LadyTevar wrote:Thanas wrote:LadyTevar wrote:The ranks they're standing in give a hint of how the shields could interlock in wall formation -- give the front men short spears/swords and the ranks behind those long spears and they can do a lot of damage.
Historically such a formation doesn't make any sense and wasn't used. Better to give everyone long spears and then have them interlock.
Are you sure? I had thought the Romans used the gladius for the front line of their shield walls, backed by spearmen.
I have never heard of this. What is your source?
In any case, you do not want to have a wall of spear points. You want waves/ripples. Having a wall of spear points with no other spears behind that first line just begs you to have all your spears broken by, say, a warhorse impact etc.
In SCA melee combat, axe & shield is common, as you can hook the enemy's shield, moving it just long enough for a spearman to get a shot.
SCA combat is never an indication for real combat. The rules they do enforce make such a joke - for example, one cannot even really grapple an opponent in their swordplay. Valid reasons for that but really not that good of a combat indicator.
Rogue 9 wrote:That depends. Pre- or post-Marian legions? Even before the Marian Reforms, the legion of the Roman Republic had spearmen, but the triarii were a separate formation from the gladius-armed hastati and principes that formed the first and second lines, and didn't come in behind them to thrust over their shoulders. SCA combat just isn't a good representation of the Roman system.
Correct on all points.
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