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#185751
Mike
Participant

I agree with Garry Wills comments with one exception…

I would recommend if you are playing Napoleonics that you go with the Clash of Eagles rules for forming square from skirmish formation.   Clash of Eagles recommend that skirmish formation follows the same rules as line formation.  These rules basically require a unit to pass a normal command test with some specific rules for increasing the odds based on how far the enemy cavalry unit started its charge and some specific rules that specify what happens when the unit fails to form square.

If you are gaming earlier periods than Napoleonics then you will need to decide what makes sense, light infantry tactics were in a constant stage of revision during the 18th century as they moved from primarily tactics used by irregular troops drawn from border/frontier areas and operating on an army’s flanks during a battle to mainstream tactics used by regulars troops for a host of functions…

“Skirmish” formation is a bit of a misnomer.  Since rarely was more than half the unit is “skirmish” order when in open terrain and even in rough terrain a portion of the unit was kept in close order to act as “supports” for skirmishers to fall back on and rally on if suddenly charged by enemy troops.  In open terrain, there were close order supports that would operate to “feed” troops into the skirmish line as casualties caused it to thin and a larger reserve to the rear that could feed troops into the close order supports to replenish them in addition to acting as a rallying point and a force to counter attack.

In addition, the reserve acted as the unit’s “command post” from which orders could be issued to the various deployed elements of the battalion.  While books love to talk about “clouds” of skirmishers which were used in the early Revolutionary Wars as well as by American militia units in the AWI, such formations were extremely fragile and easy to disperse… one good charge with the bayonets and they unit was scattered with no easy way to reassemble… If I were to “tweak” the rules, I would require at least one quarter to one third of the based to be positioned as “rallying” point for units in skirmish order and require them to be several inches behind the skirmish line… if called for units would form square on this reserve.

Regarding flanks… unlike infantry in line engaged with an enemy to their front, this reserve was not directly “engaged” and most likely would post scouts on its flanks and regardless of formation it would be comprised of a few companies not the whole battalion requiring far less time to execute a formation change, since unlike a unit in “line” forming a hollow square by wheeling companies, the reserve would more likely form of closed square with troops simply packing towards the center and facing outwards…