A convoy moves several vehicles and animals as one group at the pace of its slowest member, so plan it around the order of march, rest stops, water and feed rather than speed: 8 horse carts spaced 50-100 m apart stretch over about 380-730 m and need 240-400 litres of water and 96-104 kg of feed a day. Put a scout ahead, the heaviest vehicles in the middle and a maintenance wagon at the rear.
Part of Logistics & Load Planning
Moving a group of vehicles and animals together along one route, with a fixed order, spacing and schedule.
Travelling Together Costs Speed And Buys Safety And Supply
A single cart that breaks down is stranded. A group can help, share spare parts, and put guards on the road. In exchange the group moves at the pace of the slowest, needs more space at every stop, and consumes water and feed in bulk. The parent article covers three parts: the order of march and signals (Convoy Organization), rest and staging (Rest Stops & Staging Areas), and the daily timetable (Timing & Daily Schedule).
What You Need
- A leader and a scout — someone to decide, someone to look ahead.
- A maintenance wagon — spare parts, tools and extra feed.
- A route with known water and camps. See Route Optimization.
- Signals the whole group knows.
Method: Plan The Convoy
Step 1: List the vehicles and animals Note each one’s load, speed and needs.
Step 2: Set the order of march Scout, light and fast vehicles first, heavy vehicles in the middle, maintenance wagon last.
Step 3: Set the spacing The parent gives 50-100 m between vehicles on roads.
Step 4: Plan the day Rests, water, feed and camp, from the later pages.
Step 5: Brief everyone Signals, the next stop and what to do if a cart breaks.
Worked Example: An 8-Cart Convoy
Inputs: 8 horse carts, each drawn by one horse; a gap of 50-100 m between vehicles; each cart about 4 m long (assumed); water 30-50 litres a day per horse, grain 5 kg and hay 7-8 kg a day per horse, all from the parent article.
- Length: 7 gaps × 50 m + 8 × 4 m = 350 + 32 = 382 m; 7 × 100 + 32 = 732 m. So about 380-730 m.
- Warning time between carts at 5 km/h (1.39 m/s): 50 / 1.39 = 36 s to 100 / 1.39 = 72 s.
- Water per day: 8 × 30 = 240 litres to 8 × 50 = 400 litres, i.e. 240-400 kg.
- Feed per day: grain 8 × 5 = 40 kg; hay 8 × 7 = 56 kg to 8 × 8 = 64 kg; total 96-104 kg.
The convoy needs 240-400 kg of water at every stop, which is a good reason to plan the route around water.
Common Mistakes
- Planning for the fastest vehicle — the slowest sets the pace.
- No plan for a breakdown — carry spares and decide who stops and who goes on.
- Too close or too far — close spacing gives dust and collisions; wide spacing loses contact. The parent says 50-100 m.
- Ignoring water and feed — the sums are large.
Safety
Collisions and runaway teams
Following too close behind a cart on a descent risks a rear-end collision, and a bolting team can drag the whole line. Keep the gap, brake gently on slopes, and agree a stop signal before leaving.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Convoy Organization — order, spacing, signals
- Combine with: Rest Stops & Staging Areas — where the convoy halts