"What was the footprint of skirmishers v formed infantry?" Topic

How much surface area would a group of skirmishers cover on a battlefield compared to an equivalent number of formed infantry?

Specific example: in the Republican Roman manipular legion there were often equal numbers of velites, hastati and principes. The velites may have skirmished. If so, how much area would they cover relative to the hastati?

This is a question that arose out of contemplating multi-basing.

Would it be better (from the standpoint of covering a representative proportion of the battlefield) to have a thin line of skirmishers relative to formed infantry, or have bases of similar depth but with fewer skirmishing figures?

In the case of the velites, there were a heck of a lot of them- as many as the formed hastati behind them. Mine will as numerous as the hastati, and occupy twice their footprint (so twice as deep).

I did my legions at 1:1 figure ratio,even in 2mm Velites take up a lot of space.

It isn't the numbers, but the mission that matters. Skirmishers will expand or contract to cover the frontage required of them. It's what they do. They screen the advance of your own forces, in order to disrupt your enemy's scouts and officers from getting a true picture of your forces. They also work to force your enemy to halt and deploy before he is ready to do so, to sting him with arrows, stones and javelins so that he reacts in anger if at all possible.

But as to footprints, they screen the front of the formation(s) behind them. That's how wide their formations are.

Thanks for the responses. I was thinking of both breadth and depth. Though with my plans to go with a big multi-base I'm looking at a middle ground between closed and open order to cover the feel of a skirmish screen if not all its moments in exactitude.

@Simon, the question actually came to me whilst going through TtS! and trying to establish a mutually compatible basing system with Hail Caesar.

I was wondering how to fit a 6cm wide x 12cm deep elephant in a 15cm x 15cm box with a light infantry/skirmishing unit 12cm wide (the width of a standard unit).

How do you handle light infantry escorts for nellies when playing a 15cm grid?

Hi ether – I have skirmishers on 6cm square bases that I use alongside the elephant either on one side (15cm grid) or both sides (20cm grid). Here's a 20cm grid unit: -

One could have a system for velites, say, where there was a front base of skirmishers in dispersed order, and behind them the remaining skirmishers closed up in a line on a narrower base, as supports. This would fit in well with the "combined lights" rule and reduce storage space. In fact, it's a heck of a good idea! :-)

Would thonk they also have depth as in nappy period as need reserve, rest, resupply missiles. If doing one to one, hardly more than 1/2 be in first line.

Simon, that 6cm square system looks good. The elephant looks great and is distracting me from the Punic Wars!

Interesting idea about the dispersed and close order velites. Would that be considered two standard light units of equal width and different depths, or just one (in order not to over-represent the combat power of the velites)?

Can you point me to the location of the "combined lights" rule?

Hi ether, I've published a free "supplement" of additional rules- you can download it from here:-

link

There's a new rule for lights supporting cavalry which I'm quire pleased with.

Re your question, both units of velites would act as lights- it's just that the rearmost one would be depicted in a line.

I suspect velites were quite powerful- their importance is often understated.

The ancient tactical manuals have open order as twice the depth and width of close order or six feet by six feet per man.

Thanks, Simon. Downloaded. Good to see the light infantry plus cavalry rules. Look forward to trying them out on my Greeks and Spaniards.

@williamb, thank you for the reminder. I'd forgotten about Asclepiodotus (whom I am assuming you are referring to).