Chapter 11: First Deployment

[^Marcus Cornelius^]

11. First Deployment

11.1. Deployment Sequence
All players have ended their unit selections.
Now, where are you on the battlefield? The game will start with your army deployed in your zone on the battlefield. But what is the position that you can expect for you and your mates? Who is left, who is right, who is center?
It is simple. Starting from the top in the faction selection screen:

Player hosting the game is always No. 1(Top or Highest)

- Highest player of your team will be left wing
- Lowest player of your team will be right wing
- Second highest player will be left center
- Third highest player will be right center.
It is the same for your enemy. So you can calculate what faction you will be facing in the beginning phase of the game. If you are the highest player of your team on the faction selection screen you will face the faction of lowest player among enemy teams. And so on.
Examples............3 v 3.................4 v 4

......Enemy team 6-5-4................8-7-6-5
..........Your team 1-2-3................1-2-3-4
The teams would be reversed if the game is being hosted by the opposing team.

11.2. Army Formations

What is the shape to be given to your army when you start deployment?
Front facing towards enemy.
Then you can set up like the following example (see picture).



Free in front or flanks - Horse Archer
First line - Foot Archers
Second line - Spearmen
Third line - Melee Heavy Infantry
Wings - Heavy Cavalry
Lateral behind foot archers - Onagers (Artillery)

Many formation can be chosen, but the leading thought must always be this:
- Missile in front, they have to shoot before any of your units can be shot
- Melee infantry back, well protected from shots
- Cavalry just ready to protect your archers from enemy incoming cavalry
- Spearmen ready to protect rear and flanks from enemy cavalry charges. Ready to go and help archers and heavy cavalry if a cavalry melee occurs while your knights are trying to protect your archers from incoming enemy big mobile forces.

Pressing ctrl-A and the G keys, you can select all your army and group your formation in one group.
Now you are ready to right click and drag and drop your entire army to its first location.

Remember that your starting formation is drawn to support the first phases of the battle: moving on battle field and skirmishing. It should be different from your formation drawn to engage and attack enemy in the melee.

11.3. Army Location

What location? Better if this is discussed with your team mates.

Here are some leading thoughts about your army location:
- Not too near the enemy lines
- Not isolated from your team mates armies
- If possible in a dominating position: a hill, an edge or on a slope.