Weapon Roles, Part 2

Last time I talked about weapon roles and different ways to get the most out of different fighting styles on their own.  Today's post is all about how those different styles interact and build off of one another. Rather than going through every style combination one by one, I've decided to focus on the basics of what makes individual styles work together, with a few examples in the form of some likely pairs.

Range Control

One of the primary reasons to work together with different styles is range. Every style has a weakness in this category.  Archers and polearms can't do much at close range, shieldmen and two stick fighters lack range to deal with polearms, and min reds have a mix of both problems.  By combining different styles, with different weaknesses in range, a pair can overcome this problem.  Possibly the most common pairing that demonstrates this is a polearm and a shield man.  The polearm is weak at close range, but the shieldman can fight perfectly fine at that range.  Meanwhile, the polearm can help against targets that out-range the shieldman.

This crudely photoshopped image demonstrates the overlapping range presented by a shieldman/polearm team. Note the danger to any target that would stand in the glaive's two handed range. 

The overall effect of this combination of ranges means the an enemy shieldman doesn't have an obvious range to prefer.  Staying at the outer bounds of the shieldman's range means the enemy can't easily attack.  They also can't close on the polearm without being in range of the shieldman's attack.  Better yet, the team also creates a range that is extremely advantageous for them.  In the zone where their ranges overlap, they can both work against the same target.  In the sample above, that means the glaive can be dishing out two-handed strikes while his shieldman is able to swing effectively at the target.

While shieldmen and dual wielders might seem to be the only styles to fit into this close range defense, other styles can also accomplish this task.  Take, for example, a pair of polearms.  Both polearms may suffer at short/close range, but by maneuvering themselves in such a way that their more preferred ranges overlap with each other's weaknesses, they can effectively negate much of this weakness.  One example might be in a formation similar to a phalanx.  The front spear has the longest range and engages targets first.  Behind him, a second spear engages anyone that is able to close on the first spear. Anyone lingering too long in medium range would be fully engaged by both.  This same pair might also exist on a line, spaced out so they can engage against anyone rushing the other while still both engaged against the enemy line.

Risk Management

Combining two shorter ranged fighters poses a different challenge.  Neither of them can reach long range, so the combination doesn't mitigate the weakness.  However, a short ranged pairing can have other benefits.  Lets take a shieldman and dual wielding fighter as an example.  The shieldman has superior defense against missiles and spears, but doesn't have as wide of a shot selection.  This combination allows the shieldman to help reduce the risk of his partner being taken out at long range, while giving the pair exceptional offense once they are able to close to their optimum range.

Risk also comes into play when considering shot selection.  What might be a risky shot in a duel, can now be covered by your partner to make it relatively safe.  One example might be a min red fighter swinging one-handed towards the opponent's sword side, forcing them to block.  This takes the risk away from his partner's attacks, allowing them to choose from a wider variety of shots.  By the same token, the min red might be safe to attack the opponent's shield with a few two-handed swings while his partner cuts off the angle their opponent might have been able to attack from.

Combined Threat

While risk management is about keeping safe on offense, combining the threat of different equipment is all about increasing the opponent's risk.  Choosing the pair equipment that threatens different target areas or angles forces the opponent to make difficult decisions.  Lower their shield to help block off spear stabs or take an arrow to the face, for example.

Spears are often a natural pairing when discussing threat.  Their long range allows them to attack from a variety of angles, even from behind the front line.  Lower angles of attack force shields to come down a bit, while moving more towards sword side to cover the hip.  Other weapons can take great advantage of this shield position, such as flails, glaives, and min reds.  All of these weapons excel at placing shots on the shield side shoulder, which will kill the target or force their guard up and away from the spear.

Threat also has great influence on the enemy's ability to attack.  Archers are a prime example.  Other than shieldmen, no one has great defense against arrows other than perhaps mobility or a helmet.  Even without shooting, the archer can apply threat by holding an arrow at the ready.  Those without shields are forced to either gamble on dodging or to duck for cover behind a shieldman.  Most choose the latter.  Because they are forced to the second rank, they have a harder time applying offense to the front.  Even though spears and glaives can reach targets from the second rank, their own shieldman cuts off a significant angle of their attack, limiting their options for targets. As you might have noticed, this is nearly a case of risk management achieved through the application of threat.

