Post by dpd on Apr 8, 2023 2:29:33 GMT
This video of the always interesting Mythbusters tested (and proved) the theory that the speed of a horse added to the speed of a horse archer's arrow increased its penetrating power:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=24amMokvONY
It also illustrates a larger truth that the whole point of being on the back of a horse (or in a chariot) was to add the speed and weight of the horse to your weapons.
Horse archer arrows had greater speed and penetrating power power than the equivalent bowman on foot.
The mass and speed of the horse delivered at the point of the lance or the edge of a sword would similarly magnify the shock effect of the weapon.
Offensively, mounted troops should be superior to equivalent infantry and should have correspondingly higher combat factors.
However...
The footman's bow has a greater range than the horse archer's bow. and the tip of a spear or pike has a greater reach than a knight's lance.
The man on the horse may be more powerful, but he is actually hit first in any encounter with equivalent infantry. He can be killed and his unit destroyed before he even has a chance to attack the man on foot.
So how to replicate this reality?
First, decrease infantry combat factors against mounted by 1.
Second, increase mounted combat factors against foot by 1
Third, in every encounter between heavy foot (spr. pik. bld. wbd, hrd) and light foot (psi, aux, bow, art, wwg) with heavy mounted (knt, hch, sch, ele, cam) the infantry always gets to attack first. The mounted unit has to suffer any loses incurred from the infantry combat roll before it can press on with its own attack - which it can do if it survives the foot's combat roll.
Similarly, light mounted (lho, 2cm, cav. lch) must be subject to a combat die roll by opposing light foot (psi, aux, bow, art, wwg) before they proceed with their own attack.
The one exception to the "infantry goes first" rule is heavy foot vs light mounted. Against heavy foot, the light mounted units always go first (sorry Crassus).
Examples of the above:
Swiss pike blocks stopping armored knights who get impaled on the pike tips before they can inflict damage on the footmen wielding the pikes.
English long bowmen slaughtering French knights.
Parthian horse archers decimating Roman legions with impunity.
Crusader crossbowmen out shooting Muslim light horse.
Thoughts or comments?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=24amMokvONY
It also illustrates a larger truth that the whole point of being on the back of a horse (or in a chariot) was to add the speed and weight of the horse to your weapons.
Horse archer arrows had greater speed and penetrating power power than the equivalent bowman on foot.
The mass and speed of the horse delivered at the point of the lance or the edge of a sword would similarly magnify the shock effect of the weapon.
Offensively, mounted troops should be superior to equivalent infantry and should have correspondingly higher combat factors.
However...
The footman's bow has a greater range than the horse archer's bow. and the tip of a spear or pike has a greater reach than a knight's lance.
The man on the horse may be more powerful, but he is actually hit first in any encounter with equivalent infantry. He can be killed and his unit destroyed before he even has a chance to attack the man on foot.
So how to replicate this reality?
First, decrease infantry combat factors against mounted by 1.
Second, increase mounted combat factors against foot by 1
Third, in every encounter between heavy foot (spr. pik. bld. wbd, hrd) and light foot (psi, aux, bow, art, wwg) with heavy mounted (knt, hch, sch, ele, cam) the infantry always gets to attack first. The mounted unit has to suffer any loses incurred from the infantry combat roll before it can press on with its own attack - which it can do if it survives the foot's combat roll.
Similarly, light mounted (lho, 2cm, cav. lch) must be subject to a combat die roll by opposing light foot (psi, aux, bow, art, wwg) before they proceed with their own attack.
The one exception to the "infantry goes first" rule is heavy foot vs light mounted. Against heavy foot, the light mounted units always go first (sorry Crassus).
Examples of the above:
Swiss pike blocks stopping armored knights who get impaled on the pike tips before they can inflict damage on the footmen wielding the pikes.
English long bowmen slaughtering French knights.
Parthian horse archers decimating Roman legions with impunity.
Crusader crossbowmen out shooting Muslim light horse.
Thoughts or comments?
