WotR Page 1

Dux Britanniarum

WotR Type

Notes Shock cavalry or melee footman. May Close Ranks when on foot. May not shoot mounted. Melee as Light Cavalry Shock cavalry or melee footman. May Close Ranks when on foot. May not shoot mounted. Melee as Light Cavalry

Elite

Household Spears

Elite

Household Archers

Warrior

Retinue Spears

Warrior Levy Levy

Retinue Archers Yeomen Archers Yeomen Bills

Mounted Troops
Mounted Troops are divided into Household Spears and Retinue Spears, replacing 'Shock Cavalry' and Household Archers and Retinue Archers, who replace 'Light Cavalry'. The most important difference regarding troop types is that;

Mounted troops have the option of being either cavalry or infantry at the start of a game and may change this status once during the game, at the cost of 1D6 of movement, plus an additional 1D6 if they are missile armed troops making a missile attack. When operating dismounted, the rules that apply to melee troops, also apply to them, regardless of whether they are missile armed or not (with the exception of 'charges' for missile troops, see below).

This simulates the flexibility of mounted troops in the period and also the inconvenience of taking horses to, or bringing horses from, the rear, where the horse-holders would be stationed.

Household and Retinue Archers

Mounted Archers have the option of evading 2D6", but like their foot counterparts, they must reform in massed formation before moving again. Either type may fight mounted as 'Light Cavalry' as under the normal rules, except they may add one additional half of the number of dice rolled to those they would normally roll as foot troops (as opposed to shock cavalry's 'double dice') for the first turn. During the campaign some Levies will be elevated to Retainer status. Although they gain the benefits of this change in status, they are still foot troops, unless amalgamated with a depleted unit of mounted retainers to make up numbers.

Foot Soldiers
The Foot Soldiers are invariably Household or Retainers at the start of the campaign, reinforced by Yeomen if the going gets tough and are the common part-time troops of the age. They are divided into 'Missile Troops' and 'Melee Troops'.

Melee Foot
Household or Retinue Spears on foot may 'Close Ranks', which is essentially the same as 'Shieldwall', except they don't gain the benefit of discounting their first missile casualty.

Archers
Foot Retainers were almost invariably bowmen and fell below the income category that required them to possess horses. The majority of this group possessed at least a jack and a helmet and were also required to carry a sword (or similar weapon) and own and be proficient with their bow. Ignore the restriction on the size of 'Missile Troop' groups, they can be the same size as other groups. They may also form 'mass formation', but not with other troops.

Archers are mostly equipped to fight hand to hand. They may stand for a charge or evade if the chargers are 'melee troops' of the same class or better, but they will never initiate a combat in this situation.

They may charge the flank or rear of any type of unit. They may declare a charge against troops of inferior quality.

Archers always have the option of evading 2D6" directly away from an enemy charging them, as well as letting fly with their weapons before doing so. Once out of charge distance, reforming as a 'mass formation' must take place before normal movement or shooting occurs.

Yeomen
Some of the wealthier Yeomen possessed bows and could be as skilled as their retinue equivalents. Yeomen Archers use the same rules as Retinue Archers, except they take all tests as Levies under the rules. Other Yeomen may never close ranks, even when mixed in a formation with Household or Retinue Troops.