"Pikeman's Lament Battle" Topic

Report of our second outing with this ruleset.

link

Nice review, Thanks!

Have you happened to play Lion Rampant? And if so, how did they compare for you?

From what I could tell, they were almost identical. PL used the Dark Ages modification for special unit leaders, included campaign rules for the force leader, and added artillery. But the seemed exactly the same other than that.

I have not, but several of the other players had. They are very similar. My understanding is the for PL the likelihood you will move, shoot, or attack are higher, which means there is more happening and less frustration with failed rolls. Also, I understand that Knights really dominate in Lion Rampant. At least so far, we do not see a single troop type dominating. Finally, shooting is much more important.

Thanks for the AAR. I've been thinking a bit more on your question/comments about pike protecting shot (in the AAR and previously here on TMP) and I guess my additional thought is that at this scale of game I don't think they would have trained to function together.

From what I understand of the ECW, on paper companies had both shot and pike, but in practice they were organized at a higher level (regiments/battalia). So 12 pikemen with two groups of 12 musketeers wouldn't have had any idea of how to work together, other than guys randomly running for cover behind the pike.

I'm looking at PL for a slightly higher level in a smaller figure scale, so I might have to think about how 48 pikemen might interact two 2x48 musketeers, but that's me messing with the system.

I really don't believe from my readings that you would see pikes in this level of action. This would entail musketeers, horse, and dragons. Maybe a drake or a minion as well. Pikes were a 'battle weapon for use in mass against enemy cavalry also in mass on a defensive posture. But pikes would be used as an offensive weapon against other foot again in mass.

Yeah, I think pikemen would only find themselves in a "battle" of this size by accident. Still probably happened though.