Formation Fighting

[*Xndar]

Evidently inspired by the document circulated by Notary Reynolt, Notary Diona takes it upon herself to build on this work to improve the Harmonium's training materials. The following primer is submitted to the proper authorities for approved distribution:

Formations set a modern, sophisticated and competent military apart from savage hordes of roving barbarians. They are an integral part of many battlefield tactics and can be the lynchpin that holds an army together against seemingly overwhelming odds. They can also quickly lead a commander to disaster if applied inappropriately and without consideration to the conditions of the battlefield and to the composition of their forces.

Conditions for Formation Use:

Several key conditions must be met for the use of formation fighting to be a sound tactical choice:

1) Agreeable Terrain - The principal strength of formation fighting is that is presents a solid, unbroken wall to the enemy, rather than a loose gathering of individuals that can be divided and eliminated one at a time. If the terrain being fought over would create unwanted gaps in that wall or hinder movement to an extreme degree, formation fighting may not be a wise choice.

2) Force Composition - If there is an asymmetry in the amount and quality of artillery, or long-range magic that is not favorable to you, formation fighting is unlikely to be wise.

3) Force Size - For a squad of 10 soldiers, fighting in formation is unlikely to be effective unless operating in confining terrain (inside buildings, underground tunnels, across bridges). Troop cells of 30 or more are recommended. The larger the force is, the more likely formation fighting will be beneficial.

Force composition is arguably the most important of these conditions when organizing troops across strange and diverse planes. A testudo (or tortoise) formation might be nigh-impenetrable to archers, but a well-placed fireball or cloud of acid will turn such a formation into little more than a quivering pile of pointless casualties. It is therefore imperative that all major (even some minor) troop deployments into engagements liable to feature the use of magic are accompanied by those skilled in the magical arts (or countering said arts) to prevent a single spell of confusion from wiping out an otherwise well-trained group of Harmonium soldiers.

Standard Formation:

The following is a diagram of a standard, flexible formation based on my personal experience commanding troops, adapted for planar warfare:

S = Shield Wall: Front line fighters with tower shields and melee training.
R = Ranged/Pike: Secondary line ranged fighters with pike training (ideally combined with bayonet-equipped muskets)
H = Healer
M = Mage/Psion

SSSSS
SSSSS
SRRRS
SRHRS
SRMRS
SRHRS
SRRRS
SSSSS

This formation can be adjusted for terrain, purpose and force size fairly readily. Ideally the above formation would be complimented by an aerial 'outrider' corps, flying in loose (or nonexistent) formation above the ground troops.

Non-Traditional/Small Group Combat:

While formations are not always practical, the general concepts underpinning formation fighting (and the standard formation) should inform your non-traditional combat as well.

S = Protect the R, H, M units, contain large threats.
R = Focus fire on large or aerial threats, assist S in screening for H, M if needed.
H = Heal wounds, act as tertiary screen for M and R.
M = Neutralize magical threats, bolster defenses of S, R, H, otherwise focus on large threats.

In a similar manner to the standard formation, scouts or outriders should be employed judiciously to fill in gaps and alert the group of incoming threats.

[*Selebius]

To: Diona, Notary
From: Hograth Thorn, Mover I

Notary,

I congratulate you on your well written primer. It will be added to the official list of approved primers for troop training.
A disciplined, tight formation is a force that must not be underestimated in the field, especially when supported by lighter, mobile troops.

If you find the time you might want to add a section about how arcane and divine casters can support a formation like this effectively with protections and strenghtening spells. Magic like Mass Aid, Bless and Magic Circles can cover whole formations with just a few casters using the spell at the same time.

Keep up the good work,

Hograth Thorn, Mover I