Marrian Battle Tactics
by Thane Morgan

Marrian Troops

Marrians only train three types of troops, but use less trained auxiliaries to fill out their armies as needed. The three true Marrian troops are the Legionnaire, the Archer, and the Cavalry. Legionnaire units are trained and kept together through many years and battles, and eventually become Elite Legionnaire units.

Marrians wear scale armor that gives them an armor 2, and the legionnaires carry large shields that give them an armor 3 with the Shield ability. These shields are designed and enchanted so that trained Legionnaires may form a near perfect shield wall when in rank and file formation, called a testudo. Though not useful against enemies in melee combat, it gives them an armor of 6 against missile attacks.

Legionnaires also carry light javelins called Pillum which they can throw at short range prior to engaging in combat. These javelins are too light to fight with, so legionnaires use a short sword once combat is engaged. Though the range of the javelins is less than normal javelins, their lightness allow the heavily armored Legionnaires to throw them on the run, and so are considered natural attacks.

Legionnaires are trained to maintain the testudo while in melee combat, which is a very useful ability when coupled with the pilla attacks. With an armor of 6 against missiles, Legionnaire units may throw into combats involving other legionnaire units almost without fear of injuring their comrades.

Finally, all Marrian units are highly trained to trust in each other. This discipline allows Marrian units in RaF formation the choice to suffer casualties as fearless units do when they fail a morale test, though they do not have the ability of fearless troops to ignore fearsome enemies or to ignore casualties unless in melee.

These special abilities depend on Marrian units maintaining rank and file formations. Marrian units should not go into RaF formations except in moments of the greatest opportunity or direst threat. Enemies of Marr look at skirmished Marrian units as great targets of opportunity, and many cohorts have been destroyed when foolish commanders unnecessarily broke formation in range of enemy missile troops.

Marrian Archers are much like any other archers, though well armored and disciplined. This means marrian archers are best fielded in RaF formation, which limits their field of vision and maneuverability, but allows them to fail morale tests without losing a whole unit. Marrian archers are able to fire into combats with legionnaires in RaF formation with little fear of friendly casualties, and typically do so.

Marrian Cavalry are not particularly skilled, and do not use lances. Marrian cavalry is best used to guard the legions' flanks or to get behind enemy lines. Their discipline allows them to hold up enemy cavalry well, but they are not great at breaking enemy cavalry units in equal fights.

Marrian train low level heroes called Centurions to lead some units. These are weaker than most races heroes, but are also inexpensive to field. The Legates are more powerful fighters, comparable to higher level heroes in most other human armies. Marrian gods often have affairs with human women, and such congresses can lead to the birth of very powerful heroes called Children of the Gods. These mighty warriors are more than a match for nearly any other race's heroes, and can cause swaths of destruction across a battlefield.

The auxiliary troops are more typical of human armies, and typically made up of mercenaries or tribute units from conquered peoples. They can be used to add inexpensive mass to a Marrian army. Shortbow armed horse archers can add a difficult to counter ability to a marrian army, and are most useful against lightly armored infantry.

The strength of the Marrian army is in its Legionnaire infantry, and learning to use these units well is critical to the army's success.

Marrian Units

I typically field my legions in units of 22 Legionnaires and 2 heroes. Normal legions typically have 2 Centurions or a Centurion and a Priest. Elite legions have either a Legate and Centurion or a Legate and Priest. This unit is typically run in Raf formation between 8 and 12 models wide, depending on terrain and situation. If you have the space, might as well make them 12 wide so they get the full effect of their pilla (which only the first two ranks can use). This gives the units a good morale bonus on top of representing a great deal of power.

In smaller games, I'll run them in units of 11 legionnaires and a hero.

Marrian Archers are typically fielded in units of 20 plus a hero (centurion or priest).

Marrian Cavalry are typically field in groups of 16 plus a Legate.

Auxiliaries are normally fields in groups of 16 - 24 plus a leader. Priests never go into the auxiliaries, because they are much better protected in a true Marrian unit.

I often give legates a dispel.

Marrian Magic

Marrians have access to Life, Fire and Earth magic. Of these, I've found the offensive power of Fire the most valuable for the army, because Marrians already have great defensive benefits. Life magic can help a legion stick around forever, and earth can help greatly against very strong enemies or to help maneuver the cumbersome infantry units. But fire gives strength, gives extra melee attacks, gives several ranged attacks, and in a pinch can give evasion to the unit. It can also give archers magical fire attacks. Be careful when handing out flaming arrows to units that may want to fire into legionnaire combat, as the strength 2 will cause much higher friendly casualty rates.

With Earth Magic, Marrians can negate the power of armies with great strength, such as giants or orcs. Tremors and Earthbinds are great to immobilize enemy units, allowing legionnaire units to pick apart the enemy at short range. Earth Meld can help units redeploy or escape bad situations, though reappearing leaves the unit vulnerable as they reappear in skirmish formation.

Life magic can harden a Marrian unit to the point of being almost unbreakable. Guardian Spirit and Courage combined on top of Testudo and Discipline is an especially nasty combination. Blessing Elite Legionnaire javelin attacks gives them 4's to hit, and can give a normal legions chances against an enemy a great boost.

Marrian Tactics

A Marrian commander needs a battle plan from the start of the game, and should endeavor to make his enemy react to the Marrians instead of trying to make the Marrians react to the enemy.

Legions should be deployed to support each other with pilla fire. I typically put Elite legions behind Regular ones, so they can support for several rounds of combat before needing to engage themselves. Typically the elites have a fire priest with them, who will cast flaming weapons and fire breath on the leading regular unit.

Legions do not turn to face enemies well, so it is important to protect the flanks of the advancing infantry. Cavalry works admirably in this respect, as do powerful monsters. Since legions advance slowly, slow and durable monsters such as earth elementals can guard those flanks as well as faster units. The advantage of fast units on the flanks is that they are always ready to go from a defensive to offensive role, flanking an enemy the legion is attacking from the front. However, such a tactic can prevent the legion from throwing pilla as they charge, for fear of injuring the flanking unit.

The pilla is a nice light weapon, but it is still an expensive ability point-wise, and should be used preferentially over rushing into combat. A couple of rounds of pilla fire can greatly soften up a unit, making the turn of engagement quick and decisive in favor of the legion. For this reason, if a legion has the option to charge, it should probably just advance at half speed instead, hopefully ending 2" or less away and getting a short range bonus in the missile phase instead of the weaker short sword attacks. Then they can charge the next turn, and get another round of fire in on the charge. I typically initiate the engagement only when I need to pin the enemy down.

Archers are deployed where they can support as many legion units as possible. I will often put one behind the flanking legion units, as they can then help break up or at least weaken enemy units that may try to get around the flanks of the legions.

Cavalry supports the legions. They only act independently in moments of great opportunity, such as an when an unprotected archer unit or skirmished infantry unit is within range.

Thane's Favorite Marrian Units

22 Legionnaires, 2 Centurions (700 points)

22 Legionnaires, Centurion, Priest (924 points)

22 Elite Legionnaires, Legate (with dispel), Priest (1183 points)

20 Marrian Archers, Priest (799 points)

20 Marrian Archers, Centurion (575 points)

16 Marrian Cavalry, Legate (with dispel) (603 points)

3 Ballista, 1 extra crew unit (646 points)

Chariot, 2 Centurions, 4 horses (292 points)

4 Hatchling Wyverns, Child of the Gods on Hatchling Wyvern, Dispel (697 VP)

10 Minotaurs (590 VP)

24 Auxiliary Warriors, Sergeant (319 VP)

 

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Thane's Games