Question on Ps recoil

[Xilophon76]

I had the following situation the other day:


There is a single Ps with three friendly warband units behind (like a column). The Ps is fighting against an opponent Elephant, and is forced to recoil. What happens?

1) it recoils normally pushing the warbands (since the recoil move is not sufficient to bring the Ps behind all of them)

2) it recoils more than usual, ending up at the end of the column, behind all warbands (thus leaving the poor warbands against the elephant.. )

3) it recoils only behind the first warband, creating a gap between them (not likely)

Thanks!

[landmeister]

Option 3. Mr. Barker personally answered me many years ago that it happened in Laupen (1336 AD IIRC). So, yes a gap is created.

[Barritus]

Yes, it's Option 3.

It's a warning that you can't rely on combat results to get the Psiloi out of the way of the heavy infantry. Instead you need to actively manage the situation and either withdraw the Ps when the opportunity arises to clear the path, or you need to keep the heavy infantry well back.

I've faced similar problems with using Ps screens in front of 4 ranks of Pk - you really don't want the Ps getting mixed up in the middle of the phalanx!

[Valentinian Victor]

However, many of us feel this is a particularly bad rule, based on only one recorded incident where skirmishers got imbedded into another formation. Skirmishers moving completely through friendly infantry formations to get away from the enemy was a standard practice during the 'classical' era, and probably during the 'dark ages' as well. There are no recorded incidents of the Greeks, Macedonians or Romans suffering this type of formation disruption by their skirmishes moving through the lines, they had military manuals detailing how it shoud be performed for god's sake!

I can see where if you have a very deep formation this would allow the Ps to move much further than even its normal tactical move. The counter to this is that it then is unlikely to be able to get back into combat if it needs to.

[Xilophon76]

Aha,

so the answer I gave as "less likely" is actually the correct one! Ok, thanks!

I agree, sounds a little strange and unhistorical, especially since it disrupts support.

Although in that particular case (the warbands vs the elephant) it is probably better (for the celts) since it leaves only one warband to be trampled before the Ps can roll its luck again... 

[william]

Except the Ps will die in a zone of death