Total Offense

Combined total offense of a pair of styles may give the combination an advantage.  While threat is about opening the target up and increasing their risk, total offense is about overwhelming a target's ability to block. A pair using glaives or other two handers, might be a good example.  Regardless of the threat applied by either glaive, the pair can simply place enough two handed strikes on one target to negate the defense of a shield.  Four solid, shield breaking hits to a shield outright kills anyone, assuming they haven't dropped it before then.  The first two take the shield, the third the arm, and the forth takes the body.  This means that each glaive only needs to successfully land a single hit on the shield for the pair to be able to remove it from the equation.  They may only need two swings each to kill a target, even less if they get a limb or two.

The major drawback of a pairing like this is that it relies on killing targets before they can return strikes to the pair.  A combined charge from multiple targets or a threat that has greater range than the pair greatly reduces their effectiveness. However, while working together with a team on the line, this type of pair may be able to overwhelm a few targets quickly.

Conclusion

Working together with different styles and gear boils down to playing off of your team's strengths and covering each other's weaknesses.  Even though I have written this from the perspective of a pair fighting some target, pairs are a natural building block towards full line fighting.  Take a moment next time you are on the sidelines to watch how the line includes many of these pairings of equipment.  Even in larger groups that seem to be all working together, much of their teamwork will be done within pairs of fighters occasionally supporting other pairs.  This is especially true when looking at how support weapons are deployed.

When combining equipment and styles, the four categories I've mentioned above are all worth considering.  However, regardless of what combination, they all benefit greatly from teamwork and communication. Find a friend, work together, kill lots of people with foam covered sticks.

Small Unit Tactics

Not all groups enjoy the thick fighting at the center of a solid line.  Others lack the experience, numbers, or equipment to do so successfully. These groups often suffer at larger events, where the lines are densely packed.  Skirmish tactics work a little differently when facing such lines, as opposed to the more open fields of their home practices. A skirmishing group needs to capitalize on their best asset: maneuverability.

A skirmish line will quickly be picked apart should they face a group of experienced line fighters directly, especially if numbers aren't in their favor. However, this doesn't mean skirmish lines are incapable of winning the fight.  It takes a different approach for them to succeed.  Rather than attempting to rush into a line fight, the skirmishers need to fight the front of the line on the defensive. Their main goal has to be survival, only taking advantage of a few kills as opportunity presents them. By keeping mobile, they might be able to get the enemy to spread out or lose track of a few of the skirmishers. By drawing the enemy directly ahead, a few people on the wings might be able to flank around the enemy.

While most people "flank" by merely running past the ends of the lines until they are far enough to get around unopposed, a little more teamwork and tactics can make flanking a much stronger, faster tactic.  It is best to work in groups. Pairs work fine, but larger groups have more options.  Each group must set for itself a goal of delivering one fighter (or small group of fighters) the enemy's back.  This mindset allows flankers to function much closer to the core of the fight and still get someone behind the lines unopposed.  As an added bonus, some of these tactics also apply to heavy line fighting for shock troops, which could help a group transition to that style of fighting later. 

Let's look at a few specific strategies. 

 

Pin and split

Pin and split is my generic term for a great move that you can accomplish when, as a flanker, you outnumber the enemy that is in your way.  At its most basic, a 2v1 situation, one person engages the enemy, allowing the other to slip by unopposed.  Regardless of how well the pin survives, they buy their teammate plenty of time to cause havoc.  This strategy also works well for exploiting the edges of a gap in the enemy line. 

 

 

 

A larger group of fighters can enact this strategy well, even doing so multiple times as new threats approach.  Each time an enemy turns to counter them, the minimum number of flankers peel off to pin them as the rest continue flanking.  Remember, the goal is always to get at least one fighter to the rear of the enemy's main line.

Another extremely effective way to use this strategy is to counter flankers.  If your own team's flankers have become bogged down on the flank, fighting a line battle, the two fighters nearest them could try to pin/split against the enemy anchor.  The second closest to the end engages the enemy anchor heavily, probably fighting a 2v1 on the enemy flank.  The friendly anchor is then free to backstab the enemy flankers, freeing up a large force.  This is an exploit of the gap between the enemy line and their flankers, but could be used against almost any gap.

