06-20-2014, 05:52 AM
Howard, Mark
interesting debate, with no simple answer, I agree there are not too many "good" deployment examples out there. I also think the answer, at least for this period, can be still found in Caesar and I think that is just as simple: there is no standard, at least not for a good general. From what I read Catiline wasn't a stump as well, we don't need to agree that Caesar was a good enough general (the list of defeated kings, generals and other commanders is too long to deny it); so the my answer is: a good general uses his forces as he sees fit to win, 3 lines, 2 lines, 4 lines it depends: on the way the other general is drawing up, terrain, troops at disposal, unit strength.
Just a small comment on Vegetius, 400+ years is quite a time even if you have the "ancients" to read and cite, remember there were some error sources at that time: the books were hand copied, even language changed over 400 years I would guess, and as we all now the "good old days and ways" is cited even today
so for me I don't think there is an simple answer and unfortunately if there was one is lost to us, we can use only what we have and this is: the best general makes use of the flexibility of cohortal organization in order to win his battles
Cheers
Gelu
PS Reading Caesar is a must
interesting debate, with no simple answer, I agree there are not too many "good" deployment examples out there. I also think the answer, at least for this period, can be still found in Caesar and I think that is just as simple: there is no standard, at least not for a good general. From what I read Catiline wasn't a stump as well, we don't need to agree that Caesar was a good enough general (the list of defeated kings, generals and other commanders is too long to deny it); so the my answer is: a good general uses his forces as he sees fit to win, 3 lines, 2 lines, 4 lines it depends: on the way the other general is drawing up, terrain, troops at disposal, unit strength.
Just a small comment on Vegetius, 400+ years is quite a time even if you have the "ancients" to read and cite, remember there were some error sources at that time: the books were hand copied, even language changed over 400 years I would guess, and as we all now the "good old days and ways" is cited even today
so for me I don't think there is an simple answer and unfortunately if there was one is lost to us, we can use only what we have and this is: the best general makes use of the flexibility of cohortal organization in order to win his battles
Cheers
Gelu
PS Reading Caesar is a must
