Break test for charged units

[Bobb1302]

We played our first game of black powder and despite having to check the rulebook constantly as we had no familiarity with the rules we really had a freest game which actually reached a conclusion. Fantastic.

During the game I made a lis of query points and I've been able to work through most. One issue however still confuses me. Basically I when a unitis charged by another unit there doesn't seem to be any requirement for them to take break test regardless of circumstances. During our game an artillery battery which was shaken was charged in the rear by a unit of cavalry. It seemed that, unless the player opted for the unit to retreat they could stand their ground albeit they got mashed up in the hand to had combat.

Am I being thick or is this the way the rules play out? Can anyone help?

[Big Al]

No, you're not being thick, that is how the rules play. What you have to remember is that the game is all about command and control, so there is no real need to get into whether the unit should take reaction tests for everything. It is a game where you, the player, actually takes the roll of the commander. There are limited reactions that certain units can take, like evade, or counter charge, but infantry forming square is the only reaction test that is taken and that is only to see if they manage to do so or not. The rules work well and make sense, but you need to forget about what you are used to seeing or doing in other rulesets, then it all comes together.

[Bobb1302]

Many thanks for your swift and helpful reply Al. Good to know i havnt lost a page out of the rulebook. The rules really do require a bit of a change in mindset. Based on our first game it does seem a change worth making.