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[Parsely]

Are litelachians known for their berserkers or something?
Are they brandishing any other special equipments? (anti-giant stuff?)
Are horses widely used/exist?
Is the clearing small enough that bringing one of our detachments out would have an effect on the battle? My impression is no, and I think I like having those two cards up our sleeve.

Yes, they're barbarians. Think of them as the ancient Germanic tribes of Europe.
You can't tell at this distance. After all they hid the arrow shields from you.
Horses don't exist, but there are still some pack animals.
Thats something for you to decide, tactically. We've already established that the clearing is fucking huge several times.

[GrizzlyAdamz]

Thank you for the answers.
On the huge field: the barbarians sprinted the extreme distance to our archers before they could loose more than two volleys, so either the archers went waay up close to start firing, or the clearing's small enough that the other two divisions could see play.
I take it it's the former? --how many football fields is the clearing's radius?

[Rolepgeek]

Let's try something. Advance into a good range for the archers. Have them fire in half volleys; one half fires at a high angle, to get them to raise the shields. The other half, a few seconds later, so as to hopefully cause the two volleys to arrive nearly simultaneously, fire in a more straight line/moderate angle, to shoot them whilst un(or at least less) protected. Our archers will be in front of our formation, knights and footmen behind, heavy infantry on the flanks. This will continue until they get fed up and charge or we run out of arrows. In the first case, the archers will retreat and head for the flanks, aiming to get around to their other side and fire upon the mass of enemy warriors that will presumably be created. Meanwhile, our knights will take a defensive position and counter-charge within the last two dozen meters of the enemy's charge, whilst our light infantry support them as they can, and heavy infantry march to flank and crush them. Leave an opening for them to flee from, even between the archers, who should be accompanied by any lancers we have to run down enemy stragglers and provide protection.

In the second case, the archers will fall back, their job is done. Meanwhile, our lancers will maneuver through the forest, while our heavy infantry will make up the front line, supported by knights dispersed among their ranks. Light infantry will make up a reserve force to help plug possible breaches. At a signal from us, lancers will come in from the enemy's flanks to help crush them, while light infantry will suddenly surge forward, as we'd have been fighting conservatively up til that point.

[Parsely]

The skirmishers were berserking, and thus faster than normal, and the archers were distracted while getting their second shot off. They are green after all. Just imagine them fumbling with their arrows as twelve screaming men with massive battle axes and shafts sticking out of their bodies closing with them at a dead sprint. On the bright side, they also managed to get themselves killed because of that berserk.

---

I'll be going ahead with Rolep's suggestion unless someone has a counter-proposal.

[GrizzlyAdamz]

I think lancers are infantry- putting them in the forest will put them out of action, and stopping a retreat is already covered by the other divisions.
If the archers go to flank, (and remember we only have 30 of them), they'll have to wait until we've already joined battle with our main force- if they form a 90* or more with our main force and the enemies, we'll be trying to chase the enemies if they berserk & sprint at our archers.
That'll get alot of our archers (all) killed unless we give them a sizeable portion of our troops, and even then we'd have to worry about the enemy going for them anyway because taking enemies piecemeal is good.

Usually it's best to have the light infantry/skirmishers on the flanks, mostly for protection, (against being flanked ourselves), & to use their superior agility to chase stragglers and harass the enemy's flanks. Heavy infantry & knights can slug it out in the center, (and they'll likely own the crap out of them here).

+1 to staggered volleys, (if our archers can grasp the concept),
Be super careful with any flanking maneuvers,
don't feel strongly about troop/formation composition. I doubt there will be a need for reserves- we'll be smashing them to pieces.
-1 to traipsing lancers


-edit
Hmm, @gunin, how have explosives been used in this universe's warfare? Should we expect grenades?

[Rolepgeek]

That's why there are two plans. Only once they're engaged in combat should the archers start firing. Dangerous, perhaps, but if we have knights and heavy infantry ducking it out as you suggest, it shouldn't be a problem. As for the lancers, if they're infantry, they aren't really lancers. That's the whole point of being a lancer, is your speed.

[GrizzlyAdamz]

They're lancers in that they use lances- which can be tipped with explosives. They're anti-knight troops I think.

The archers are just as much in danger while they're getting into position as when they begin firing- if they get too far away the enemy could get to them first. We'd pretty much have to keep them behind & to the side as we advance.

[Parsely]

To double check, you are planning on committing only your own company to the attack (12 knights, 28 swordsmen and 6 lancers), plus all thirty archers (which is the combined force of all three companies)?

Lancers, at their basic level, wear half armour, leather under armour and only metal plates on forearms and legs, as well as pauldrons for deflecting blows. Lancers never wear helmets, sometimes bandanas, but they do have high leather neck guards to protect their faces from flying shrapnel. They have great charging speed, but are only slightly faster than heavy infantry when marching, on account of their massive lances. They're also your pioneers, and as such they carry grenades, which consequently are also their lance tips. All units are extremely vulnerable to bursting grenades except armoured vehicles, knights, and other lancers.

The lancers with you right now are veterans, so they have full chain mail plus their parrying plates, and can move at normal speed. They carry 5 grenades each, their lance, and short swords. They also have bucklers on their left arms.

[GrizzlyAdamz]

Nope, I was talking about the ~170 troops we have in our main body: 50 knights, 120 mixed infantry.

Hmm, grenades are a game changer. We may want to have the knights a good dozen paces ahead of our infantry, to minimize their ability to throw nades. Rpg?

[Parsely]

Nope, I was talking about the ~170 troops we have in our main body: 50 knights, 120 mixed infantry.

Hmm, grenades are a game changer. We may want to have the knights a good dozen paces ahead of our infantry, to minimize their ability to throw nades. Rpg?

That's all the men in the entire band, and you were saying something about leaving others behind.

The enemy has no lancers. They are hand grenades, otherwise you wouldn't need to detach them to use them, but there are lances that have the ability to launch them.

[Rolepgeek]

I was planning on committing most of the forces. Say, 35 knights with any heavy infantry we have as our front, Light infantry on the flanks, with lancers accompanying archers. Light infantry have double duty as flankers and protecting the archers from any organized push(which should take long enough for them to intervene, vs the berserkers who might sprint that the lancers can kill. Again, though, depends on whether they charge or we run out of arrows for who's going to be the attackers.

EDIT; remaining knights would be the fastest 15 or so, as a reserve force for any breaches. It's smart to have some reserves, regardless of how confident Grizzly is.

[Parsely]

Now I see where I messed up. Forces spoiler updated.

EDIT: Heavy infantry have chainmail and assorted plate as well as heavier weapons, like claymores and maces and such, whereas light infantry have leather armour and lighter weaponry, like spears and short swords. You've already got the right idea about them.

[Rolepgeek]

Oh shit, we're gonna win. We outnumber them with KNIGHTS by two to one, after archers cut some down.

[GrizzlyAdamz]

Oooh, ok. So how many troops do we have in the two detachments & left over? Is it just our personal forces on the field with the enemy right now?

[Parsely]

Oooh, ok. So how many troops do we have in the two detachments & left over? Is it just our personal forces on the field with the enemy right now?

Everyone is on the field right now. Personal forces are the men in your detachment.