cavalry wheeling

[Mark G]

I think there might be a space for a revision of understanding of heavy cavalry wheeling.

Having just witnessed 2 ranks of 15 reenactors wheeling on horseback, I can attest that it is as slow, if not slower, than on foot.

and I think I can define the bit we all keep overlooking.

it is the ranks.

we all understand that the horse on the inside corner has to turn in place, slowly, while the horse on the outer edge can be almost galloping to keep the line.  the bit I think we are forgetting, is that the second rank cannot even begin that process until the front line has fully started moving forward after completing the wheel.

quite simply, there is no space for the second rank corner to turn until the first line completes its turn and starts advancing.

and for a third rank, that gets even slower, as the front rank has to move wheel and move forward 'two spaces', then the second ranks can wheel and move forward 'one space', and then the third rank can begin wheeling, and no ranks can properly start advancing until the last rank has completed its wheel.

cavalry without formation in melee are dead, so this is not just a 'would try to maintain' thing, this is the very basis of cavalry formations - maintaining line and rank at all times.

I go so far as to venture to suggest that formed cavalry wheeling should not be able to advance on the table that turn, with the wheel taking the full game turn - as is common with many rules for infantry.
notions that because horses can move faster, that they can make up the space in the game turn are, on the basis of the physical evidence I have just witnessed, hopelessly optimistic.

and if your rules allow for simultaneous movement, then any cavalry contacted while wheeling would be severely disordered.

[Nick Harbud]

Good observation Mark.

Slightly out of period, I once read a book about the French cavalry during the Revolutionary Wars period.  It was basically c**p, but this did not stop the state appointing a succession of notable cavalry generals to turn it into something less c**p, and executing them when they failed.  One incumbent described his appointment as "A brevet for the guillotine."

Anyway, it appears that one mark of a cavalry formation's prowess (and its commander's talent in leading them) was its ability not only to charge in a coherent manner, but to change direction whilst doing so.  Performing such feats with troops or squadrons was easy enough and complete regiments could be handled by a competent officer.  However, the really great cavalry commanders, like La Salle, could perform these manoeuvres with brigades or even divisions of cavalry.

[Duncan Head]

What if the cavalry simply have more space between the ranks at the start? Would this restriction only apply close to the enemy, when the ranks were closed up behind each other?

[Mark G]

Not really Duncan.

You gain the bit of time when second line waits for first line to move forward after it has finished its wheel, but the wheel itself is still slow, and it is still not until last rank moves forward intonpositiin that entire formation is fully wheeled.

[Mark G]

Also, if the ranks wheel in their own place, each ends up aligned off set from the line in front.

So the would then gave to in line back into position afterwards.

Try putting three long Lego blocks and turning all three on one corner of each.

If you consider men basically squares, horses are long rectangles, so turning on the spot is automatically going to unalign them, unless the tears are running sideways as well as forwards.

If you have double deep elements, and wheel on a front corner, think about what the back rank had to do to get where he ends.

[Patrick Waterson]

Which may be why classical cavalry manoeuvred by file.  Keep a bit of space between your files (as with Polybius' 6' per file) and you can do all of these things quickly and cleanly without men and animals getting in each other's way.  You can then close up when you are in position to charge, as Duncan mentions.

[Mark G]

Perhaps if you talked through such a manoever in detail, it might become clearer.

I am struggling to see how charging by file results in anything other than isolated cavalry at the point of contact, and how wheel by file achieves any sort of formation at all.

[Patrick Waterson]

Yes, it does need a bit more exposition, sorry.

A turma was originally part of a 300-man legionary cavalry contingent, and would have deployed in three files of ten (each led by a decurion) lined up with the rest of its parent unit, each man on a 6' frontage.

From above, the turma looks like this (or would if the horses had been on a severe diet):

- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -  (Direction of travel =>)
- - - - - - - - - -

We now try a right wheel.  Owing to keyboard limitations, the explanation is verbal only (sorry).

The right hand file slows down (and contracts), the central file keeps going at its present speed and the left hand file speeds up (and stretches out).  Instead of ten horses trying to keep station on each other's flanks there are only three, so coordinating speeds is easy.  Coordinating speed and distance for individuals in the file is not hard either, as you take your cue from the rider ahead.

But ...

There is the rest of the unit to consider, i.e. another nine such turmae. How do you wheel a cavalry unit 30 men wide?

