Formations

Each of these formations enables the effective implementation of a tactic, instantly forming up your army or fleet to maximise its strengths or exploit a weakness in the enemy. Formations can be assigned at any point during a battle, but are best set up during the deployment phase. Units in formation will maintain their fixed shape and spacing whilst carrying out orders.

Land Battle Formations

The following are group formations that an army or group of units can adopt:

Armenian

This formation places heavy melee infantry at its centre flanked by light melee infantry. Missile infantry are positioned in front, with heavy and light melee cavalry behind.

Bear

This formation places heavy melee infantry at its centre flanked by light melee infantry. Heavy cavalry are on the flanks of the front line, supported by light cavalry. Missile infantry make up the second row with any reserves positioned behind.

Bird

The bird formation positions heavy infantry in front, with light infantry behind them. In turn, missile infantry flank the light infantry, with cavalry on the extreme flanks.

Boar

This formation puts spear infantry in the centre flanked by melee infantry. Missile infantry form the front row and cavalry sit on the extreme flanks.

Cannae

A light infantry centre flanked by heavy infantry. Missile infantry form the front row and cavalry are placed at the rear. Hannibal used this formation in his crushing victory at Cannae in 216BC.

Caucasian

Missile infantry are placed at the front, followed by a line of light infantry with light cavalry on their flanks, then on the flanks stands a line of heavy infantry and heavy cavalry.

Cavalry Front Triple Line

This formation arranges units in three lines with cavalry at the front, missile infantry in the middle, and melee infantry at the back.

Centre

Missile cavalry make up the front line, heavy cavalry are positioned behind them, with light cavalry covering their flanks.

Column

This formation arranges units in a column with missile infantry at the front, melee infantry in the middle, and cavalry at the rear.

Crescent (land)

In this formation the battle line bows inwards, drawing the enemy army into the centre, allowing you to encircle and trap them.

Deer

Missile infantry at the front, with light infantry behind, and light cavalry on the flanks. Heavy infantry and cavalry make up the last line.

Double Acies

Two well-spaced lines of melee infantry with spearmen on the flanks and cavalry behind. Missile infantry form a screen at the front.

Double Line (land)

Double line formation places units in two lines without positioning them according to their unit types.

Sorted Double Line

This formation arranges units in two lines with missile infantry positioned in the front row and melee infantry in the second. Cavalry guard the flanks.

Flank

A specialised flanking formation that places missile cavalry at the front, light cavalry behind them, and heavy cavalry on the flanks.

Horse

Spear infantry flanked with light cavalry occupy the main line, missile infantry in front of them, with melee infantry and heavy cavalry behind them.

Issus

A main line of pikemen with heavy infantry to the right and light infantry to the left. Cavalry and missile infantry are positioned on the flanks. Alexander the Great used this formation when he defeated the Persian king, Darius III, in 333BC.

Magnesia

Mixed blocks of pike infantry and elephants in the middle. Melee infantry and spearmen occupy the flanks along with missile infantry and cavalry. This formation was used by the Seleucid king, Antiochus the Great, at Magnesia in 190BC.

Melee Front Triple Line

This formation arranges units in three lines with melee infantry at the front, missile infantry in the middle, and cavalry at the very back.

Missile Front Triple Line

This formation arranges units in three lines with missile infantry at the front, melee infantry in the middle, and cavalry bringing up the rear.

Persian

Missile units occupy the front line with light cavalry on their flanks, then a second line of melee infantry with heavy cavalry on their flanks. This was a popular formation favoured by the Achaemenid Persians.

Raphia

This formation places a main line of pikemen with heavy infantry to the left and light infantry to the right. Cavalry are positioned on the flanks with missile infantry in front and elephants on the flanks as well. This formation was favoured by Ptolemy IV of Egypt when he defeated the Seleucids at Raphia in 217BC.

River Defence

This is a simple formation that positions melee infantry in the centre, missile infantry on the flanks, and cavalry behind to defend river crossings.

Simplex Acies

A basic army formation with loose formation spearmen in the front row, equally spaced melee infantry behind, with cavalry at the back and missile infantry deployed at the very front.

