Knight's School 2013 Class - War Unit Training 101

War Unit Training 101
by Sir Ysambart

Commands:

1.  Form on me
2.  Advance to contact
3.  Stop
4.  Skirmish formation/ close up
5.  Charge
6.  Left
7.  Right

Foundation  Shape - The Triangle with a tail

1.  Two shields in front
2.  One polearm behind
3.  One archer behind and to the side
4.  One person in the rear as reserve
Build on this!

Command  Structure:

1.  Pole weapons
2.  Other weapons
3.  Shields (right - then left - then middle)
4.  Reserves are separate but directed by unit commander

The Lochac way of war

The Lochac way of war

by Sir Ysambart Cortin

PRINCIPLES:

Obedience - Cull anyone who will not follow you. Tell them to leave straight away. In a voluntary organisation, you command only because they agree. If they do not agree, they must be removed. No exceptions. If as a soldier promise you will stay, follow orders. This is the real test of honour, in keeping your word.

Simplicity - Make everything you do as simple as possible. They are not highly trained troops. They are across a broad range of intellects, fitness, skill and motivation. Complex orders will not be followed, cannot be followed. People in groups are extra dumb. People in groups in armour are extra dumb and extra unaware of their surroundings.

Volume - You must be much, much louder than you can imagine. Once adrenaline, an armoured head, and the noises of battle are involved, the vast majority of people cannot command because they cannot be heard.

Diction - Incoherent screaming adds volume, but if you lose diction, you are just adding another noise to the battlefield, and your orders cannot be followed.

Kill rate - A personal attribute, the rate at which a combatant can kill average combatants. 

FORMATIONS:

Shield Wall - A close packed wall of shields, backed by a second rank of poles and the leader, and a third rank of  misc and reserves.

Skirmish Line - A first line of evenly interspersed shields and poles. The second rank has misc and reserves.

POSITIONS and NUMBERS:

Captain - The leader of the unit. Usually a pole, or a free floating shield.

Pole - A polearm

Shield - A shield bearer who is not on the middle of the shield wall

 Shield Edge - The left and right most shields.

Reserves - The quickest movers and quickest killers. Usually your best combatants.

Sound off number - Your number in the unit is one plus the number of people in your unit who have to die before you are in charge. The Captain is one. Then the poles sound of in order of command skill, then the right shield edge, then the left shield edge, then counting from the right of the shield wall. 

COMMANDS:

Form on me - Each person takes their position relative to the current commander.

Advance to contact - Walk until the enemy are in your weapon range.

Stop - Stop advancing.

Skirmish Line/ Close Up: Change spacing to skirmish line formation, or form back to a tight shield war

Charge - Perform a three step charge.

Left - move left

Right - move right

Break - A set move is to be executed right away. Normally, it is the reserve moving to a flank.

Sound off - From the highest person remaining, say your numbers in order.

QUESTIONS:

Who is in charge? - If everything has gone quiet, it is acceptable for anyone to ask this question. The person in charge should say I AM clearly and loudly. In the absence of a rapid answer, you must quickly command SOUND OFF.