ANST - War and tactics

[Mike Catron]

I would like to add some comments to this discussion.

I was in one of the towers by the gate for the 1st fort battle on 
Saturday. I was shooting a recurve bow. This was a big mistake! I have 
very bad knees and not able to "Pop up and down" to take shots very 
well. The area in those towers are very small and to fully use a recurve 
bow there one has to stand up. Makes for a wonderful target for everyone 
on the outside. I only lasted 12 minutes up. Another archer in the other 
tower fair better (from Raven's Fort - forgive for not remembering his 
name) he also has leg issues as well. Too many incoming to be effective 
up. He left as soon as he could and fought on the floor of the fort.

If any archer is placed in those towers, then the following should applied:
Said archer should be mobile with good "knees and legs" for kneeling there.
Second issue - I believe that the archer should be using a cross bow.
Third issue - that should be a large supply of bolts available and a 
means to secure them out of the way inside those towers. I hung my 
quiver from one of the posts and drew my arrows out, even then I find I 
was catching my quiver from time to time.

The use of volley fire - true not enough archers on the field to make 
volley fire effective. Second issue with this was that they seem to be 
too close together and bunch. The solution is to spread them out but 
agree to shoot specific targets in unison upon command. If a group of 
shields are directing facing a group archers - the shields will usually 
win in this type of contest. But if the archers are spread out across 
and shooting at various angles then the shields, spears, hats are going 
to have a much harder time.

The order of targets at Gulf War that I was instructed to "Kill" is as 
follows:

Any group that is the greatest threat to the shield wall that I am 
working with at the moment.

Then the following order:
Spears - they can pick a shield war apart and thus a greater threat and 
an easier target than any other type of fighter.

Shields - but only at an angle.

Then it is a toss up between other archers or Hats. Again it depends 
upon the greatest threat at the moment.

If ballista crews are within range

I also wish to thank a shieldman from Elfsea (did not get his name), who 
used his shield to deflect arrows while I shot from behind him at the 
second fort battle. He joined the Fray, with his unit the Arthurian 
Company in charging through the sally port and blasting a hole through 
there that was described as big enough to drive a truck through in the 
first couple of minutes of that charge. But there was no real follow-up, 
and the sally port became a static battle for 15 or so minutes.

The Fray died almost to the man/woman in that charge - note majority of 
the Fray had less than 6 months of experience working as a unit. Frayman 
Hosey, and Kael the Lucky were the most experience with 3 years between 
the two of them. The rest had 1 to 2 Wars before they went to Gulf. And 
one, this Gulf War was her first battle and had not worked with the Fray 
until then taking the field that very week. She was receiving 
instructions every day at the War right up to the fort battles.

The Fray had two individuals who joined in the fighting and had more 
experience than Frayman Hosey or Kael the Lucky - Gregory (forgive here 
for not having this Lord's full name). He receive instruction on how the 
Fray works on the battlefield at Gulf war. The other individual is 
Ferral (again I hope my spelling is correct here) who had experience and 
received instruction on how the Fray worked during Gulf War.

I am the archer of the Fray and did not partake in the charge. Did 
support with arrow fire. The arrow fire could have been better in 
supporting this charge.

This is a long two cents worth.

Michael of the Fray


Russell mahee of acre wrote:

> As an observer, I saw an opertunity missed by our side while we were 
> in the castle. The other side was hovering just our of balista range 
> in mass. Our bolts fell mosly on empty soil. Our archers were tagging 
> people reasonably well, but any single ballistic attack is evadable.
> 
> I would like to encourage ALL fighters to become archery authorized 
> and to fight in units. A group can avoid one arrow, but remember the 
> movies(I know, bad example) when hundreds of arrows came pooring down 
> in unison on a group. They could not avoid that. And when they storm 
> the castle, the bows are passed to the back and the melee begins. and 
> while you can not get through the living to join in the melee, take a 
> few shots at the guys coming over the wall.
> 
> Think if half of the Ansteorrans in the castle had shot a single 
> unison volley how many we could have reduced there forces by. And the 
> missle battle lasted almost 15 minutes.
> 
> I am not saying that the ballistas were not affective...they were.
> 
> I am saying, if you are not part of a ballista crew, pick up a bow and 
> learn how to lob an arrow over a castle wall with it. Artillery seems 
> to be very affective.
> 
> 
> Now my ramble is done.
> 
> your servant,
> mahee
> 
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