Troops are largely defined by their battlefield function, although weapons,
armor, and morale are also considerations. Distinctions are made between
troops with different fighting styles and combat effectiveness. Each troop
type includes all troops that fight in the same manner, have essentially
the same combat effectiveness, and have similar morale and training. Thus,
troops with two-handed poleaxes and those with two-handed mauls are both
classed as "Axes" because their combat effectiveness is similar.
The basic unit of combat and movement is the stand, the size of which varies
depending upon the figure scale and troop type. Each stand holds a number
of figures that visually represent the stand type. See Basing
the Troops, for more information on stand size and recommended number
of figures to be placed on a stand.
The types of stands are defined below.
Artillery
This stand type represent various forms of heavy weapons that can send projectiles
of different weights over great distances.The morale rating of the Artillery
stand represents the class of weapon more than the morale of the troops
themselves. Levy Artillery represent the smallest, lightest or most primitive
pieces. Recruit and Average Artillery stands represent progressively heavier
and/or more sophisticated pieces.Veteran and Elite Artillery stands represent
the heaviest pieces, which can be used to batter down walls but are difficult
to move. Ponderous Veteran and Elite Artillery represent massive immobile
engines, such as large trebuchets or oversized cannons, and are more formidable
than other types.
Auxiliaries
Auxiliaries are troops normally equipped with javelins, side arms, and occasionally
short Spears. Auxiliaries fight in somewhat loose formations and are adept
at moving in difficult terrain, yet are also able to engage in Close Action,
though Auxiliaries perform neither task as well as do troops specialized
for such tasks. Auxiliaries are unique in their ability to change deployment
and formation more fluidly than other formed troops. At the beginning of
any battle, the owning player may decide whether to deploy each stand of
Auxiliaries as formed troops (as 1 stand of Auxiliaries) or as Auxiliaries
that have split into Skirmishers are in all ways treated as Skirmishers
unless they reform as Auxiliaries.
Axes
These stands represent troops are equipped with two-handed cutting, slashing,
or smashing weapons.
Beasts
Beast stands represent various wild or semi-wild creatures, including packs
of carnivores such as lions, tigers, wolves, and even war dogs, or herds
of stampeding animals such as cattle, bison, or horses. Beast stands can
also represent many non-intelligent or semi-intelligent monsters. They are
always Irregular.
Behemoths
The term Behemoth refers to extremely large creatures that either fight
on their own or act as battle platforms for smaller creatures. Elephants,
mammoths, dinosaurs and giants are examples of Behemoths. Levy Artillery
may be Mounted on or carried by some Behemoths.
Cavalry, Light
This stand type represents, for the most part, humanoids on some sort of
riding beast, usually a horse, but also including giant lizards, birds,
etc. Some creatures, such as centaurs, may be treated as Cavalry even though
there is no separate rider and mount. Light Cavalry stands represent clouds
of fast moving fighters who strike quickly and retire. They serve best to
slow and harass the enemy but may also be used to defeat enemy Skirmishers.
Cavalry, Medium
Medium Cavalry stands represent mainly humanoids on riding beasts, as described
for Light Cavalry above. In addition, Medium Cavalry are partially armored
riders on unarmored beasts. They are usually armed with javelins, spears,
swords, axes, etc. They fight in Close Action but are relatively ineffective
against organized Foot and heavier Cavalry. Light Chariots fight as Medium
Cavalry.
Cavalry, Armored
Armored Cavalry stands meet the same definitions as for other Cavalry above
and are fully armored riders on armored or partially armored mounts. They
fight with lances and other one-handed Cavalry weapons. They are effective
against most troop types, especially Gargantua, but are susceptible to Shooters
and Handgunners. Heavy Chariots fight as Armored Cavalry.
Leaders
Leaders are not technically a stand type but are instead a special type
of Attribute of a stand. Any sort of stand, with the exception of General
stands, may be made a Leader stand by paying the appropriate Army Point
cost. There may never be more than one Leader per command. In addition,
a command led by aGeneral may not have a Leader stand. Leader stands fight
and move as their primary type (e.g. a Leader Spear stand is considered
a spear for purposes of combat and movement).
Gargantua
Gargantua are huge creatures similar to Behemoths but even larger and more
ferocious. The largest and fiercest dinosaurs are examples of this stand
type. Levy may in some cases be carried by or Mounted on Gargantua.
Generals
This stand type represents a General or Sub-general and his staff, messengers,
sages, and bodyguards, who are the Commanders of armies and Commands. All
Generals are Regular; Irregular Generals are not permitted. Generals have
better command capabilities, especially as Commanders in Chief, than Leaders
(described previously). Generals may be purchased as either Foot, Mounted,
or Flyers. This affects only their movement rate; they still fight as Generals
and are classed as Foot for all other purposes.
Handgunners
Handgunners fight in dense formations and rely on distance shooting. They
have shorter range and fire more slowly than Shooters but have more impact.
They fight poorly in Close Action Combat.