 

Wolfpacking 

When outnumbered, but not outmaneuvered, a team can attempt to split up.  By being more mobile than the larger force, their goal is to survive and pick apart any stragglers they can until the smaller force has a decisive advantage.  The skirmishing team still needs a few people to take the enemy head on.  When the enemy advances, the line spreads thin, leaving just a few fighters to keep the attention of the enemy core.  The rest flank around, using strategies like the pin and split. 

 

However, because the skirmishers are outnumbered, getting into the enemy backfield alive is going to be difficult, if not impossible, until several enemies are dispatched.  If the skirmishers can manage to  get their flankers to meet up behind the enemy (turning the line into a circle), they are now free to run in opposite directions.  At this point, the skirmishers must work off of each other.  By running in opposite directions, vision gaps will eventually be created that allow one of them to pick off an unsuspecting enemy.

A large part of the strategy requires that each skirmisher acts as a distraction first, staying alive as best they can.  Then, only take shots that are nearly guaranteed hits.  Kills are preferable, but legs will help reduce the enemy's ability to maneuver against you and arms will help soften them up for future attacks.

 

Pairs

Small groups should learn to work in pairs when possible. The goal is to develop tactics that work well when targets are isolated, while maintaining some safety in numbers. While you won't always be able to make a 2v1 situation happen, you want to be able to win the fight without losing much of your capability. 

You may find 2v1 drills particularly useful.  It helps build teamwork for the pair and helps the solo fighter practice for being outnumbered.  The pair has a goal of killing the solo without either of them being hit, while the solo tries to land a single hit on the pair.  Alternatively, you could have the solo fighter try to stay alive for a set amount of time or number of swings. This can help them prepare to be a pin or to keep the core of the line busy for a wolf pack strategy. 

One strategy for a pair is to plan, in advance, where to swing.  For example, one will swing high to the sword arm, while the other swings low to the shield side hip.  This forces the enemy on the defensive, because their shield will usually not be able to cover both angles, forcing them to block with their sword or die quickly.  Following up with a couple of swings will likely kill the target, as long as both keep the pressure on them. 

When the pair is on the defensive, it becomes important to not only block for your partner, but lure enemy targets out for them.  You can fake swings to try to get the opponent to counter, leaving their arm open to your partner.  Placing swings to one side of their shield or guard might draw their defenses over, letting your partner attack the other side. 

Against a solo opponent, the pair needs to move such that both can swing at the target or so that neither can be hit easily. The most favorable positions for the pair are either with the solo fighter facing the gap between the them, or with the pair slightly offset towards the solo's sword side.  This allows both to swing, and the latter gives a great angle against their weapon arm. 

 

"Good" in this case, relative to the pair. 

 

On the flip side, the solo fighters will need to use solid footwork and sword blocks/parries to stay alive. Most of their footwork will have them backing up, often to an angle.  Against a pair, their goal is to isolate one of them by stepping away from the other.  His preferred positions are either lined up against his sword side opponent (so his shield blocks off the other well), or with one enemy blocking off the other's angle of attack.  The second one is harder to pull off, but is the safest.

 

Communication 

I can never seem to stress this enough, but communication is vital to success as a small force.  Even without a command structure or leader, the group needs to all be aware of the overall plan.  Without communication, strategies like wolfpacking can quickly fall apart into chaos. 

Experienced vets may be less verbal, relying on their combined experience and reacting to the situation as best they can.  However, even vets will make sure to communicate openings they see or dangers around them. Starting out, simple communications like when to move or change spacing are necessary (vets usually adapt to the space well, without needing specific commands for it). One thing all groups need is a direction or target, and communicating that goal, or changes to it, should be a priority. 

Call out dangers to your line.  Call out targets, gaps, and weak points in the enemy line.  Equally important, relay calls from others.  For example, if you line needs to shift right, and you hear someone call it out, then you should repeat it down the line. Warn your allies of arrows about to be loosed, javelins at the ready, or support weapons taking notice of their flank. It is a lot to keep your mind on, but the more of these things you can keep your team informed about, the more successful they will be.

 

Leadership ("Driving the bus") 

Smaller groups sometimes lack any sort of command structure.  Even large realms have many people that could take charge, but no clear, default leader. That doesn't mean they lack leadership. In these groups, individuals usually take charge of the area around them as needed. Groups of veterans often have a very decentralized form of command, especially during a protracted line battle where individuals manage their own area. Those with the best line of sight, or that notice problems sooner, often begin taking charge of the few people around them. 

