"Ancients: Taking the Initiative" Topic

True or false: Generally speaking, leaders below the level of army commander followed orders, they did not take action on their own initiative.

I believe (and I could be wrong) that history is full of subordinate commanders that made their own decisions, sometimes resulting in spectacular success or failure. I have heard (although not researched) that when Porus met Alexander for battle, the commander of the Indian chariotry decided to attack ahead of time for their iwn glory, and that this cost Porus the battle in the long run.

The unknown leader of some of the Triarii at Cynoscephalae did a good job. I have heard some reasoned speculation that he was perhaps a veteran of Scipio Africanus' forces, and so REALLY knew what he was doing…

Of course they did, especially in armies where the boss becomes the leader of a wing, at the head of some troops. Lost is the control, knowledge of what happens, hence the different way of Caesar for ex.
Not easy to pull in games even with multi gamers as we know too much.

Considering most ancient leaders fought in the front rank, they had little control of the battle once it started.
And even if they did not fight in the front rank, they had little control anyway.

I seem to recall a Republican Roman officer – the son of the general, disobeying orders, which won the battle – and getting executed for disobeying dear old dad.

False. But, depending on the level of the game, such initiative may be lost in the die rolls, so to speak.

Command and control was a big problem for ancient commanders. Alexander the Great came up with a unique system for controlling armies, to reduce the need to delegate authority to his subordinate commanders. In order to synchronize his forces during battles, he ordered
a special chemical to be developed that changed color with the passage of time. A small piece of cloth was dipped in the solution, and worn around the wrist. In this way, all his troops could know what time it was, enabling them to carry out sophisticated military maneuvers and thus conquer the world. This invention became known as "Alexander's rag time-band."

(will crawls back under his rock)

Nice, willthepiper!

Generally true. See Winston Smith's comment above. I think gamers have too high of an opinion of Ancient armies and their Commanders.

" I think gamers have too high of an opinion of Ancient armies and their Commanders."
I don't think this is limited to ancients. How effective was most battlefield communication pre radio?

And when the radio breaks down, is destroyed/damaged, set to the wrong frequency? Modern equipment doesn't automatically mean great communications.

Wellington at Waterloo has the same facilities available as Caesar or Hannibal. The core system f control is that he rides around seeing situations and fixing them and getting reports from his unit comjanders that he then then sends appropriate new orders to or orders up reinforcements. Basically one man is in control and its rare and remarked upon for any of the sub commanders to take an initiative. They do so occasionally, but its generally in response to a crisis.

I suppise you could not relly have unit and wing comjanders across the battlefield farying the plan as there would ge a danger of an army coming apart at the seams.

All ancient armies seemed to use trumpet signals.

I was reading something about 19th c armies and non-literate soldiers learning 50 different trumpet signals for things such as cease fire to incline left etc, maybe ancient troops were not the slugs you might think.

David f Brown

"Porus met Alexander for battle, the commander of the Indian chariotry decided to attack ahead of time for their iwn glory, and that this cost Porus the battle in the long run."

Porus sent this force to attack (either under his son or his brother).