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Author Topic: Warlord's Pike and Shotte - combined units and Hedgehog rule  (Read 978 times)

Offline Sandinista

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Warlord's Pike and Shotte - combined units and Hedgehog rule
« on: January 06, 2025, 04:37:41 AM »
Does anyone else use the combined units rule for ECW/30 Years War in Warlord's Pike and Shotte? If so, how do you deal with the Hedgehog rule? It seems somewhat contradictory if used as written.
Any suggestions welcome
Ian

Offline Hu Rhu

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Re: Warlord's Pike and Shotte - combined units and Hedgehog rule
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2025, 09:30:48 PM »
Which bit of the rule are you having a problem with?

Offline Sandinista

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Re: Warlord's Pike and Shotte - combined units and Hedgehog rule
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2025, 09:39:03 AM »
Basically, should the Hedgehog rule be used in conjunction with combined units using the Pike Company rule?
Does it get to give closing fire?

Offline mellis1644

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Re: Warlord's Pike and Shotte - combined units and Hedgehog rule
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2025, 09:53:55 PM »
If I remember the way I did it is quite simple for ECW. :)

Combined Company's can hedgehog as a single unit - without with any other units. So they just hedgehog as a single group, as they already are a combination of troops. I did not allow any other units to also join in - but you could allow another musket unit to join if you wanted, I guess. This then is just a different formation for the unit if you think of it that way. Note, I just marked that on units - as it's hard to show it any other way. As always it's a move or command reaction to change to this formation.

If a unit is in the hedgehog formation, then all the normal rules apply - they can't move, have no flanks rear and have a shooting value of 1 all around them. They also need a command test & move to change back to normal.  If 'changing formation' to a hedgehog as a charge reaction fails then, it does not get to reaction fire, but still would get the advantage of being pikes.

Using the rules this way the hedgehog is great at making combined units pretty impervious to charging cav or rear attack but makes them very static - so vulnerable to just being shoot to bits by combined arms forces.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2025, 09:57:16 PM by mellis1644 »
My painting blog is at: http://mellis1644.wordpress.com/

Offline Hu Rhu

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Re: Warlord's Pike and Shotte - combined units and Hedgehog rule
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2025, 10:20:39 PM »
Sorry for the delay in replying.  As I understand the hedgehog rule is for separate elements such as musket sleeves of a regiment, which allows the unit to take advanatage of the pike protection but limits it's fire potential.

Combining elements into a single unit provides a combined shooting/fighting/morale factor.  For example I use it for a spanish colunella for the Italian Wars. 

Yes it can give closing fire and protect itself from cavalry as it has pikes.  However it is not as effective as a pure shooting unit and not as effective in fighting as it doesn't have the same number of pike as a pike block.  My colunellas also have a sword and and buckler element, so gain some benefit in hand to hand combat. They look like this:



You have to use the weighting factors regarding unit costs and try not to make a super unit.  Generally it has less hand to hand and shooting factors but benefits from both being able to fight as a combined arms unit without resorting to the hedgehog rule.

Hope that helps.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2025, 10:31:36 PM by Hu Rhu »

 

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