Bd/Bw tactics

[Spartiate]

Bw can move through Bd, but not the other way round. Do people deploy with their Bw behind their Bd, ready to move to the front if necessary? I would have thought the other way round would be more useful, but only practical PIP-wise with regulars

[Barritus]

The point with these interpenetrations is not necessarily what's useful but what's recorded as happening in battles where we have the information. Sadly, in a lot of cases, troops don't seem to have done what we think would be a good idea.

With a massed Bd/Bw combination, I think the idea is generally to place the Bw in front so they can shoot at enemy. To get them away from the enemy and allow the Bd to do the fighting, you have to pull the Bw back through the Bd. And yes, if you have irregulars it'll be expensive in PIPs. Otherwise, if you leave the Bw in the front rank, and if they survive to recoil, they'll pass through the Bd and provide support from behind.

Which army?

[Spartiate]

Med. Scandinavians, Swedish version. There are an equal number of Bd and Bw elements. It would be nice to use them historically in pairs of Bd & Bw one behind the other, but generally Bw are used 2 ranks deep in the game.

[Barritus]

Shooting in one rank is better viewed as being intended to break up the enemy formation rather than for killing. Against impetuous mounted opponents, it can result in lone elements charging in double overlapped. Against non-impetuous opponents (particularly those with irregular generals), breaking up the formation increases the number of PIPs needed to get it into contact wth your troops.

[Spartiate]

Good point. I think I'll try them with 1 rank of each. They will support each other vs most foot in an enemy bound, and like you say if the Bw recoil the Bd will be in the front rank