A bunch of silly newbie questions

Yep, I had a look through the various books (including two editions of the main rules book that I have) and could only find reference to the upkeep difference.

From memory, I'm sure the question of militarised artillery has popped up on this forum a few times, in the past, mainly asking what is the difference and benefits. Possibly militarised artillery should be explained in depth in one of the rules clarifications sheets that accompany turns, newspapers etc.

I think that militarised artillery can be raised straight away & them militarised later but this raises the upkeep, Galloper guns ( Horse artillery) cost the same to raise but are automatically militarised, not 100% sure if you have to pay the difference in yearly upkeep as a one off to allow them to be officially militarised, which would in a way make sense for the procurement of equipment & training.

Thanks for that folks. We do like an easy life. "Just order it..." Perfect.

The Real Louis wrote:Thanks for that folks.  We do like an easy life.  "Just order it..."  Perfect.

Hah.............its all very well just paying the extra so you new militarised artillery can move around on the battlefield and are not just dumped and abandoned by civilian drivers at the first bang.

The real comes with trying to abtain quicker moving armies with militarised supply trains. Getting a suitable Military Uniform which shows the difference between wives, whores, bar-maiders, nurses and other baggage types is really hard unless you are French.

Not a silly newbie question ... But a question about a silly idea.

Da Vinci's tank.

Obviously there's a few design flaws [quite the understatement, possibly!]. But I reckon it might just be fun to have the relevant academies work on trying to produce such a piece of hardware. I'm guessing no one in the game will have wasted their time attempting this, however?

If something did get invented, however, imagine the prestige at parading such a folly.

Maybe powered by African Elephants

Rozwi_Game10 wrote:Not a silly newbie question ... But a question about a silly idea.

Da Vinci's tank.

Obviously there's a few design flaws [quite the understatement, possibly!]. But I reckon it might just be fun to have the relevant academies work on trying to produce such a piece of hardware. I'm guessing no one in the game will have wasted their time attempting this, however?

If something did get invented, however, imagine the prestige at parading such a folly.  

not all that silly.

please consider https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonty_Shamshurenkov

I suppose someone more eastern could try and resurrect the Hussite battle wagons of 15th Century and update them a bit?

Or maybe this is one for Scramble? A steam-powered version perhaps?

Will a newly raised Elite battalion be on a par with a well drilled regular battalion

I think, but Is an opinion not confirmed by experience, that the elite condition affects more morale and equipment, while drilling affect the ability to execute the fire sequence under combat stress.

Brill , thanks.I suppose I could get em to both drill outside the palace at the same time and see how they do ...that came to me after I asked the question . Thanks again

Thelittleemperor wrote:Will a newly raised Elite battalion be on a par with a well drilled regular battalion

As far as I'm aware, you cannot drill elite. They are already the best.

Somewhere in the rules it did suggest that elite units pulled from other units as the 'best of the best', so that if you had too many elite units they would perform worse.

Yes , I remember that right enough ..it says something along the lines ..."they will likely be good "...but not as good as the elites of another army with a few Elite units.

Just to add, you can drill elite units, remember that drill incorporates your army regulations and their use of equipment.

I only know this because I have done this recently, my logic is that an elite unit will be elite in name not in reality if you don't drill it.

Thanks everybody .

Though I know it might not confer an advantage as " well drilled" I wonder if three months drill is still better than nothing ?

Thelittleemperor wrote:Though I know it might not confer an advantage as " well drilled" I wonder if three months drill is still better than nothing ?

I think not. That's part of the whole "drill interrupted" problem. If you're drilling and you redirect the troops you lose your drilling.

While in a real world setting 3 months would help, you have to make simplifying assumptions in a game. So if you can't do 6 months, you don't get the benefit. I think it also saves us turn costs. Imagine if Richard had to update every unit drilling every month!

Jason wrote:I suppose someone more eastern could try and resurrect the Hussite battle wagons of 15th Century and update them a bit?

Or maybe this is one for Scramble?  A steam-powered version perhaps?

So far in scramble we have seen:

a) Steam powered Airships (But probably not armoured) used for observation & propaganda plus attempts to fit them with gattling guns.......think cross between actual use in the ACW/Franco Prussian War and Jules Verne. Its all really impressive, cutting edge stuff with big talk about how this latest invention will totally change the world/face of modern war. To date Scrabble Airships make the reliability and safty record of the Russian Navy in Glori look really good.

b) A armoured steam powered traction engine used to smash down a wall and allow a "jail break" by captive character.

c) Armoured trains/Rail Guns used by the HEIC. These are basically Heavy Artillery Units mounted on Trains for easy movement. Not much use for offensive purposes but perhaps of use to people willing to shell a port flat rather than allow a rival to establish in India.

