Spontaneous Advance

[Sir Walter]

Hi

had my first game of DBMM yesterday involving spontaneous troops and Im not sure Im getting my head around the changes from DBM re spontaneous advance.

I was playing Early Imperial Rome v Ancient Brits and was attempting to pull my opponent out of position but failing miserably to break up his warband due to the new rules ( or at least our interpretation of them )

Rather than peeling off as individual elements to fight my nearer blades my opponent chose the 'option ' of  continuing to move straight forward , 'away from his rear battlefield edge' which allowed him to keep his warband in a formed group~ which in the following turn he was able to hold or move as a group as they were still in edge to edge and corner to corner .

Is this right ? Can he just ignor my blades to his flanks and just plow on forwards ?

The same tactic in DBM would broken his formation up irrevocably.

[Sgt Steiner]

Hi

>>Is this right ? Can he just ignor my blades to his flanks and just plow on forwards ?

IMHO yes this is correct as the Impt troops can choose to move straight forwards (a full +80p or into contact).
Indeed I believe they can only move towards their flanks/deviate from straight ahead if an enemy element is within reach (ie within their tactical move) as per the other bullet points.

Cheers
Gary

[Doug M.]

Don't have the rules to hand, but IIRC you can only ignore TZ if moving impetuously, if moving impetuously do you still end up as a formed group or do you have to stagger the line slightly? I thought it was the latter; so while he can ignore flanks while moving impetuously, he can't remain a group.

I don't mind this change. It means that you can't completely wreck a block of spontaneous troops by putting a Psiloi on either flank but not in contact. If you wanted to disrupt him, you should have moved into contact (with the attendant risk).

cheers

[Platypus]

You can't ignore TZ if moving spontaneously (impetuously), but you also get the extra movement to line-up or contact if needed.

If you move troops straight forward (without contacting enemy), the elements or columns must be staggered a little so that the elements or columns don't end up grouped together.

So yes, they can plough forward, but they won't end up as a nice formed block.

I like the DBMM spontaneous movement rules better. Sometimes it looks a little odd, but they end up simpler to do (once you get the rules straighted out), and the odd moments are rare.

G^is,
JohnG

 

[Sir Walter]

Cheers for the replies lads . Its starting to make a bit more sense now . Its probably easier if you come to DBMM afresh rather than from DBM ~ the well worn paths of my memory keep taking me back to how it works in DBM !

Any tips then on fighting spontaneous troops in the new system ?

[Barritus]

How to fight impetuous troops depends on what they are and what you have.

In the case of using Romans to fight Ancient British, I think the historical tactics are pretty good - sit the legionaries uphill and break the warbands' charge with the auxiliaries. Also, spread some Art (F) behind your line - kills are good, but even just pushing every second or third element back would be useful. If you do it right, you should be able to make first contact with overlaps, and that should knock a few holes in his line. Being uphill will also give you a +1 in his bound. Remember, Bd get a QK on Wb in the Bd's bound.

Alternatively, take advantage of the fact that you're likely to be invader, and therefore very likely to deploy second. He won't be able to change direction much, so you may be able to concentrate most of your army against one or two commands of his, and those facing air will take a long time to get to the battle.

[vexillia]

Rather than peeling off as individual elements to fight my nearer blades my opponent chose the 'option ' of  continuing to move straight forward , 'away from his rear battlefield edge' which allowed him to keep his warband in a formed group ~ which in the following turn he was able to hold or move as a group as they were still in edge to edge and corner to corner.

Is this right ? Can he just ignore my blades to his flanks and just plow on forwards ?

Yes and no. Can move straight forward but does not end as formed group.  Page 30, 4th bulletted list, 3rd bullet says "Must reduce move by 5-10p .. to avoid ending in corner to corner contact with friends ...".  Same result as DBM really.