Pursuit (Sweeping Advance) Questions

Hello,

I recently looked at another set of wargame rules that I’m comparing to Black Powder. What drew me to it was that it really creates the ambiguity of initiative in war that turn/phase based games don’t really capture. However, one of it’s drawbacks to me is its “pursuit” rules.

The game designer, a very nice man who always answers questions about his game, doesn’t like or use pursuit rules himself but did include them for players that do like them. His system does give me a change in thinking about pursuit.

According to the designer, pursuit takes units out of command as they charge away and that they actually lose effectiveness as they go. Thus in his rules 1. The troops (cavalry for the most part) don’t actually move from their spot as it is their “rally point” to return to. Also, the pursuers take 2 casualties if they pursue. There is nothing of benefit to the attacker that wins the battle. That strikes me as very odd. However, he may make a point. A bloodthirsty pursuit of the routed may actually not entirely be of benefit to to the attacker as they charge out of command range and lose cohesion. Case in point, Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava. They won but took heavy losses.

Most games, like Black Powder, show the units that charge and rout a unit allow them to maintain cohesion and move ahead either to hit the routers again doing more damage to them and even being able to charge other units. Case in point, The Napoleonic Battle of Eylau, where 11,000 French cavalry drove the Russian infantry from the field.

I’m planning on developing my own house rules for these rules. However, what are your thoughts? Are cavalry charges overall lead to breakthroughs that can be exploited as well as extra hits on the enemy or are they more likely to be detrimental to the attacker?