21.7 Legion formation, marching, facing direction.

There are two distinct types of movement, the 'move' and the 'quickstep'. The quickstep is a simple command-order and shifts the position of a legion in an friendly suitable locale. Full movement, however, encompasses all other forms of movement and is a state of being - an approach to moving around - shared by the legion and dictated by dispatches or by its commander. A legion may, for example, be simply marching in normal, unobstructed formation - the default state of movement. But should they face the need to go UP, their movement state must shift to climbing. Movement state affects the speed of the legion when it moves around but ALSO affects many actions involving movement (like skills being actively deployed or sieges undertaken).

Bear in mind, a legion may welll be able to make its way from one side of Avalon to the other merely by doggedly marching on; but progress will be vastly slower than a legion prepared to shift its approach to its continued movement according to circumstances, terrain and available resources. Speed of deployment about the battlefield is one of the key necessities of a successful military campaign and though seemingly innocuous, intelligent 'marching orders' can make all the differrence in the world.

Virtually all movement related goals use 'alacrity', 'deployment', 'highground' or 'lowground', 'leadership' and 'familiarity' as core skills with futher specialist-skills introducing a range of further, more esoteric orders for circumstances appropriate. Where a specialist-skill forms the basis of the goal-command it is listed; where none is listed, assume only a blend of the core skills previously mentioned are required.

SECTION ONE: GENERAL COMMANDS/GOALS AVAILABLE TO ALL LEGIONS

Syntax: ... QUICKSTEP/QUICKSWIM <compass direction>
This is the simplest of the movement goals and is issued to cause a legion to attempt to quickly step (or swim), in formation, in the specified direction about the LOCALE. It will not allow moving into an adjacent location. It is faster and less serious than marching, not taxing on the legion but likewise can be indisciplined during execution. Needs: enough space in new locale spot, no obstructions, level/near-level ground. Specialist skills of 'deployment', 'alacrity', 'formations' are of heightened use here.

Syntax: ... MOVE <cardinal compass direction> or SWIM/TRANSPORT <direction>.
This is the basic command-order/goal issued to move a legion either around its locale by a single position or, if on the edge of the locale, move it between locations. The precise effects of the order to move are dictated by the approach currently being taken by the legion (as defined by the APPROACH command, listed below). These approaches range from regular marching to swashbuckling attacks from highground towards low/entrenched targets. You should use the SWIM movement only when you have 'swimming' as your movement approach and you are navigating water-only locations; likewise use TRANSPORT when your legion has sufficient water-transports in its inventory and faces deepwater passage.

It is a combination of approach, specialist skills associated (both with the chosen movement approach and the circumstances a legion finds itself involved in) together with equipment, morale, experience and leadership - all these factors determine whether the move is possible and, if possible, how long it takes to complete. Note: COMPASS DIRECTIONS ONLY, and legion should be in correct size (brigade, regiment, etc) to its numbers to ensure movement is not much delayed by chaos in the ranks.

Syntax: ... FORMATION <formation> [CEASE/<percentage focus>].
Since the advent of large-scale city and guild combat, the military minds have formulated, over time, certain formations well suited to the various aspects of battlefield combat. Field Marshall, Colonels, Captains, and those with high enough rank to command legions may alter a group's formation, even in the heat of battle. Read through HELP FORMATIONS to gain detailed information on the various formation names and some insight into the pros and cons of each. Leaving a legion in partially completed formation can be risky - the higher percentage focus given over to reaching the new formation, the faster it is achieved. NOTE: while changing formation if a legion is also being attacked, it will be more vulnerable, and its attacks will be less effective.

NOTE: the "tortoiseshell" formation is unique in that it negates most of the 'direction facing' and 'localepoint versus enemy frontline position' modifiers that are otherwise so important in a legion melee.

Syntax: ... FACE <direction> [CEASE]
Most of the time the direction a legion is facing will either be random (and therefore considered roughly equal in all directions, or consistent with a recent movement) or the result of a set formation (as described above). It is possible, however, to command a legion to remain facing in a specific direction regardless of other considerations. Doing so can be detrimental to the smooth execution of other maneuvers but often keeping one's enemy in line of sight is beneficial, or other times high-tailing it away from an opponent is hastened by resolutely not looking back towards your foe. NOTE: while executing a change of direction-facing any combat will be less effective, any defences likewise hindered as the formation shifts.