Hordes
Hordes are masses of generally untrained troops used to swell the numbers
of an army and often to perform menial tasks. Hordes may also represent
camp servants pressed into battle or the women, children, and elderly of
a clan.
Pikes
Pikes include all close formation infantry that fight with pikes or long
spears wielded in both hands. They are usually Regular.
Priests
Each stand of Priests consists of a contingent of offensive and defensive
Magic Users. Priests use the powers of the planes beyond to assist the armies
in battle. Priest stands can support one another in magical combat. Priests
have quite formidable powers when casting magic but are vulnerable to normal
combat.
Shooters
Shooters represent soldiers who fight in dense formations and rely on shooting
at extended ranges. They are also willing to engage in hand-to-hand combat
and often use pavises or stakes for additional protection.
Skirmishers
Skirmishers include all missile troops that operate in loose formations,
swarming about the enemy, harassing, and Fleeing when charged.
Spears
Spears represent troops that fight in close formation with interlocking
shields and grasp their spears with a single hand.
Swords
Swords are troops equipped with one-handed weapons, such as swords, axes,
hammers, and maces. They are effective against Foot but are vulnerable to
Mounted troops.
Warriors
Warriors are tribal troops who depend on a ferocious charge to smash through
the enemy ranks. All Warriors are Irregular.
Warvagons
Warwagons represent combat vehicles towed by beasts or pushed by hand or
magic. They function as mobile fighting platforms.
Wizards
A stand of Wi zards represents a mage and his assistants and servants. Like
Priests, Wizards are powerful Magic Users. Their primary advantage is that
they can cast their magic at greater range than Priests, but they may never
cooperate with other Magic Users in either offensive or defensive use of
magic.
For ease of reference, stands of different types are grouped into stand classes. These classes are based on relative mobility, fighting category, and defensive characteristics. The stand classes are:
Foot
Foot is the most numerous class and includes Artillery, Axes, Baggage, Fortifications,
Generals, Handgunners, Hordes, Pikes, Priests, Shooters, Siege Engines,
Skirmishers, Spears, Swords, Warriors, and Wizards.
Mounted
Mounted includes all types of Cavalry, Beasts, Behemoths, Gargantua and
Warwagons.
Magic Users
Magic Users include Priests and Wizards.
Troops are further identified as Regular or Irregular in the army lists.
Regular stands have training centered largely around group action, i.e. they are drilled to act in concert under the direction of an officer or officers. Regulars are easier to control and maneuver.
Irregular stands, on the other hand, tend to have more extensive training in individual combat, They join a band to fight under a war leader, but they have no extensive training in cohesive unit action. They are difficult to maneuver and tend to rush toward the nearest enemy.
All troops involved must use the same basing conventions. Frontage of the stands is much more important than depth or even number of figures on a stand. The chart below indicates the stand size for the various types and the number of 15mm figures per stand. The measurement is in millimeters. The first number is the frontage; the second is the depth. Thus, a stand of Pikes in 15mm scale is 40mm wide and 15mm deep and would normally have 4 figures mounted on the stand.
| Troop Type | |||
| Axes, Handgunners, Pikes, Shooters, Spears, Swords | |||
| Auxiliaries, Varriors | |||
| Skirmishers | |||
| Light Calvalry | |||
| Medium Cavalry, Armored Cavalry | |||
| Hordes | |||
| Artillery, Behemoths, Beasts, Baggage, Siege Engines, Priests,Wizards, Fortifications, Gargantua, Generals, Warwagons |
* This the recommended number of figures per stand for Irregulars of
this type; it helps to identify Irregular troops. However, figures mounted
for other rules sets may be mounted with four per stand.
@ Ponderous Armored Cavalry may be mounted four per stand.
# For Artillery, one or two models plus crew give a pleasing effect. Mount
a single Siege Engine on a stand. Behemoths should be mounted one model
per stand, possibly with one or two additional escort infantry. Immobile
Baggage stands might have tents and palisades, while a mobile stand should
have bearer, pack animals, and/or carts. Any number of Priest, Wizard, or
General figures may be placed on the stand; often the addition of tables,
parasols, slaves, standards, etc. can make the stand more interesting.
Some troops types (such as Swords or Pikes, or Warriors with Thrown weapons) are usually run in multiple ranks. Players may mount two or more ranks of troops on a single stand, as long as they maintain the appropriate stand depth. In other words, mounting two ranks of troops on a single stand results in a stand that is twice the normal stand depth. For example, a double depth stand of pikes (representing two ranks) would have a depth of 30mm. Multiple rank stands are treated as single rank stands for all purposes, except that they receive rank bonuses for those ranks on the stand.
Besides the convenience of easier movement, multiple rank basing offers some advantages, especially for Irregular troops, which require fewer pips to move since all the ranks are treated as a single stand. Impetuous troops also gain advantages since they retain their supporting ranks even after impetuous movement. The disadvantage of multiple rank mounting is that combat effects that would normally apply to only the front rank are applied to all the ranks mountedon a single stand. There is also some reduced flexibility of deployment with multiple rank stands.
Return To the
Stabbing Cat