I am not saying the HEIC plays rough in defence of its trade position but so far we have seen rivals a) Bogged down in red tape and strange Indian laws b) Picked on by the Police & the Indian Special Branch c) Assassinated & d) Having to flee from HEIC invasions

Ref the Glori period:

1) Rules include armoured Korean "Turtle Ships"............not sure if any have been built or used in game?

2) Have also seen a dutch design for a armoured bridge intended to be used to cross water defences/ditches as quicker alternative to filling them in. In theory this could be built and would be of used against a fortress with water defences. But I suspect defences of your armoured bridge is only musket proof not cannon proof so before its used either fortress cannon need to be silenced or not exist.

Think this is one for a player who loves his elite Engineers and like giving them seperate companies of miners, pontooners etc


Oddly we have seen a engineer in Scabble build a early version version of a self laying or bailey bridge to cross fortress ditch in the high mountains (so siege artillery not realy practical). Naturally this being scabble the fortress (and yet another of Flashmans former prisons) did not have a ditch it had a natural "Oh shit that's deep" formerly crossed by rope bridges which had been cut down. So the spiffing chaps of HEIC had to lay a bridge then blow up gates and storm walls using ladders.

Being spiffing chaps are hero's they managed it using British Guts and steel....................Plus a lot of machine guns to keep surpress and defensive fire. In Glori this type of thing may work for Swedes or against very, very small garrisons. But its probably going to go splat!

Hey people playing Scotland ....just been reading an Osprey Publication. Says all cavalry regiments raised in Scotland were (in 1650) ordered to form with LANCES . So it might be worth investigating. Also says only these were generally of any use against English cavalry.
If you are allowed I bags the first military mission to my " Lancers Academy"

Nexus06 wrote:

Rozwi_Game10 wrote:Not a silly newbie question ... But a question about a silly idea.

Da Vinci's tank.

Obviously there's a few design flaws [quite the understatement, possibly!]. But I reckon it might just be fun to have the relevant academies work on trying to produce such a piece of hardware. I'm guessing no one in the game will have wasted their time attempting this, however?

If something did get invented, however, imagine the prestige at parading such a folly.  

not all that silly.

please consider https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonty_Shamshurenkov

Wow. Very interesting. Definitely a man worth knowing in the game Thanks

Thelittleemperor wrote:Hey people playing Scotland ....just been reading an Osprey Publication. Says all cavalry regiments raised in Scotland were (in 1650) ordered to form with LANCES . So it might be worth investigating. Also says only these were generally of any use against English cavalry.
If you are allowed I bags the first military mission to my " Lancers Academy"

That's useful I did read an account of the Battle of Marston Moor which talked of the success of Scottish lancers against Royalist horse units. They seem to have been a light cavalry force rather than 'horse' units. Am tempted to see if I can research and recreate them eventually

Might have to have your Scottish chap suggest long thrusting spears to the Changamire, as it'll make a change from our usual pointy stick javelins that the horse are armed with.

Rozwi_Game10 wrote:Might have to have your Scottish chap suggest long thrusting spears to the Changamire, as it'll make a change from our usual pointy stick javelins that the horse are armed with.

How about a job lot of Lochaber axes? http://military.wikia.com/wiki/Lochaber_axe

Only problem with double-handed weapons, or pole-arms, is the loss of shield protection. Using the Zulu as a pattern, the shield was as much a hand weapon as the Iklwa stabbing spear. If I ran tests between men with double-handed halberds and men with stabbing spear and shield, I reckon the spearmen would come out on top as the action of stabbing with a single-handed weapon is faster than the double-handed swing / chop attack. There's also the ability to fight in closer proximity to friends with a stabbing spear, whereas to use a double-hand weapon requires more space to wield it properly.

Obviously the lochaber axe will provide a more forceful strike impact, and, possibly, completely take an opponent out of the fight where a single stab wound from a spear could see them have the ability to fight back momentarily before they lost consciousness. A lochaber axe may prove better suited to defence against a mounted attacker, however, as the weapon could certainly do damage against the horse where the spear or shield couldn't - a quick stab with the blade tip finishing off the dismounted rider.

Possibly Lochaber Axes could see some use. Give an infantry weapons academy something to look into at the least.

The main use of Lochaber Axes, Bills, Halberds and other heavy two handed smashing and cutting weapons is as "Can openers" against armoured foes.

So if Rozwi have to fight a Japanese & Chinese invaders or Persian Lancers or Indian Armoured Elephants a Lochaber Axe will be head handy. But against their usual foes its a heavy lump of metal and wood to lug around and a distinct case of "over kill".

However as the Pope, King of Poland, even the English Kings Yoeman of the Guard all carry a Axe type weapon perhaps you could consider arming the Rozwi Royal Guard with Lochaber Axes? So if someone really upsets the King they can be dragged outside and chopped up as food for his pet Lions rather than just being poked a bit with spears.