By Tristan von Eisig, Tarrach Alfson, Kitakaze Raito
1/24/2003
There are terms used in battle, which are helpful to know. It is important that
every fighter understand them. The purpose of this list is to get you familiar
with some of the terminology used and what things are.
Capital Weapon - spears, greatswords, polearms or any other large two handed weapons.
Charge - This is pretty self-evident, but there are different
goals for charging.
o Penetration Charge - This is the typical disruptive charge that is
used. You are trying to get into the opponent's backfield. You don't want to
push shieldmen, but get past them.
o Pulse Charge - The most commonly misunderstood charge. Here a small
group (2 to 4) will charge a line to scare spearmen back or slam the line. They
only punch once, then return to the line.
Closed Rank - A line (usually shields) that are very close to
each other. This includes overlapping shield edges to lock together. An example
of this is the grounded
scutum line used by Calontir.
Column - A block of troops formed deeper than wide. Usually, a 'four wide column' has four people on it's front, with successive ranks behind. An example of this are the blocks of troops often arrayed at Pennsic.
Column Charge - The charge of a column (usually 2, or sometimes 3 wide). This charge is to bust a sizeable hole in the opposing line.
Cutting the Head off the Snake - This a term from Aethelmarc originally. When a unit charges across the field, usually the fastest fighters outrun the bulk of their unit. They are typically the leaders, and the most experienced fighters (the hard point). When the opportunity arises to hit that unit from the side, don't impact the first opponents. They will stop your unit and buy time for their troops to arrive. Strike behind them and let them go. They will usually not turn around but they will keep charging across the field without their troops. The goal is to impact with our hard point (front) to their second rank (soft point). With that advantage, the bulk of our unit should be able to destroy the main body of their unit, and then turn to deal with the lone few leaders left.
Flank - The flank is the side. Typically, the flank is the end of a line or the sides of a column or other troop formation.
Flank Protection/Attack - A small unit that forms up slightly behind a line on one side or the other. Their job is ensure our flank does not get hit and exploited. If no threat is posed to them, they are to attack the opponent's flank. Flank protection/attack units must be quick, decisive, and aggressive.
Front(age) - The part of a unit or column that is facing forward. A closed rank would be a shield front, a spear line would be spear front.
Hammer and Anvil - This is a basic tactic of using half heavy, static troops; and fast, aggressive troops. You use the mobile troops to drive the opponent into the heavy troops. This tactic isn't used much anymore. It is not difficult to defeat if it is spotted early enough.
Hard Point - A hard point is a point that is difficult to break. An example would be a couple of excellent shieldmen (or even one) in a line. Often, if you break a hard point with a charge, an entire line will collapse.
Horns of the bull - This is a two-pronged attack. Specifically, two hard points charge forward - one on either side. Often two hard points to deal with is too much. One is engaged and the second neglected. The neglected side pounds hard to it's target. It is a very effective and well-used tactic in the open field.
Kill Pocket -A semi circle of fighters arrayed to contain and
destroy all enemy who enter the pocket.
This formation is designed so that those on the outside of the kill pocket can
bring more weapons to bear than those inside the kill pocket. An example of
this might be a "bubble" caused by the enemy pressing forward between
two hard points in a line or at the end of a bridge. This is the single most
devastating configuration on the battlefield.
Lead shield(man) - A shield fighter that will guide his line to the target. The other shields of the unit will key off of the lead shieldman and follow his lead. The lead shield should be communicating about where he wants the unit to go. Usually, the lead shield will be somewhere in the middle of the unit. A lead shieldman is required for about every five shieldmen on the line.
Limited Front - A term used to describe battles that have obstacles or formations that limit from where the opponent will come. For example bridge, castle, and fort battles are limited front battles.
Momentum - This is when the troops are rolling forward at a fast walk or trot, cutting through enemy troops. Momentum is very hard to overcome and our absolute goal in every situation.
Oblique - Another term for side. When a unit is called to 'slide' right or left, it's referred to as oblique movement.
Open a Door/Make a Hole - This is temporarily creating a hole for a column to come through the line to charge the opponent's line. It's important that this maneuver be quick and efficient. The less time the opponent has to set to receive the charge, the more devastating it will be.
Open Rank - A line (sometimes shields, but can be spears/polearms)
that has about two feet of space between the people on the front line. An example
of this would be a picket
fence formation (see below).
Picket Fence - A hybrid tactic using shields, polearms and spears together. It is a semi-static, for use primarily in limited front battles. For more, refer to the article 'Picket Fence Tactic'.
Punch the Nose - The best way to stop a hard point on the move. A hard point that gains momentum is very dangerous and must be stopped. The best way to do that is to send your own hard point to smash and stop the opposing one. Killing is not the goal as much as stopping their momentum.
Open Field - Any battle or instance in a battle where there are no terrain restrictions.
Rake - A manuever in which one or two, fast shieldman runs forward toward a primarily spear line on one end and runs down the line, fouling the opponents' spears. When they reach the end of the line, they return back into rank.
Rank(s) - The depth of a unit. If a unit is four people deep, then it is four ranks deep.
Ready - This is called just before something big happens, usually a charge. If you hear it, prepare yourself to act on the command to immediately follow.
Refuse - Refusing engagement is the careful art of avoiding letting an opponent contact your line. You back up at the same speed as they advance. You do not throw any shots, just stay alive and back up. The purpose is to tie up a superior force while wasting their time.
Rout - A rout is what a refuse turns into when it goes bad. A rout is an outright retreat that is faster than the opponent's advance. A rout is almost impossible to recover from, but that is what must happen or defeat will come soon after.
Skirmish - A very open line (a yard or more between people) of spears and polearms primarily, meant to delay an enemy. A skirmish line cannot hold ground, but only harass. They can tie up and even destroy a larger force that is disorganized or lacks aggression.
Soft Point - A soft point is an obvious weak point in a line. Charging it can be an easy way to create chaos and be able to exploit into a line. A skirmish line could be called a soft point.
Spear Lane - This is a hole in the shield line big enough for multiple spearmen to retreat through when a rush comes.
Spear Line - A line of exclusively spears. This is an entirely offensive formation. Spear lanes and open shield ranks are the only practical defenses against a charge.
Static - Static is immobile or unmoving. We use this term to indicate very limited movement. In resurrection battles where lines form and move slightly but stay pretty much where they start, that is referred to as static battle.
Tidy Bowl of Doom/Death - This is the effect that happens when momentum is gained on one side of the line. A powerful hard point is formed on one side of the line, usually the left. It charges forward while the right side of the line refuses, drawing the opponent forward. In this instance, your right side pounds forward, ever sweeping left. The right side swirls with it, falling back. The idea is to deal maximum damage on the right side while the refusing troops slow their side up. This will allow the right side to catch up and destroy the entire line. This is probably the most common occurrence in the open field.
Turn the Corner - Our main open field objective. This is when a small group of flankers can charge forward to the end of an opponent's line, turn the corner, and run down the line. It is the single most effective open field maneuver for wiping out an entire unit while sustaining the fewest losses.