skirmish being chaotic with clashes across the table, troops in the wrong positions and it being difficult to reform. Infamy looks more organised with  close order and supports already formed up.With this concept I suppose you could deploy pikemen?

[Jjonas]

Rationally, pikes don't look particularly efficient as a skirmish weapon, but in the context of a scenario it can make sense: to represent an ambush, part of a bigger battlefield, or the remnants of a phalanx trying to retreat in good order from a defeat. Not totally unthinkable.

Macedonian pikemen used javelins in sieges and smaller actions. They were trained in javelin and pike tactics. Later pikemen became more one dimensional, leaving everything but battlefield work to auxiliaries. We hear of Alexander's phalangites in reserve coming to rescue parts of the siege lines under attack, so that probably counts as a "skirmish". There is one account of a Antigonid phalanx defending a breached wall against Romans, but they did not have to move. The Romans were not able to dent the phalanx ensconced behind the rubble and with walls covering the flanks. In other situations during the Macedonian Wars with Rome the phalanx was not able to help out in the numerous small actions that Romans kept forcing. It was not flexible enough or efficient when operating in small dribs and drabs- as is discussed at length by Polybius.