Livestock space requirements, stampedes, nuisance

Icelander · 11-23-2011, 09:42 PM

In the singular gaming session that I've managed to fit into the last few weeks, I found myself asking a strange question.

Namely, when the foeman has retreated into hill fort, a circle 200 yards in diameter, with 30' tall and wide earthworks walls, and he has taken all his lifestock with him, how much bother are those going to be?

The fort is meant to hold a garrison of 1,000 through winter quarters and has extensive subterranean granaries and fairly decent pens capable of holding some 500 bovines. It now holds a garrison of some 1,250, survivors from a force from this fort and a neighbouring one who have lost a field battle. It also holds 700 oxen and cows, as well as some 1,200 sheep and goats. The 200 'surplus' cows that won't fit comfortably into the pens, as well as the sheep, will either have to be forced into the pens, meaning that the 40 square feet each animal is alloted will be substantially reduced, or they will have to roam free along the walkways of the inner courtyard of the fort.

There is a firestep around the fort and, theoretically, the whole garrison could defend the walls from there.*

The fort will be attacked within the hour in which the last group of men and animals made it in. So long-term comfort is not all that important.

On the other hand, after subtracting for the barracks, officers quarters, pens and entrances to the granaries, I have less than 80,000 square feet left. These are the internal walkways, spaces between barracks, mustering field, etc.

Given that I'm afflicted with some 1/400 bovines per square foot and a whooping 3/200 caprids per same, how much is this going to interfere with defending the fort? How many men needed to keep them from getting in the way? How good are the chances that some alchemical fires and a flashy spell or three in one location of the fort will trigger a stampede?

*They won't, however, prefering to keep a reserve somewhere central, as well as assigning a fair lot to the main gates.

11-23-2011, 09:42 PM	#1
Icelander Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Iceland*	Livestock space requirements, stampedes, nuisance In the singular gaming session that I've managed to fit into the last few weeks, I found myself asking a strange question. Namely, when the foeman has retreated into hill fort, a circle 200 yards in diameter, with 30' tall and wide earthworks walls, and he has taken all his lifestock with him, how much bother are those going to be? The fort is meant to hold a garrison of 1,000 through winter quarters and has extensive subterranean granaries and fairly decent pens capable of holding some 500 bovines. It now holds a garrison of some 1,250, survivors from a force from this fort and a neighbouring one who have lost a field battle. It also holds 700 oxen and cows, as well as some 1,200 sheep and goats. The 200 'surplus' cows that won't fit comfortably into the pens, as well as the sheep, will either have to be forced into the pens, meaning that the 40 square feet each animal is alloted will be substantially reduced, or they will have to roam free along the walkways of the inner courtyard of the fort. There is a firestep around the fort and, theoretically, the whole garrison could defend the walls from there.* The fort will be attacked within the hour in which the last group of men and animals made it in. So long-term comfort is not all that important. On the other hand, after subtracting for the barracks, officers quarters, pens and entrances to the granaries, I have less than 80,000 square feet left. These are the internal walkways, spaces between barracks, mustering field, etc. Given that I'm afflicted with some 1/400 bovines per square foot and a whooping 3/200 caprids per same, how much is this going to interfere with defending the fort? How many men needed to keep them from getting in the way? How good are the chances that some alchemical fires and a flashy spell or three in one location of the fort will trigger a stampede? *They won't, however, prefering to keep a reserve somewhere central, as well as assigning a fair lot to the main gates. __________________ Za uspiekh nashevo beznadiozhnovo diela!