Okay javs, bows, spears given as character options
All characters given chariot options
Chariots put in at 60pts with lots of customisation for crew and option to add two more horses and scythes
Elephant made as a copied thunder tusk with extra special rules and different rider
He causes terror but has to pass fear checks himself (riders ld to keep him in check)
Option for howdah and up to 3 crew. Lots of weapon choices.
A special form of animosity table with truly destructive consequences
A similar but not the same version of giant falling table 200pts base
Crossbowmen have been replaced with the title āmarksmenā and have the options for longbows, guns or crossbows
Slings given to infantry
Skirmish option given to all infantry but not allowed for veteran infantry (to stop mega powerful skirmishers or skirmishers in heavy armour)
Swap Lance for bow option on heavy cavalry to allow for ranged cataphracts
One thing Iām not liking is the name āpike block/ heavy phallanxā - I need a snappier title for that unit that represents various heavy spear formations
Numidian cavalry called and wanted javelins for light cav.
Yes, Iām terribly annoying when it comes to suggesting these kings of things: āAllow Shadow Warriors to choose javelins.ā āMore slingers in the game.ā āIntroduce heavy infantry with javelins.ā
First off let me just say that, from skimming through the book, it looks great so far. A work of love for history and gaming - hats off!
But Iāve never played a single game of 8th (nor any WHFB edition for that matter) in my life, so unfortunately I can do little apart from cheering you on from the sidelines. Overall, I like the concept of keeping the units themselves generic and giving players the means to customise them via upgrades and weapon options, because this means maximum space for player/hobbyist creativity and accommodates a broad span of historical armies, as you intended.
A propos of chariots, I am compelled to drop the following, please feel free to ignore if itās too outlandish. One might think about adding some kind of hybrid troops that move on chariots/horses, but fight dismounted. In the Iliad, chariots are commonly (though not exclusively) used as a means of transport for noble warriors to and from battle. (Xenophon actually credits Cyrus the Great with turning them into a type of shock cavalry by introducing the heavy scythed chariot). In a less poetic and more historical context, Caesar mentions that some Germans rode their horses into battle, dismounted to fight on foot while the horses (trained to that purpose) stood waiting, and mounted up again in case of a retreat.
I have no idea at all how to implement this game-wise, or if it can be conveniently done at all, but - you asked.
This seems to be a fairly common usage of cavalry throughout history. I encountered basically the same description for cavalry during the Dungan Revolt in the 19th century to give a fairly recent example. I assume this tactic is so common because it does not require to specifically train horse and rider for charging enemy ranks ā these people were simply not professional cavalrymen. That being said, I really like this idea although I have no idea how to implement it rule-wise.
Itās tricky to implement the glorious battle taxi and dragoons, isnāt it? Perhaps the chariot unit could drop off one or two infantrymen per cart in a little unit, and for every one or two infantry killed, you also remove a chariot. And similar for dismounted riders.
It would be clunky to boot and a bad use of chariots and horses with Warhammer rules, but ancient personnel carriers is nevertheless an intriguing thing as a thought experiment to make rules out of.
Easiest would be to just keep it to dedicated infantry, cavalry and chariotry. Perhaps allow heroes to dismount, at a stretch?
As cool as it sounds, wargaming should not attempt to simulate reality or account for all eventualities ā this is a self-defeating endeavour. It is, as the name suggests, first and foremost a game. I would argue (contrasting a bit what I wrote yesterday evening), keep it modular but keep it simple. Everything beyond that should happen in our imagination. For instance, the player could model these dismounted Germans by giving them this scouting special rule that the Dwarf miners had.
Overall, I like the concept of keeping the units themselves generic and giving players the means to customise them via upgrades and weapon options, because this means maximum space for player/hobbyist creativity and accommodates a broad span of historical armies, as you intended.