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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tony Vargas" data-source="post: 4855961" data-attributes="member: 996">Hobgoblins actually do work pretty well.  Just change the weapon mix - replace flails with gladii and pili.  The change from flail to shortsword means they hit slightly more often (+3 proficiency) but do less damage.  I'd also consider modelling some of thier standard tactics.  Three others to consider might be:  1) impaling an enemy's shield with a thrown javelin, and, in melee, grabbing the javelin to pull the shield aside.  2) stunning an attacker with a shield bash, then stabbing from beneath the rim of the shield with the gladius.  3) concentrating your attack on the enemy facing the ally to your right, while using your shield to defend against the enemy in front of you.  The Hobgoblins phallanx fighting partially models the third (or the testudo formation, I suppose).  A Minor action gladius attack useable only vs an enemy that has attacked an adjacent ally on it's last turn (maybe with a recharge?), might be cool.  Or, a shield smash that dazes for a turn (definitely with a recharge), plus a minor-action gladius attack only vs dazed enemies would make being outnumbered by them potentially very nasty.  The javelin in-the-shield trick should be an encounter attack (there were different kinds of pili, the heavier one used for that trick would be thrown first, with several lighter ones, even 'darts,' for any additional ranged work): it could do javelin damage, and render a shield unusable until the wielder spent an action (standard?) to remove the javelin.I'm suggesting the minor action attacks because the gladius was chosen for the Legions for it's speed and the tight formation it allowed.  It was possible to stab two or three times with a gladius for each swing of a longer, heavier sword or ax, and to stand shoulder-to-shoulder while doing it.  In this way, in the press, the legionaires effectively outnumbered those foes who didn't fight in formation, regardless of the actual numbers involved.  On an historical note, Roman cavalry was often axilliary - not made up of actual romans - and would typically use a spatha (longsword) rather than a gladius.</blockquote>

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