Liber III, Pars III — Qualiter ordinandae sunt acies, si debeamus contra hostes vel contra adversarios dimicare. Cap. XII.

Liber III, Pars III — Qualiter ordinandae sunt acies, si debeamus contra hostes vel contra adversarios dimicare. Cap. XII.

After we have discussed the context of military operations and the regions where the best fighters are found, as well as the skills that make the best warriors, we have also explained how to construct fortifications and camps in an army, what to consider if a public battle is to be engaged, and what precautions the commander of the wars should take to ensure that his army is not harmed on the way to a field battle. There’s nothing more to say, it seems, except that we should teach how to arrange the battle lines, strike the adversaries, and invade the enemies. However, first we will speak about the arrangement of the battle lines. For if order is maintained in the battle line itself, it is of no small value for the fight. For, as Vegetius says, unless the fighters are arranged and occupy the proper space, they will not be able to fight well. For if they are too tightly packed, they are hindered from being able to strike others. If, however, they are too sparse and interspersed, they provide an opening for the enemies to overcome them more easily. Maintaining the proper order in the battle line, so that both cavalry and infantry can hold their formation, cannot be achieved without significant training. So, whoever wants to engage in battle at some point must train the fighters over a long period to maintain the proper order and to do what is required in war. However, the way in which these fighters learn to maintain such an order is that both cavalry and infantry should frequently be led to the fields. The commander who is experienced in battles and who must lead either cavalry or infantry should first arrange the cavalry and infantry in a line so that they stand in order and maintain equal distance from each other according to the distance required by the cavalry or infantry formation. After that, he should command them to double the line so that one half of the line immediately separates itself from the other half, and he should arrange himself in front of or behind it. Once this is done, the commander should immediately instruct them to form a square formation and then to create a triangle, which should be easy to do. For a quadruplicated and bisected line, with the square parts joined together, forms a triangle. Or, to put it simply, for those who do not grasp all these geometric formations, the fighters should be led to the fields, whether cavalry or infantry, to arrange themselves according to the rectangular formation, and then according to the triangular formation, and finally according to the round formation; and so on, they should be trained to know how to establish a line according to any formation. However, it should be noted that the rectangular formation of the line is more useless than the other formations; therefore, according to this formation, the line should never be formed simply, but only in specific cases. So if the situation requires a certain formation, in such a case the prescribed shape must be constructed. The useful formations for battle are pyramid-shaped, round, and forked. For those fighting may only want to defend themselves and withstand blows. Or they may want to invade others. If those engaged in battle do not have the strength to defeat others, but it suffices for them to defend themselves, then the formation should be constructed in a round shape; and the fighters should tighten and compact themselves so that the formation cannot be broken by the enemy. Around the formation, at the top and on the outer side, there should be placed men with heavier armor and better equipped, who can withstand blows without much burden. If the fighters believe they have the strength to invade the enemy, then according to their strength, the enemies will either be few or many. If the enemies are very few, the formation should be constructed in a forked shape, so that the formation is open like a horse's bit and like a fork, to capture and enclose the enemies as if in the middle. If the enemies are many, the formation of the line should be constructed according to the shape they call a cone, that is, in a pyramidal and pointed form, so that it can split and divide the enemies. For when the enemies are divided, they can be defeated more easily. Therefore, a line constructed in a circular shape is useful for holding the position. In a forked formation, it is useful for surrounding and enclosing when the enemies are few. But in a sharp and pyramidal shape, it is useful for splitting and dividing when the enemies are many. It should be understood, therefore, that the number of lines should be determined according to the multitude of fighters: so that as one sees he has more or fewer fighters, he can construct more or fewer lines. It should also be noted that in any line, besides the number of fighters constituting the line, some strong warriors should be reserved outside the line who can assist that part where they see the line faltering. It is also to be noted that in any line, besides the number of fighters constituting the line, some strong warriors should be reserved outside the line who can assist that part where they see the line faltering. These three things must be observed in the formation of battle lines. First, the battle lines should be arranged well according to a sharp, round, or forked formation, as the situation in battle requires. Second, the most capable fighters should be placed in those parts of the line where it is most likely to be confused and pierced. Third, some strong and daring soldiers should be reserved outside any line, ready to assist that part of the line which they see wavering or failing.