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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Utrecht" data-source="post: 675264" data-attributes="member: 1411">1) For the short durations that we are talking I see two primary uses for summoned monsters.  The first is formation disruption.  One fo the keys to anchient warfare was the ability to keep formation - most casualties occured after a formation borke - so if you could drop a couple of dire badgers into a formation a couple seconds before it makes contact - it could be devastating. The second is as you suggested - assulting fortresses - the ability to place enemies behind a wall is a big plus2) Two areas that I can come up with.  The first is giving false "orders" to troops.  Another of the large problems faced by ancient armies was command and control.  Typicaly c&c was managed by a combination of semaphores and trumpets.  If by using illusions you were able to send false orders, the results could be dealy.  Extending this, the ability to cast darkness or silence would have equal results.The other area that I think they have appropriatness would be in small unit skirmishes where you use illusions to draw/lure the opponent away from you or into an ambush (as the case may be)3) The only legitimate use I see for this is seiges.  Cast levitate on a squad of archers and send them up so that they can shoot down onto the wall.4)  fundamentally this is a function of how well organized the military we are talking about is.  In the timeframe that we are working with, the idea of a formal military was simply not possible, the cost in food of supporting non-producing people would be to great.  Typically, there would be a very small cadre of people (mages might be one of them) that would protect the ruler (another example of food overhead).  These would then form the basis of any army might be called up from teh populance to fight.  But remember, every body that is pulled up to fight is one that is not capable of harvesting grain.....</blockquote>

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