Single Line

This is a simple formation which arranges units in an unorganised single line, taking no account of their unit types.

Sorted Single Line

This simple formation arranges units in a single line with melee infantry in the middle, missile infantry next to them, and cavalry on the flanks.

Skirmish

Ideal for skirmish battles, this formation places missile infantry on the front line flanked by missile cavalry. Melee infantry form the second line with melee cavalry on the flanks.

Spear Point

The spear point formation puts heavy infantry at the front, light infantry on the flanks, and cavalry at the rear. Chariots are deployed on the flanks of the front row.

Torc

The torc formation places heavy infantry at the front, with light infantry in the second line and on the flanks. Chariots are placed at the back with cavalry in the last line on the flanks.

Trebia

Light infantry occupy the main line, heavy infantry stand behind them, and missile infantry are placed at the very front. Elephants are placed on the flanks long with the cavalry. Hannibal used this formation to defeat the Romans at the River Trebia in 218BC.

Triplex Acies

The classic triplex acies formation places melee infantry in three lines, with the lightest at the front and spearmen in the last line. Missile infantry are deployed at the front to skirmish, with cavalry at the rear and on the flanks.

Wheel

This formation has a hollow centre. Heavy infantry are placed at the front behind chariots, with light infantry behind, and missile infantry on their flanks. Light cavalry are placed behind and to the side of the missile troops. Finally melee cavalry stand at the very back of the formation.

Wolf

This is a formation with heavy infantry in the main line and missile infantry at the front. Heavy cavalry flank the heavy infantry, light infantry and then light cavalry protect the flanks.

Zama

Missile infantry are placed out in front of light infantry in order to skirmish, then heavy infantry are positioned behind them. Elephants make up the next line, with cavalry on the flanks. Hannibal used this formation at Zama.

Naval Battle Formations

The following are group formations that a fleet or group of ships can adopt:

Battle Line

This is a standard battle line with heavy ships forming the centre with light and missile ships positioned on the flanks.

Crescent (sea)

When in crescent formation the battle line bows inwards, drawing the enemy fleet into the centre, allowing you to encircle and trap them.

Diekplous

This formation is a formation of multiple columns, designed to break into an enemy line and pin their fleet down for one-on-one engagements. It is best used against a fleet formed of a single line.

Double Line (sea)

A double line consists of two rows, with missile ships on the flanks and at the rear and melee ships in the centre, presenting a strong attacking front.

Flanking Melee Double

This variant of the melee double formation arranges its ships two deep in order to smash through the enemy centre to split their formation. Heavier ships are furthest from the centre of the formation.

Flanking Melee Single

Ships in this formation present a strong attacking front to the enemy's centre with melee ships, whilst missile ships cover the flanks. Heavier ships are furthest from the centre of the formation.

Flanking Missile Double

Melee ships at the centre of this two-deep formation can push into either side of an enemy fleet whilst the central missile ships attack the pinned-down forces. Heavier ships are furthest from the centre of the formation.

Flanking Missile Single

This formation enables a strong missile battery in the centre, with melee ships poised to close in from the flanks. Heavier ships are furthest from the centre of the formation.

Heavy Melee Double

This formation arranges its ships two deep and is designed to hammer through an enemy line through melee. Missile ships provide coverage on either side and the heaviest ships are closest to the centre.

Heavy Melee Single

Heavy melee ships are used to punch through an enemy line, with missile ships to harry their flanks. Your heaviest ships will be closest to the centre of this formation.

Heavy Missile Double

This is a powerful, two-deep central battery of missile ships, designed to break an enemy's line apart, with melee ships along either side to push through. The heaviest ships are positioned closest to the centre of the formation.

Heavy Missile Single

This formation allows you to shatter the enemy's centre with missile fire whilst your heavy melee ships close in on their flanks. The heaviest ships are positioned closest to the centre.

Spear

This spear-shaped formation allows you to drive a hole through the enemy's line with your heaviest ships at its point, melee ships in the centre and missile support at the rear.

Wedge

Use this formation to stab through the enemy line with your forward melee ships, giving you room to manoeuvre and rake their decks with missile fire prior to boarding.