"Combined light units" Topic

This is another rule that I intend to include in my proposed brief rules supplement:-

"Combining light troops

Some ancient armies including the Numidians, Spanish and Successors included very numerous light troops who fought in large masses.

To represent these, before the battle starts, two identical light units may combine to form a combined unit. Players may not combine units of lights from different lines in an army list, except where specifically mentioned in an army list.

Such units have two hits, becoming disordered after a single hit and lost after a second, in which case two medals are surrendered. Combined units count as two units for purposes of sharing boxes – no other unit can be in a box with them. The combined unit has the ammunition of the two component light units, so combined light infantry with javelins will typically have four ammunition and with bows, six.

For movement, melee and evade purposes combined lights act as the equivalent lights units except that when they are armed with javelin or lance, they may frontally charge formed troops. This is an exception to the normal rule for light troops which does not permit this. Combined lights are not required to evade when charged but may, however, still choose to evade.

Combining light troops permits the representation of peltastoi and thureophoroi fighting as euzanoi in open formation, armed with javelins. It also gives a greater offensive capability to javelin and lance-armed light horse."

I'd welcome thoughts.

Simon, this sounds like an interesting approach to numerous light infantry. I wonder if this can be applied to the "Nim" of the Sumerian armies?
John

Hi John -to any lights who are numerous and prepared to scrap.

They aren't as good as formed troops (they only hit on an 8) but there will be times when it is useful to stand, or charge. They are at their best in rough where they get save bonuses.

Simon

do combined lights get to shoot with 2 ammo?

That's a very interesting question. I had not intended to up their rate of fire- I see the combined lights being in looser formation than, say, formed bowmen. might give it some thought, though.

I have Mongols and since their horse archers are light troops, I use them as combined units. It gives the Mongols a bit more bang for their buck and afterall the Mongols should be a pretty successful army.

Perhaps 1 shot with the option to burn another ammo as reroll if the first shot misses? Sorta an always-on hero for combined lights?

Perhaps… but I will be reviewing ranged shooting in general in v2. It might be that they would get "closing fire" if charged, unlike lights, who will be too busy running away.

I find light troops incredibly fragile to shooting. Instant death when you have a 7+ or 8+ save. They should have the option to evade shooting or give them a +2 vs shooting instead of the current +1

I guess that's because I felt they should be vulnerable to shooting. :-) It's fairly hard to get a hit though- on an 8+- a unit of bow-armed skirmishers with three ammo is only likely to achieve a single hit during a game, if that. And if they die, well, it's only one medal lost- "they were expendable!"