If you are attacked in regular melee, the direction facing will be taken into account when evaluating damage taken and likewise when attacking back - consider quite simply if you are flanked you fight at half your effectiveness, if you are ambushed from behind you combat the invasion at one quarter your normal potency. Important battlefield issues, then; the formation and the direction facing.

Syntax: ... APPROACH <movement style>.
Movement approach is used to command a legion to utilise its resources and innate skills in various ways, affecting the pace and/or manner of its movement about the locale, and between locations. Movement types are: "marching", "running" and "cavalry". Legions running are less defended than legions marching in tight formation, while cavalry legions perform better in battle, move faster between locations but deploy many specialist skills more slowly.

Movement types currently live:
"marching" (also known as "walking")
Marching involves a more serious, disciplined, steady-paced movement than the quickstep and enables the legion to not only shift position within a LOCALE but also move off into adjacent locations. It is slower than quickstepping but less vulnerable during execution. Needs: enough space inthe new locale spot, no obstructions of sufficient size to disrupt, passable ground (can clamber up or down via march).

"running"
Rather than the steady, formation-holding march this ensures your legion travels faster about land than it would if employing the regular march. However, while running it is more prone to attack out of formation, its readiness against ambush is reduced and it must eventually cease running else its ranks will be drained of reserves of energy for the battle ahead. Many use it solely if a retreat is called for.

"cavalry"
If your legion has sufficient cavalry seats (that is horses of appropriate stature) to seat all its individual legionnaires you will be able to command it to take up the 'cavalry' approach. The individuals will then mount their steeds, thereby changing the complexion of the legion in various ways: attack and defence is augmented, movement speed greatly enhanced, but various other manoeuvres are retarded (due to the ridden position). It is ideal for speedy, melee-centered legions but less appropriate for legions with construction or those faced with complex, apposite obstacles.

"battlefield"
Where 'running' and 'cavalry' are the fastest modus operandi for moving legions around, shifting their physical position and marching/riding between locations there may come a point when a legion wishes to make its stand; battle position has been selected, equipment is at the ready, and what remains is to face the enemy at close quarters. Here the 'battleready' movement approach may be the best idea since it informs the legion to focus on combat and melee-related action over all others. It speeds up formation changing, shifting directions faced, switching emphasis from archers to besiegers to close-quarter melee; that type of thing. It also augments the strength of close-quarter strike, the accuracy of siege and arrow and the wariness - during the slower-than-usual changes in actioanl location - of traps (e.g. minefields).

"climbing"
Attempting to move between locale points whose height differential is beyond the ability of even the most well-trained of 'highground' operators requires climbing or levitating. Making use of the 'climbing' specialist skill and equipment the legion can then face off against the extent of the height requiring scaling. It is a most vulnerable position for a legion to take-up - fragmented, aiding one another in an ascent - and thus fast completion is very important. MOVE FREE is possible here, it should be noted, by way of telling the legion to climb up away from real or possible entrapment. REMEMBER: if a legion is changed to climbing approach all subsequent move-relate instructions will take MUCH longer, including changing approach back to another movement style (e.g. from climbing to running).

"digging"
One of the most important of the tactical movement approaches - though seldom used in the heat of battle. Digging employs a combination of skills, selecting the most appropriate for the task, e.g. tunnelling up through a roof will use 'tunnelling', 'highground' and 'climbing' or 'levitating' (depending on your legion's peference). While digging the legion will move about non-dig related exercises extremely slowly due to the very specific, labour and focus-intensive formation required to carry out the various digging orders: DIG, TRENCH, TUNNEL, WIDEN, deployment of 'levelground' action. Do not forget to flip from 'digging' to 'climbing' as appropriate when engaged solely in trenchwork, and 'digging' to the fastest possible movement approach otherwise - otherwise you will find your legionnaires operating at a snail's pace in battle.

"levitating"
This movement approach is generally switched on using the LEVITATE command-order as documente below in section two. If a legion is commanded to simply adopt the 'levitating approach they will not attempt to use it to gain any specific height but instead will bring it ino play whenever moving/quickstepping between positions of greatly different heights, e.g. passing into a deep trench or quickly quickstepping/running over holes. Controlled levitation can be attempted only by those with the "levitation" specialist-skill but this movement approach version can be commanded from any legion, though the ability and extent of its usefulness for those without even a modicum of the ksill will be restricted.