If someone else is issuing orders, do your best to support them.  Note, I didn't say "blindly follow a terrible plan".  Support the plan by maneuvering yourself and others in a way to help the plan succeed.  This might mean moving to cover a gap that no one else saw or being aggressive to draw the enemy's attention. Sometimes it means doing something that is opposed to the orders, such as taking a run through a gap rather than standing your ground.  The overall idea is to make the group more successful at its current mission. 

If no one is taking charge or communicating, take command and do your best to help the team.  Even a bad plan is usually going to be better than no plan. When it comes to actually taking charge of the group, do your best to navigate the group into favorable fights.  Try to issue orders that make sense for who you are ordering around, ie. don't have the 300 lb guy in full armor and a tower shield flank.  Play to your group's strengths.  More armored up fighters will need to form up against the bulk of the enemy, while faster fighters need to maneuver around. Try to engage targets such that your backfield is relatively safe (not facing the majority of the enemy groups). 

Most of the fight relies on your individuals finding success, but issuing commands to regroup or shift the line can give those individuals a better chance to survive.  Your goal, as leader, is to maintain the line during a fight.  Watch for gaps and weak points in both lines and move your forces to exploit or counter them.  Learn to spot vision gaps, especially along the enemy flank.  If their anchors aren't paying attention or are drawn into a fight, deploy a few flankers around them.  If your flankers need a better angle, shift the line to present the enemy's back to them. 

"Driving" isn't easy, even in a small, skilled group. Don't be discouraged by a bad fight or if you think you may have made a bad call.  Learn from the strategic failures and try to fix any issues with communication within the group. You'll get a chance to redeem yourself next fight. 

One side note, when a small group is part of a large team, they should do their best to integrate with the group.  Issue commands not only to your group, but those around you that lack leadership.  This is a great opportunity for smaller groups to get a better feel for line fighting, and working with support weapons.  Also, don't hesitate following orders from outsiders in this scenario, especially ones that seem to know what they are doing.

 

This section probably could be its own post.  I might try to put together a more detailed version, perhaps as a post-mortem next time I drive the BOF bus.

Unwritten Rules

If you've read the Book of War for Belegarth, you've heard of "medieval combat precedent".  The phrase gets tossed out quite a bit during rules discussions, especially those between fighters from various realms/regions.  Part of the reason for this is that the rules for Belegarth (and Dagorhir) leave several items open to interpretation.  The rules are sparse to allow ease of use, which also means some rules aren't fully explained.

This leaves us with a several "grey" areas that some people play a little differently than the rules might suggest.  The following list is by no means comprehensive, but covers a few of the most common.  Check with your local realms and events to see how they play the them.

In no particular order:

1) "Shot in motion".  According to the rules, when your arm gets hit (or your body), you drop what is in your hands.  However, a large portion of the sport plays shot in motion, where you can finish any swing that was already started and have it count, within reason.  The opposite approach is "atomic clock", where the swing is discounted immediately.

2) "Double tapped legs". Subsequent strikes to a disabled leg are ignored, unless both knees are down or you are rolling, etc.  However, many play that you must be portraying the wound before that rule applies, meaning two hits to the leg while you are standing can kill you.  You can avoid any confusion by taking the wound quickly (and wearing good knee pads...).

3) "Grappling".  Armored fighters can't initiate grapples against unarmored fighters. Archers can't grapple.  However, the rules don't mention grabbing equipment.  Grabbing a spear shaft isn't generally considered a grapple.  But what about a sword handle, a strap shield? There isn't much precedent, so I usually use safety as a test.  An archer grabbing a spear to defend themself isn't placing the spearman in danger (6' away), but grabbing a weapon handle might place both of them in danger of the poky bits from the arrows and bow. My opponent can easily let go of their weapon to get out of the situation if I grab their handle, but not if I grab their strap shield.

4) "Head, then body".  The rules say to take the worst of the hits of a strike hits more than one zone. But the head is an illegal target, so what happens when a shot hits the head, then hits body?  Two sides to this one, either the "worst" means "bad for you, take the body" or "illegal target is worst, ignore the rest".  Precedent, from back when, was that this is a body shot.  Recently, more people air on the side of it being counted as a head shot.  I generally try to gauge it based on how much of a head hit it was.  Grazing a bit of an ear and landing solid on body, it's a body shot.  Blazing me in the side of the dome and carrying a somewhat light hit down into the body, it's a headshot.  This varies greatly from fighter to fighter.  Best advice, avoid hitting people in the head.

