The time is now,
Historically (and I realise this IS fantasy) there may be a number of things wrong. Please don't take too harshly - some points may well be explained by cultural necessity, or just the way your world is.
1) Barbarian doesn't necessarily mean 'no armour'. What do you mean by barbarian? If they are agricultural, and have access to cows (which they do - the cow-hide shields), why are they not tanning to create armour? (counter argument from history: Zulus. See, I'm not all nasty!) The usual reason for no armour is cost - do they have enough leather? At the least the rich and powerful would wear armour. Linen stiffened with wax is a option. I am aware, before people post it, of cultures like the Greeks, who had helmets but little body armour.
2) Elephants - tend to be an offensive weapon. An enraged wounded elephant is unpredictable, and the chance of running through your OWN lines can't be disregarded.
3) Lances at the front. A lance is only any good on the charge. A stationary lancer has a special name. Dead.
4) Spears v Horse GOOD - they don't like them (see Napoleonic squares for detail!)
5) About the only way to fight horse archers is with archers - they are not going to get into melee if the don't have to.
6) I assume the initial bad guy charge is a feint to try and draw out the heroine. Is she inexperienced? Such feints are hard to pull off, which is why we tend to remember the ones that worked (see Cannae for a defensive feint that worked).
7) Complicated tactics tend not be used. The biggest problem is communication - if 10000 men are fighting hand to hand they are not in a position to listen.
8) Horse archers are a nightmare to fight. You advance into a hail of arrows, they move back faster than you can step forward - Horse archers are in loose formation, where as line of foot have to maintain a tight shoulder to shoulder formation.
9) Read kids books on the period. they have pictures and diagrams as well as simple text devoid of complication, that really let you get a handle on things.
10) Why are they entirely horse based? Are they nomads? If not why is there no foot?
Periods to consider -Hannibal vs Rome - for the elephant combat -Conquests of Imperial Rome - Organised heavy foot vs low tech barbarians -Rome vs Steppe nomads - for the problems in fighting horse archers. -Alexander the Great/Ancient Greece for the Hoplites. -'Biblical warfare' - what yours sounds most like. If it happened in land now defined as modern day Syria/Lebanon/Israel/Egypt 2000 or more years ago, then it is sometimes called 'biblical' even if it is non biblical events. -The battle scenes from the Iliad
Basically see if you can find two historic counterparts. I know it's fantasy, but things happen for a reason.
When doing something fantasy/SF, always ask the question Tolkien asked. "It is very well to say 'The green sun rises', but why is it green?"
Do the job in front of you.
Madman
Thanks for the help, Hussar. That was precisely the sort of critique I was requesting.
Pity I'll have to take them out then; I've always been fond of large war animals.
As a matter of fact, my heroine, although she has received training in the martial arts, 'is' relatively inexperienced when it comes to leading large armies against other larger armies.
They're 'roughly' equivalent to the Mongols, so yes, the antagonist's faction is nomadic.
edited 22nd Feb '12 5:23:40 PM by Jabrosky
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The time is now,
Oh, Caveat - 'ancients' is a huge area of warfare - I didn't know about the Mongol lancers at the back, for instance. The reason I said at the front is a long wooden pole is useless close in, and a lance will do most damage when the momentum of horse and rider is behind it. Otherwise its a spear.
By all means have elephants - they are impressive. Just remember they can be uncontrollable. Drivers were often issued a spike and a mallet to bang it into the brain if it went battle crazy. (And would look good in a book)
If there is a next battle have the good guys learn and use closed terrain as much as possible.
The best advice is look for a historical counter part to each side.
Warmaster Fantasy is a (now) free wargame. You don't need figures - just make the bases and write the troop types on them. It will give you some idea
edited 22nd Feb '12 6:08:33 PM by LastHussar
Do the job in front of you.
The Puzzler
If you are defending yourselves and you have elephants, then why not use the elephants to make a counter-attack? Just a thought.
Has ADD, plays World of Tanks, thinks up crazy ideas like children making spaceships for Hitler. Occasionally writes them down.
I've decided that I want my fantasy story to start with a big battle between my heroine's army and her antagonist's, with the antagonist winning. Although I am mostly pantsing the whole story itself, I do have a rough plan for how the battle itself will play out.
TERRAIN
Sandy, open, and hot desert with some dunes.
HEROINE'S ARMY
This is the defender in the conflict. Front lines have war elephants with the heroine riding one of them. These are not heavily armored but have iron-tipped tusks. Riders are equipped with iron-tipped spears. The bulk of the army behind the war elephants consists of spearmen flanked by zebra-riders with lances. All have cowhide shields but otherwise wear little body armor (they are used to a hot climate). Foot archers are not present since their enemy is cavalry-based (cavalry counter foot archers).
ANTAGONIST'S ARMY
This is the aggressor side. Entirely horseman-based, with the front lines being mounted archers (though they also have iron scimitars for melee combat if need be) and and back lines carrying lances. All soldiers wear robes to protect them from the sun and have leather shields, but no actual armor (the story's setting is supposed to be barbarian-flavored). The antagonist's army has a slight numerical edge over the heroine's.
TACTICS
The antagonist sends a small force of horsemen against the heroine. This are beaten badly by the heroine's army and retreat into a linear depression bordered by dunes. Emboldened, the heroine chases the routers, but then larger forces of the antagonists' horsemen coming pouring into the depression from both sides, sandwiching the heroine's army. The heroine's army is overwhelmed and mostly slaughtered and the heroine herself is captured. The antagonist wins.
Could anyone who knows a lot about ancient/medieval warfare critique my army setups and tactical plans?
edited 22nd Feb '12 10:44:29 AM by Jabrosky
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