Shield Wall Fighting - how would you model it?

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by Verjigorm

Are we accounting for full-bodied stallions of lines that are bred especially for ferocity and truculence? .

Some horses definitely WILL impale themselves on a line of spears. The question is whether there are enough of them to break the formation. There certainly are examples of cavalry charging an intact line of spearmen/pikemen and breaking through to cause havoc within the lines.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by DanHoward

Some horses definitely WILL impale themselves on a line of spears. The question is whether there are enough of them to break the formation. There certainly are examples of cavalry charging an intact line of spearmen/pikemen and breaking through to cause havoc within the lines.

But all of them that I can remember are due to the infantry panicking prior to contact. Except possibly Garcia Hernandez, when the horse is conjectured to have been shot on the last yards and to have fallen into the formation, breaking it.

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by Icelander

But all of them that I can remember are due to the infantry panicking prior to contact. Except possibly Garcia Hernandez, when the horse is conjectured to have been shot on the last yards and to have fallen into the formation, breaking it.

Sean posted a list of examples on RAT where the infantry line was intact
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/vie...29405&start=40

Northalerton, 1138: knights in Scottish service break through a line of English spearmen and bowmen which is successfully holding off the Scottish infantry. Courtrai, 1302: French knights charge Flemish militia, almost break through, and are driven back after an extended fight. Marignano, 1515: King Francis enthuses that he's ridden through a Swiss column and taken pike blows to his armour, although a lot of his bodyguard seems to have disappeared. Omdurman, 1898: The 21st lancers charge into a phalanx of spearmen and musketeers (so excited that most of the cavalry forget they have guns!), get caught up in fighting, and either die or cut their way out the back of the enemy formation.