5) "Late hits". See number 1. Your opponent throws a shot after he's been hit in that arm, so it doesn't count.  But, you got hit and started dropping your gear.  He says "late", implying you are still alive and should keep fighting.  All fine and good.  Though, none of this is in the rules.  Normally, if you take an injury, the herald is the only one that can/should "heal" a wound, and even that is a stretch.  However, "late" calls help keep people happy and fighting, and are generally accepted.  Just give fighters nearby a friendly heads up that you are still alive.  If you've been dead for a while, just stay dead, especially if being alive again would give you a very big advantage (behind enemy lines, etc) that you didn't already have.

6) "Point!". Guy throws a javelin, hits with the haft, then yells "point!" expectantly, thinking he has landed a good, point first javelin hit.  The rules are honor based, you are in no way bound to his call of point,  if it indeed hit with the haft.  This call is something that probably should be replaced with "haft" or "nothing" when the thrower is pretty sure the hit wasn't valid, or "javelin" if someone is looking around to see what hit them.

7) "Pool cueing double greens". There was recently a large discussion about this one.  Pool cueing is letting the spear/glaive slide through one hand while pushing with the other.  Dagorhir specifically labels this as a one-handed stab, Bele doesn't specify. I call them as a single when I glaive, but others want to call them double.  This is because the rules say "when wielded with two hands", leaving the amount of effort applied by the second hand undefined. Many play it like Dagorhir, where both hands have to be firmly gripping the weapon from the start of the stab until contact is made.

8) "Calling colors". While the Belegarth rules only specify that you need to call "two" when attacking from behind with a two-handed weapon, the general practice is to call the type of hit if it is anything other than a one-handed, swung weapon. Preference seems to be calling colors: red for class two and green for class three, while calling blue for one handers from behind.  Also, calling stabs as "single" or "double" is acceptable, especially for polearms that switch between one and two handed often.

9) "acknowledging hits". Calling hand, armor, light, garb, graze, pierced arms, and any other call about how you got hit and didn't take a wound or die isn't required by the rules.  However, playability says otherwise.  Even if it is a few second afterwards, a call can help clear up the situation and prevent your opponent from getting upset that you aren't taking hits.  As long as you are correctly taking your hits, missing a call here or there isn't the end of the world, just do your best to call what you can.

10) "Solid Shield Breaking Hits".  Different places have different standards on how hard a class two weapon needs to hit a shield to qualify as a shield breaking hit, especially when adding in Dagorhir* realms.  Some realms encourage the idea that it only needs to be as hard it would need to be to count against a limb. Most large events play it as needing a significant amount of extra power to break shields.  This probably comes from the historical/practical argument of "would that shot have actually damaged a shield in a significant way".  I prefer the heavier hitting style, on both sides of the hit.  As a two-hander, I'd rather people only take "good" swings, rather than lighter hits that weren't intended to break their shield.  As a shieldman, I expect other red users to be capable of the same hits.

*Dagorhir has a few extra rules towards discounting the hits that could easily be misread to mean "if it hits a weapon first, it doesn't count." As best I can tell, that isn't at all the intention, but I have seen it played as such.
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Parting thought: bastard swords (min red) aren't really intended to be great for breaking shields. Try hunting armor instead.

Heralds

Dude, I totally killed you."
"There's no way that was your arm, you're dead."
"Point, that javelin killed you."

--Random, but common phrases uttered on the fields of Belegarth and Dagorhir.


First off, a reminder: heralds/marshals are the only people who can call someone "dead" or even bring someone back to life.  Archers are the only fighters that can call their shots (as in that arrow hit you in the torso, not arm). Even calling "point" on a javelin is pushing the boundaries of acceptable practices, especially if you follow it with the expectation that they take the hit.  Granted, I occasionally find myself questioning how someone took (or didn't take) a hit, but I usually try to ask them when the fight is over. Or keep swinging until one of us calls themself dead.

"But what if I know, 100%, that guy is cheating?"

