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Post by lkmjbc on Aug 10, 2016 21:33:08 GMT
Does anyone know the history of this interpenetration rule? I would assume that it is for WOR battles... Has anyone ever had this happen? Finally, are there any sources that describe a bow vs bill encounter?
Joe Collins
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Post by scottrussell on Aug 11, 2016 10:39:57 GMT
Joe,
I have always been completely baffled by this rule, especially given PB's fixation with brevity. Baldes through blades or spears I can understand as a reference to Camillan and Polybian Romans, but blade through blade never happens in DBA since all it does is cost a PIP. Blades through spears might have a point if menaced by mounted, but I have never, ever, seen it. Like you, I presume pikes through blades is a mediaeval thing, but why? Have you ever seen pikes recoil through blades? Why would one set up such a situation? What difference does it make if psiloi push back other psiloi rather than interpenetrating them? I initially thought it had disappeared (not being in the recoiling section), but no, it is still there in the interpenetration section.
Scott
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Post by medievalthomas on Aug 11, 2016 14:27:34 GMT
It was Phil's attempt to deal with the Swiss Pike/Halbred combo (the Pike slowed down the knights but the halbreds killed them).
Some historians believe the English put a screen of archers in front of the Men at Arms (as well as along side). The archers then retired through the Men at Arms as opponents approached.
Intermixing bodies of archers and men at arms is well attested in the sources; the screen theory is conjecture. (See Richard Wadge's book on Verniual for an example.)
I've used the Bow recoil through Blades occasionally. But side support is a better (and more historical) tactic.
TomT
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