Hello, all--
Good idea, I've thought somewhat about this too. That sort of addition would be nice, especially for mass engagements, and we all know that those crop up from time to time in the course of campaigns. This is also something I thought of when I wrote the descriptions of the weapons into the CWT, particularly the pike formation is an interesting case because it will also foil arrows (talking about long pikes now, >13 feet).There are a number of weapons that have been discussed in the course of the CWT development where massed, military field use is different from individual use. These include longbows and other missile weapons fired in volley, cavalry charges with lances, as well as pikes arrayed to stop cavalry charges, and others. Perhaps we should look at a new rule (or rules) for massed use of weapons where the whole effect is greater than a sum of its parts. There should still be individual use characteristics for the weapons in question. These would not replace the rules for weapons, but would be rules for how to deal with the application of weapons in a coordinated and organized fashion.
I'm in favor of actually dealing with these issues as part of an overall look of the combat mechanics rules, because they do need some additions and/or overhaul in some respects that are far beyond the scope of the CWT. I suppose a separate section covering mass engagement rules and the particulars of certain weapons in them would be in order? If so, who's up for doing it? Because I have little experience in strategy/tactical boardgames and only relatively shallow knowledge of medieval warfare in this respect, I don't have the necessary skills to pull it through as the main conributor, but I can take a supplementary role.
As far as the CWT is concerned, I don't think sweeping changes of mechanics should be put in there. As for the pike and lance especially and braced weapons/charging in general, I liked David's solution with the TMR, it's simple, elegant and doesn't actually introduce any complicated new mechanics into the picture. See also what I posted in my previous message.
Edi ---------------------- Rodger Thorm wrote:
There are a number of weapons that have been discussed in the course of the CWT development where massed, military field use is different from individual use. These include longbows and other missile weapons fired in volley, cavalry charges with lances, as well as pikes arrayed to stop cavalry charges, and others.Perhaps we should look at a new rule (or rules) for massed use of weapons where the whole effect is greater than a sum of its parts. There should still be individual use characteristics for the weapons in question. These would not replace the rules for weapons, but would be rules for how to deal with the application of weapons in a coordinated and organized fashion. --Rodger