NOTE! The idiot sat here put the wrong time on the Steam group post - it is 7pm/19:00 British time. Sorry!
As posted on the Steam group:
Just as a reminder, the Siege of Vienna event is on Saturday at 7pm British time. We're playing as the HRE/Germanic/Polish troops and will be at the not-quite-so-forefront with our firelocks.
I would like to get some training in beforehand on our server just so that we do our stuff well and I'm not giving orders/explaining things mid-battle. For those of you who have trained with me before, we will be using Opening Order, Marching, Fire by Salvee & Fire by Introduction/Extroduction. I'll list what these are below but it would be great just to have 15-30 minutes going over it privately - we're a damned good group for doing this stuff historically and I would like to show how damned good we are to the other clans.
TS, say 6:15pm BST (if you can!), and let us kick some Ottoman arse!
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ORDERS:
(Prepare to march,) March on! - Walk forward (use shift to switch to walking mode)
(Prepare to stand,) Stand! - Halt, check your rank (width of formation) & file (depth of formation).
Upon your left/right hand face! - Turn 90º in the required direction. NOTE: If say '(hand) about face', turn 180º.
Open your order upon your midst! - From the CENTRE file, the formation opens up enough to allow a man to walk down the gap - it doesn't have to be perfect.
Half-file leaders double the frontage! - The rear ranks march through to the front of the formation.
Half-file leaders re-double the depth! - Those rear ranks turn around and walk down the files back to their original positions.
IMPORTANT NOTE: When you move through the formation your FILE should be on your RIGHT hand. ALWAYS. NEVER let it be on your left.
FIRING:
Prepare to fire by (Swedish) Salvee! - We fire as a formation.
Prepare to fire by introduction! - We fire by alternating ranks. When the FRONT rank has fired I will call upon the rear rank to 'March on through'. March through the formation and form the new FRONT rank. You will then fire and the next rank will be ordered to march through.
Prepare to fire by extroduction! - The reverse of the above. The FRONT rank will fire and be ordered to move to the rear of the formation. The new FRONT rank will then fire and do the same.
FIRING COMMANDS:
When firing (Swedish) Salvee:
Front rank will kneel! - Front rank drops to a crouch ('C').
Rear ranks close over! - The second/third ranks move as close to the Front rank(s) as possible.
Present (your piece)! - Level your firelock at the enemy. You may be ordered to aim upon your left/right hand at different targets.
Give... FIRE! - Discharge your weapon. There is a pause between the elongated 'give' and 'fire'.
Make ready! - Reload. ONLY reload when ordered to or when you think it is right to do so. I will tell you 'Do not make ready!' if I intend to move our formation or do not wish you to reload for whatever reason.
Club your musket, draw your sword! - Either draw your secondary weapon or switch your musket to the melee mode ('X'). I will do my best to give you as much warning as possible before we enter a melee.
IMPORTANT TERMS:
CORPORAL: The Corporal is the corner of the formation, you form on him. You will be alerted who the corporal is on the day. You will ALWAYS be either to HIS LEFT and/or BEHIND him. You will NEVER be to his RIGHT or in FRONT of him.
REFORM THE BODY!: You immediately return to the formation or form it at the desired location.
SKIRMISH!: Pick a partner, move apart to find cover and start shooting when commanded. I do not anticipate using this but as we are a group of sharpshooters it may come to a point where we have to use a loose formation. ALWAYS be with another person, never be on your own.