Well, that is why we have heralds.  Ideally, their presence alone will keep most people honest, to the best of their hit registering ability.  Of course, people will miss shots or end up in a confusing situations.  This is where heralds start making calls in order to clean up the situation.

Not every call they make will be 100% accurate, and that is ok.  They are trying to fix a bad situation, and will do their best to call someone dead before things get too complicated or messy.  They also won't hesitate to call people dead for safety reasons, because maintaining a safe field is far more important than one fighter's success.

"That herald made a bad call, I disagree, I'll give him a piece of my mind."

Adrenaline plus being told you are dead, when "clearly" you weren't, trips that moment when you want to argue with someone.  Stop, breath, calm down.  Remember, Bele and Dag specifically give heralds the right to kick you off of the field if you are being a problem. Arguing with one probably is a quick way to get them to send you to the sidelines.  And if they don't, I know quite a few people that would be happy to escort you there.

After the fight, ask them, politely. Sometimes their vantage point gives them a better angle to judge some shots.  Other times it is worse.  Sometimes what you felt and what they saw are two very different things.  They made the call that seemed the most appropriate from their perspective. Oh well, move along, the next fight is starting in about ten seconds.

"I've never seen that herald fight, they don't know enough to call hits."

Fighting and heralding are two very different things.  There are good fighters that are terrible at it, and there are people that rarely or never fight that are incredible at it.  Odds are, if a non-fighter is heralding, they've actually read and studied the rules far more than most fighters.  I also know quite a few great heralds that rarely fight today, but have a long career before you even caught a glimpse of them.

Do we really think NFL, NBA, or NHL refs are amazing, former pro players?  Probably not, but they have spent a good deal of time learning how to do the job.

"I want to herald!"

Great.  First things first, read the rules, a few times. Make sure to ask vets how your realm (or event) are handling any grey areas (that probably should be another post, huh?).  I don't recommend starting at an event, get some training by following a good herald at a local practice. Make sure to ask what they are seeing and hearing. And yes, the sound of a sword hitting a shield is different that it hitting a body.

Different heralds have different approaches.  I air on the side of "looked like it was probably blocked enough to be light" and try to only make calls if truly necessary.  Others take the "I saw it make contact and he didn't call light, so he's dead" approach, and make several calls.  Neither are perfect; I miss a few shots that should be called, but their style makes a few more "bad" calls.  Try to strike a balance and set a standard for when you want to step in and make a call.  Just be sure you are close to the fight, move with the battle.

Oddly enough, I usually end up making far more calls about arrows than poor hit taking. Archers and targets can't always see deflection or where the arrow hit.  Being perpendicular to the shot gives you a great angle to judge. Because arrow rules are less well know to newer fighters and smaller realms, this is when knowing the rulebook well comes in handy.

TL;DR: Listen to heralds, they are doing you a favor by running the field so everyone else can fight.

Take your hits!

Archer vs guy with bow

This is in no way meant to point fingers at any particular archers. This is in no way intended to be a guide on how to shoot arrows. I'm not much of an archer, so this is largely taken from the viewpoint of "guy getting shot at, all the time".

People complain about archers, a lot. Archers complain about people, a lot. The combination of miscommunication, flawed perspective, and getting shot in the face have lead to countless disagreements and heated discussions. As a herald, I've often been forced to spend too much time monitoring archers and their targets to keep bad calls and poor hit taking from ruining otherwise good fighting.

But, "archers aren't people", it must be entirely their fault. Some blame, does in deed, land squarely on the shoulders of "guy with bow". More on him later. However, people seem to get all bent out of shape about bad calls or getting shot. I'm sure I've been upset plenty of times about poor calls, but I try not to let it ruin a day of fighting. If I know for sure a call was bad (like hit arm clean, and they called leg), I might mention it to the archer after he fight. This isn't meant as a complaint, but as a gentle reminder to watch their shots closely. The same idea behind asking someone of a shot I threw landed or not if I think I hit them. Open, calm communication.

I did mention "guy with bow". These are people that give good (and unskilled) archers the bad name. We've all seen it. Bow strung incorrectly, arrows that barely pass, calls almost every shot wrong. Then there are good archers, people that rarely have complaints against them, other than maybe from being too good at killing someone that day. Rather than go through a list of what "guy with bow" does wrong, lets look at what good archers do right.