"swimming"
Employing the 'swimming' specialist skill, this approach ensures your legion does its best to traverse a locale otherwise impassable due to depth of its water. If the legion cannot swim it will not make any use if this approach. If you command your legion to swim when outside water... the poor but dutiful souls will quickly resemble freshly netted fish flopping about on the deck of some boat; comical to onlookers but as a fighting formation it is one of the worst imaginable. Swimming is a slow movement approach and leaves your legion vulnerable to attack.

"transporting"
Utilising the 'rivermastery' specialist skill, this approach allows your legion to use the water transport to pass over deepwater locations with minimal delay. The transports allow the legion to move and act more quickly than the rearrangements required for swimming (even, indeed, a swim is even possible) and have no detrimental effect on legion conflict. NOTE: a legion navigating deepwater using transports engaging a legion swimming will have similar advantages to cavalry versus footsoldiers.


SECTION TWO: SPECIALIST COMMANDS/GOALS AVAILABLE TO CERTAIN LEGIONS

The following commands require the development of specialist skills not generally part of the core skillset worked on by all legions. Some are, indeed, available only to those of certain professional background while others - it is advised - are studied only once a legion's fundamentals are in tact. See HELP TRAINING for further advice.

Syntax: ... TRENCH ASCEND/DESCEND/CREATE <direction>/HERE.
Using the "trenches" specialist-skill this order tells a legion to either ascend out from a trench, aiming to emerge in the specified direction from the trench's entrypoint in the destination locale; or tells it to descend into a trench either immediately nearby or in a specified direction in the locale. TRENCH ASCEND/DESCEND when a direction is specified performs an automatic QUICKSTEP at the same time as climbing in and out of the trench.

TRENCH CREATE is executed when a legion has dug to its limits in a location (twelve feet) and further digging and/or use of the newly dug 'hole' requires some bolstering/safeguarding - thus the CREATE instruction uses a scaffold to turn a deep hole into a fledgling trench, ready for further digging and/or use in defensive positions. This small trench can also be used as a neat way to abscond legions from LOCALE/BANNER for a location. Ascending or descending trenches where a greater than ten foot disparity exists to navigate requires the legion to have ladders. Speed of ascent/descend depeneds on ladders to legionnaires ratio. Trenches cannot be CREATEd or EXTENDed in locations with heavy fortifications, i.e. fortification totals are greater than five times the troop limit.

Syntax: ... LEVITATE <number of feet above localepoint>.
Requiring the "levitation" specialist skill, this enables legions to specify the height they wish to levitate at, relative to the ground-level of the localepoint in which they stand. How potent the "levitation" skill level of the legion determines how quickly it levitates, how high it is able to reach (or deep, in the event of holes) and the extent to which it is able to levitate in possession of a heavy inventory, e.g. when holding catapults and barricades etc. Legion cannot levitate when mounted and will often find the highpoint of their levitation limited (if not outside) by the roof/ceiling of a location, typically at twenty feet.

It should be borne in mind that the number of feet you specify for the levitation is relative to the ground-level of the LOCALEPOINT of the legion, i.e. one of the nine points in a location (see HELP LOCALE) and not to the location as a whole. If you are standing in a ten foot hole and demand a LEVITATE 10 your legion will levitate up to the top of the hole; if you move from a 10ft hole, levitated to 15ft and therefore at 5ft above location ground-level, to an 18ft hole you will find yourself quickly at 3ft below ground. It will be necessary to levitate to a greater height to make up for the deeper hole/localepoint.

Syntax: ... ENDURANCE BEGIN or ENDURANCE END.
All legions have an inate capacity for endurance above and beyond the norm and any who have enlisted on as soldiers or fieldworkers will expect a certain level of rigorous lifestyle. However, you may call upon the legion to exert extraordinary, short-term effort in the endurance of their tasks (particularly movement in difficult conditions or against obstacles). The enduring legion will utilise less equipment, consume less rations, may act more quickly or with greater awareness of potential dangers and will react with greater defiance to setbacks/hardships.

Overuse of endurance saps morale. Underuse can risk 'pampered barrack syndrome' - a common complaint in military circles where the legion, unused even to getting out of barracks to exercise its skills, loses potency (in the short term, at least) in specialist-skills and general strength. This is particularly shown up in difficult circumstances or against battle-hardened or well-exercised foes. The specialist skill of 'marchendure' is central here.

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