The simple answer is that you do not.  Say you need to do a right wheel: starting from the opposite side (the left), each turma in turn speeds up and lines up half-way along its immediate predecessor, on its right flank. (T1 and T2 are turma 1 and 2)

                                           _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
T1                                       _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
                                           _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  (Direction of travel =>)
                           _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
T2                       _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
                           _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

etc.

Once the unit is stretched out, the signal is given to wheel.  All turmae then execute a simultaneous wheel with each turma changing direction as above, and as soon as everyone is pointing in the right direction the right hand turma slows down (or the rest speed up) and everyone lines up on it.  Job done.

[Erpingham]

Interesting.  With the unit in column of threes, modern (19th century on) would have wheeled by threes, rather than attempt to wheel all ten ranks together.  Is this described in the ancient manuals?

[Mark G]

I'm not sure that helps the problem of time and order.

Theoretically, only three at a time need to coordinate.  But really, your inside man spends a lot of time sideways to the enemy.
All your turma are stuck until the last outer file is aligned.
Each file still has the problem of the motorway slow down, I cant move until there is space ahead.

And you are not fully moving forward until the back ten are fully turned.

So perhaps a bit easier for the front guy, but at the cost of rank cohesion, and much worse for the back, I think.

We need to get in touch with these guys and have them try it out a few times.

In either case, I suggest my initial point still stands.  Formed cavalry wheels are slow and harder to complete than infantry ones.

[Patrick Waterson]

Interesting.  With the unit in column of threes, modern (19th century on) would have wheeled by threes, rather than attempt to wheel all ten ranks together.  Is this described in the ancient manuals?

It might be, but alas we have to the best of my knowledge no copies of Roman manuals.  Otherwise I would be quoting rather than reconstructing. 

I'm not sure that helps the problem of time and order.

Theoretically, only three at a time need to coordinate.  But really, your inside man spends a lot of time sideways to the enemy.

Not a problem unless the enemy is in charge reach, which would mean you have left it a bit late to face him.

All your turma are stuck until the last outer file is aligned.
Each file still has the problem of the motorway slow down, I cant move until there is space ahead.

And you are not fully moving forward until the back ten are fully turned.

Might be worth bearing in mind that units did not move at full speed until they charged (sometimes not even then) so there was a fair reserve of speed for manoeuvres.

So perhaps a bit easier for the front guy, but at the cost of rank cohesion, and much worse for the back, I think.

We need to get in touch with these guys and have them try it out a few times.

In either case, I suggest my initial point still stands.  Formed cavalry wheels are slow and harder to complete than infantry ones.

Still not sure this would be the case; a 90-degree wheel is going to cramp anyone's style simply because the right-most file will be, as you suggest, crunched up on itself unless it goes first.  If however you do a 30-degree or even 45-degree wheel the three files of an individual turma should be able to space themselves without difficulty, and individual turmae in the formation alter speed so that those closest to the turn slow down, those furthest away speed up and those in the middle keep their usual speed.

As you say, the best thing is to have Hadrian's Cavalry try it out for themselves.

[Andreas Johansson]

It might be, but alas we have to the best of my knowledge no copies of Roman manuals.  Otherwise I would be quoting rather than reconstructing. 

Arrian has something to say about Roman cavalry exercises, but I do not recall if he addresses wheeling specifically (and I don't have my copy at hand to check).

[Patrick Waterson]

It might be, but alas we have to the best of my knowledge no copies of Roman manuals.  Otherwise I would be quoting rather than reconstructing. 

Arrian has something to say about Roman cavalry exercises, but I do not recall if he addresses wheeling specifically (and I don't have my copy at hand to check).

Join the club ... it is annoying how books drift off somewhere when one wishes to check something in them.

[Dangun]

Yes, it does need a bit more exposition, sorry.

A turma was originally part of a 300-man legionary cavalry contingent, and would have deployed in three files of ten (each led by a decurion) lined up with the rest of its parent unit, each man on a 6' frontage...

There is the rest of the unit to consider, i.e. another nine such turmae. How do you wheel a cavalry unit 30 men wide? The simple answer is that you do not...

Interesting. Is there a source for the wheeling by subdivisions?

[Patrick Waterson]

Interesting. Is there a source for the wheeling by subdivisions?

Alas no, otherwise it would have been quoted here.  Justin and I had earlier discussed wheeling and the mechanics involved, coming to the conclusion that if it is not to take forever it needs to be done by subunits (which may be one reason why in classical armies each subunit usually has its own standard and an experienced man to carry it) and this overcomes the problems of articulation when a wide but shallow formation needs to change facing while moving.  The various bits still have to play catch-up, but this is easier when it can be done a subunit at a time rather than a man at a time.