Quote:
Originally Posted by Rasna
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The question is: how to play it with GURPS rules?
If only the two first ranks fight, each hoplite of the first rank is exposed to the attacks of the enemy two first ranks. Holding his Long Spear in over-arm grip (Reach 1, 2*) and fighting in shield wall, I think the hoplites of the first ranks are likely to use extensively a combination of Evaluation, Beat and Defensive Attack against unprotected targets (neck, most of arms, thighs, feet) to assure good defense after the attack, and Deceptive Attack to lower the high Block bonus of the enemies; but also a combination of Evaluate and Attack, maybe intermixed with Beat or Feint, in order to inflict a decisive blow and advance. The second ranks, being protected by their front rank comrades, I think they would mostly use Evaluate followed by Committed Attack or All-Out Attack against the enemy first ranks.
Shield Bash and Shield Rush would be both suicidal and would break the formation, while Committed Attack and All-Out Attack would expose the first ranks to the attacks of two to five enemies – one from the front, one to two from the sides, one to two from the rear ranks.
These are only hypothesis. I'm not sure they're correct and I don't know how to play the push from rear ranks and the effects which it has on the opposing phalanxes, so I ask you folks in search of suggestions.
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As you say the front rank will be susceptible from attacks from the opposing two ranks (possibly three ranks)..
OK so my assumption is any disciplined formations of Hoplites will have both the team tactics and shield wall perks*
So your front rank will fight defensively with defensive attacks or even AoA Defence, utilising the shield wall perk to cover each other if needed.
Your 2nd rank can be more aggressive, being covered by both the front rank's ability to protect them via the team work perk, and the penalty for attacks going though enemy occupied hexes. If they need more the 2nd ranks will also benefit from the their own shield wall perks.
Now the team work perks also adds more benefit
1), your getting benefits in your front rank for bracing and shield shoves
2). your 2nd rank can feint and your front rank can take advantage of it.
3). because team work means you can freely adjust your teams order in your teams turn you can mix up your different team members tactics by adjusting the order they go in.
On the 3rd+ ranks and helping with bracing/shoving etc if you want to you could allow them each add a their teamwork bonus to bracing and shoving if every one in front of them also braces and shoves. (maybe up to set number of ranks, or a leveled perk that increases the number of ranks that can be added in*)
I'm not too sure about how the reverse grip rules and long Spear interact. Being in shield wall does kind of mean overarm grips, but I'm not convinced about all the knock on effects of that here.
So this kind of formation does potentially have a lot of attacks going on like you say, but it is also potentially a very defensive one as well.
*and ones that don't will do badly against the ones that do, but well that's the benefit of training in specialised combat tactics
**or maybe they can give some bonus to the shield shoves in another way