Flag bearers were largely used for communication. In a hectic battle, distributing orders to your troops was a problem. Flag bearers were essentially a way for orders to be communicated. By looking at the flag (which was really more of a banner, held taut so it wouldn’t wave too much in the wind), you could get a rough idea of what you were supposed to be doing. Its direction, angle, height, and front/back face could be used to communicate orders like “push left”, “push right”, “hold position”, and “retreat”.
Flag bearers weren’t targeted just because they were easy targets… They were targeted because eliminating them meant you were hamstringing your enemy’s communication.
Flag bearers were largely used for communication. In a hectic battle, distributing orders to your troops was a problem. Flag bearers were essentially a way for orders to be communicated. By looking at the flag (which was really more of a banner, held taut so it wouldn’t wave too much in the wind), you could get a rough idea of what you were supposed to be doing. Its direction, angle, height, and front/back face could be used to communicate orders like “push left”, “push right”, “hold position”, and “retreat”.
Flag bearers weren’t targeted just because they were easy targets… They were targeted because eliminating them meant you were hamstringing your enemy’s communication.