[MR] What's the differenece between a column and line in a battle?

[Vels inn Viggladi]

>I'm having a problem defining the combat effectiveness of these two 
>structures on the battle field. Can someone, explane in simple terms for 
>the figher chic. :)
>
>Thanks,
>
>Lady Maria-Therese de Normand
>stumped fighter chic.

I reread that, and realised a crucial part was missing in my response.

A column unit's offensive strength is compacted into a smaller frontage. 
This sacrifices defense of a wider area, for the added punch on smaller 
section.

A line goes for width, an essential screen defending all the battlefield 
that is behind it. While defensively stronger for the area it covers, and 
for mutual cover and protection of each combatant with the one next to him, 
the offensive power is diffused over that wider frontage as well.

For penetrating a line, a column is beneficial as it places a non-linear 
increase in offensive strength against a defensive strength that is drawn 
for breadth....

A line is a piece of pressboard, a column is a 12" garden spike. With a 
hammer (charge) we'll put the spike through the pressboard easily. But, if 
you take the garden spike and hit it with the wide flat side of the 
pressboard like swinging a baseball bat, the pressboard might get a chip 
knocked out, but the garden spike will go flying.




Vels