1) Knows the rules. Yes, there are plenty of people with bows that haven't read the Book of War.

2) Plays safe. Half draws, even outside of the distance, especially when rushed. Stops fighting if the bow or arrows cause an unsafe situation.

3) Calls off questionable hits. "Nothing". If they aren't sure, they don't want you to take the hit.

4) Gives target benefit of the doubt. Shots on the borderline are left up to the target's discretion, as long as they took the hit.

5) Avoids full draw face shots. Still will shoot you in the face, but doesn't do a full draw at the minimum distance allowed.

6) Watches their shots until they hit. Many archers get caught up pulling out their next arrow rather than watching the last one hit.

7) Calls hit zones, not "dead". Saying dead could mean the archer is dead or the target.

There are, of course, several factors that separate a good archer from an unskilled one, but that's better left to the archers to teach. What separates an unskilled archer from a "guy with a bow" is not being a detriment to fighting and not creating a negative environment.

Battlefield Terminology

I always find myself talking about communication and its important role on the battlefield.  However, due to the widespread nature of the sport and general lack of formal training on the matter, I thought it might be a good idea to go over some of the terms I hear and use on the field.  There will likely be a large difference in terms from realm to realm and unit to unit, but the core principles are of each phrase probably has an equivalent in your area.

"HOLD" --  Yeah, I know, everyone should know it, but it never hurts to remind everyone that the call of a hold is a very important safety measure.  When someone is possibly injured, someone calls a hold and everyone within earshot on the field stops fighting and takes a knee, and then repeats "HOLD".

"HOLD KEEP THE LINE" --  Never say "hold the line", see above.  This is a call for a section of the line to stop falling back and close up any gaps. 

"MIND THE GAP" -- You'll hear this call usually from someone in the middle or next to a spacing gap.  They are trying to get reinforcements to spread out to cover the distance.

"LEFT SIDE IS FOLDING" -- The left side of your line is getting crushed and rolled around.  See this post all about the subject.

"HURRY UP RIGHT SIDE" -- The left side is in trouble and is forced into fighting defensive, they need the opposite end of the line to push (see below) and make something happen.

"PUSH" -- Contrary to some views, this doesn't mean rush in with reckless abandon. Pushing is stepping up into range and swinging, with a slow, determined pace.  You need to force action by moving the whole section into the fight, rather than maintaining the stalemate.

"PUSH THROUGH" -- Rather than just pushing up to the line, they see an opportunity to force some fighters through a gap. A couple of people may not make it, but you may be able to cause a minor/major breakthrough.

"CHARGE!!!" -- Still, not quite recklessly, but force your way through their lines and try to take a bunch of them with you.  If you survive, you'll be in their backfield or have all of them dead.  See this post for a little more info.

"ROLL RIGHT" -- This is a flanking maneuver.  They want you to circle around the flank and try to fold it back, ie. rolling the flank.

"SLIDE/SHIFT RIGHT" -- Often used to fix spacing gaps, they just want you to shift down the line without changing the distance to the enemy.

"GAP LEFT" -- This is more likely letting you know there is a gap in the enemy line that can be exploited.  If the person yelling this is engaged with a target, they might be suggesting you go through while they keep the gap open.

"SPEAR RIGHT" -- There is a spear moving in from your right, prepare to block about 5 seconds ago.

"STAB/LOOK LEFT" --  This is a common phrase I use to let my support know there are open targets on my side that they may not be able to see around me.  This is usually a vision gap or staggered gap they could exploit in the enemy line.

"WATCH RIGHT" --  An enemy has stepped into a good position a step or two out of range to your right.  They could possibly kill you in a matter of a few seconds...or less.

"BEHIND" -- Enemies are in your backfield, might want to look behind you or even block your back.

"[your name here], BEHIND" -- Someone doesn't like you and is about to backstab you, definitely back block and hope for the best.

"ARROW UP" -- An archer has their bow up and at least partially drawn an arrow.

"ARROW/JAVELIN" -- Projectile is airborne. Look to block or cover. Stupid archers...

"I CALL YOU OUT" -- They want an honor duel, one on one without interference. Squires are generally obliged to accept when called out by a knight.

"RED, DOUBLE,REDREDRED" -- I have a glaive and I'm still alive! Read this post to see what you can do to help.