How would DBA model the flexible pike phalanx of Pyrrhus?
Nov 17, 2022 9:43:12 GMT
menacussecundus and jim1973 like this
Post by stevie on Nov 17, 2022 9:43:12 GMT
I have been giving Dpd’s original post more thought, and in an attempt to get
this thread back on-topic (somebody has to!) I’ve expanded on Jim’s thoughts.
The problem Pyrrhus faces is that he wants to use his superior mounted (both his
Elephants and Knights have a CF of 4 against the Roman Cavalry CF of 3, plus the
Knights have a general). But to do so he needs to pin and keep the Roman infantry
in the centre busy. This is difficult since the Pike columns means he has a shorter
battleline, and his Auxiliaries and Psiloi are too weak to stand in the front line to help.
Ah, but there is a way…without the need for any hindering terrain:-
Sp Ax
…Sp Sp Sp Sp Sp…
…Pk Ax Pk Ps Pk…
Pk Pk Pk
Note that the II/10 Camillan Romans have a couple of Blades, but for demonstration
purposes I’ve shown them as all Spears, and I’ll let players decide for themselves which
is a Sp and which is a Bd…remembering that Pyrrhus has the higher aggression, so will be
the invader in 2 out of 3 games, and deploys second, thereby arranging better match-ups.
And the Romans will need reserves, to fill in any gaps caused by elements being destroyed.
Now normally an Ax CF of 3 v Sp CF of 5 has 6 chances out of 36 of being doubled.
With an easily achieved overlap this becomes 12 chances of the Ax being doubled.
Bad news for the Ax.
But if Pk column 1 recoils their Sp (21 chances in 36) and Pk column 2 does the same,
then the Ax will have a CF of 3 against their double overlapped Sp opponent.
And CF 3 v CF 2 has only 1 chance in 36 of being destroyed, but 6 chances of doubling!
(Pk will pursue, but they are quite robust, and even if double-overlapped themselves
they have only 2 chances out of 36 of being destroyed)
So there you have it: inter-spacing weak troops between Pk columns makes Ax/Ps stronger.
However, we must remember that this formation was considered to be a failure, as Pyrrhus
only used it once, and no other Pike army ever tried it again (although Antiochus III did use
something similar at the Battle of Magnesia in 190 BC, where he inter-spaced elephants
between his Pike blocks. But that was also a total failure, and never copied by any other
Pike army).
Likewise, the Romans attempted to use ‘anti-elephant carts’ loaded with missiles (in DBA
terms, a WWg?) to counter Pyrrhus’ elephants in the same Battle of Asculum in 279 BC…
…which was another total failure and never used again by any army.
this thread back on-topic (somebody has to!) I’ve expanded on Jim’s thoughts.
The problem Pyrrhus faces is that he wants to use his superior mounted (both his
Elephants and Knights have a CF of 4 against the Roman Cavalry CF of 3, plus the
Knights have a general). But to do so he needs to pin and keep the Roman infantry
in the centre busy. This is difficult since the Pike columns means he has a shorter
battleline, and his Auxiliaries and Psiloi are too weak to stand in the front line to help.
Ah, but there is a way…without the need for any hindering terrain:-
Sp Ax
…Sp Sp Sp Sp Sp…
…Pk Ax Pk Ps Pk…
Pk Pk Pk
Note that the II/10 Camillan Romans have a couple of Blades, but for demonstration
purposes I’ve shown them as all Spears, and I’ll let players decide for themselves which
is a Sp and which is a Bd…remembering that Pyrrhus has the higher aggression, so will be
the invader in 2 out of 3 games, and deploys second, thereby arranging better match-ups.
And the Romans will need reserves, to fill in any gaps caused by elements being destroyed.
Now normally an Ax CF of 3 v Sp CF of 5 has 6 chances out of 36 of being doubled.
With an easily achieved overlap this becomes 12 chances of the Ax being doubled.
Bad news for the Ax.
But if Pk column 1 recoils their Sp (21 chances in 36) and Pk column 2 does the same,
then the Ax will have a CF of 3 against their double overlapped Sp opponent.
And CF 3 v CF 2 has only 1 chance in 36 of being destroyed, but 6 chances of doubling!
(Pk will pursue, but they are quite robust, and even if double-overlapped themselves
they have only 2 chances out of 36 of being destroyed)
So there you have it: inter-spacing weak troops between Pk columns makes Ax/Ps stronger.
However, we must remember that this formation was considered to be a failure, as Pyrrhus
only used it once, and no other Pike army ever tried it again (although Antiochus III did use
something similar at the Battle of Magnesia in 190 BC, where he inter-spaced elephants
between his Pike blocks. But that was also a total failure, and never copied by any other
Pike army).
Likewise, the Romans attempted to use ‘anti-elephant carts’ loaded with missiles (in DBA
terms, a WWg?) to counter Pyrrhus’ elephants in the same Battle of Asculum in 279 BC…
…which was another total failure and never used again by any army.