What is Order

Order is simply how close together the men stand when deployed to fight. Open order has the men stand 6 feet apart. This is called Li or light infantry in many game systems. Most units which would skirmish with the enemy would fall into this group. The important thing to remember is that when in this order the men are really in an unformed formation not actually in neat little blocks as most rules including Classical Hack show(left photo). Both Li and Lc (light cavalry) fall into this category.

Loose Order has the men in a unit stand about an arm's length away from each other from side to side-about 3 feet apart. This permitted the men some space into which they could move about without bumping into his neighbor. This type of order also provides the unit with a greater frontage. Often commanders might put the men into loose order to fool the enemy into believing that a unit was larger than it really was. From a distance the unit would look larger than it really was as the frontage of the unit was longer. This order permitted the Romans to cast their pila (spears) at the run with greater impact. To throw the pila from a standing position or with the men in a tighter formation would not create the same impact as when thrown from a run. Modern scholars think that this formation was used particularly by the hastati especially when they faced elephants. Hc would fall under this category too.

The last order is close order. This requires the men to stand shoulder to shoulder. This was common to the Roman princeps (first men) or men in their prime. In addition to the princeps were the triarii. The triarii were the most experienced and oldest men in the army. Because of their age they were not as vigorous as the princeps being past their prime. However because of their experience they were tough and could easily defend themselves with long spears against on coming enemies in pursuit of the army. The triarii were the last line of defense if things went wrong. They would act as a rear guard holding off the enemy as the other units attempted to escape. I believe these could be in either loose order or close order. As their numbers were fewer than the other lines loose order would permit them to extend their line. In close order this would be more hazardous as they would actually be in a single group or in small pockets. The enemy might ignore them in their pursuit-going round them. So I use some in loose order and other is close order.

Loose and close order have their place and uses. Classical Hack permits players during the movement phase of the turn to change a unit's order; figure for figure. For example a 12 figure unit in loose order (3 figures per stand-4 stands) would become 12 figures in close order (4 figures per stand or 3 stands with 4 figures each. The unit cannot be in contact with the enemy when changing order. I have extra units to do this. A Hi unit going into loose order will not be disordered in difficult terrain; the unit retains the movement for Hi. It is from my view point very tactical and I believe historically correct. I also believe from different sources that this was very common to the Latin style of fighting as well as the Celtiberians.