Traversing Fire and Artillery

[Mike Target]

Hello played a game tonight and had a bit of an issue with cannons firing at units every time they tried to move....



Essentially a gun only has a narrow frontage: you only have to move an inch or two across its front for it to get a free shot! Seems a little odd given how cumbersome a cannon is and how briefly the target is in its line of sight...

Hopefully this pic shows my my issue: essentially if Blue advances forward the cannon cant fire traversing fire at it, but apparently if it follows the hypotenuse the cannon is allowed an extra shot (but the faster firing Red infantry still cant!)

This seems a little crazy and rather disproportionate given the tiny difference in the angle of approach! It was probably only really a problem cos we had rather a lot of small guns pottering around but guns do seem rather nasty in this situation! I do some times wonder how anyone closes up to their enemy in blackpowder!

[Big Al]

Well, using the diagram you've provided, you aren't traversing across the gun's front, so it can't fire a traversing shot. Although you're moving obliquely toward the red infantry, you are still moving towards the gun and not across it, so it can't fire. The Traversing shot is intended to be used against units that move across it's front from side to side as per the diagrams in the book, not in the way you've described. Sounds like you've taken the move explanation too literally, which doesn't work because the gun frontage is so small. I notice you haven't mentioned anything about infantry units carrying out the same action.

[Mike Target]

Well, using the diagram you've provided, you aren't traversing across the gun's front, so it can't fire a traversing shot. Although you're moving obliquely toward the red infantry, you are still moving towards the gun and not across it, so it can't fire.

Ok...So your saying that simply having a degree of lateral movement isnt enough to claim the free shot? You have to be moving past, but no closer to or further away from the enemy unit for it to be allowed to shoot?

Basically it was claimed (not by me you understand!) that becouse at the start of the move Pte Tim was staring down the barrel of the gun, and at the end of the move his mate two files along, Pte Steve, was directly opposite it: therefore the move had traversed the front of the the gun (otherwise Pte Tim would still be in front of it!) and therefore the gun could fire.

And now for an extra layer of complication: What if we angle the gun inwards slightly, and Blue charges the Red infantry? Does the gun get to shoot then? After all not only has blue had to be moved at an angle towards the Red infantry its forward move must have traversed the front of the gun, whilst also getting closer to it!

I notice you haven't mentioned anything about infantry units carrying out the same action.

Well, no their frontage is to wide so it wasnt something that cropped up ( well it did actually but only becouse a couple of players forgot the bit about moving halfway or more across its frontage!), but the same problem could apply.

[Big Al]

Of course the infantry unit was too wide, but had it been a small unit? To be honest, it is just too chiselly! Angling the gun? The infantry already has restrictions on it due to the proximity rule. You could try it, but would probably find that the gun would be flank charged. The other thing your opponent is doing is getting around the fact that his gun cannot give closing fire because it isn't being charged, so by claiming Traversing Fire, he is effectively getting his gun to give closing fire.

Actually, if you look at the book a similar example is given about charging the enemy on page 58 and again on 60. Basically, you should have charged both the gun and the infantry, which would have allowed him closing fire from both units

[zedeyejoe]

Basically it was claimed (not by me you understand!) that becouse at the start of the move Pte Tim was staring down the barrel of the gun, and at the end of the move his mate two files along, Pte Steve, was directly opposite it: therefore the move had traversed the front of the the gun (otherwise Pte Tim would still be in front of it!) and therefore the gun could fire.

I love free thinkers. However this rule applies to units not figures. So it would not apply. Of course if you like playing it that way, nothing to stop you doing it.

[Mike Target]

I dont like it, thats kinda my whole point!

However its what has been claimed is possible: i.e that Traversing fire can be made against almost any move as long as a part of that move, no matter how tiny, was across the frontage of the firing unit...

[Cubster]

Take time to select a withering put-down and find a better person to game with.

If you wish to give your opponent another chance to redeem themself, perhaps a swift smack about the head with a slipper would suffice.

[zedeyejoe]

Well that would ignore these points mentioned in the rules:

The unit has to be moving within 12 inches
Across at least half the units frontage
and is either charging or moving mostly out of the firing units front quarter

All these are mentioned as pre-requisites of traversing fire but your gaming friends version takes no account of them.

It is a common view of mine that anyone can say "the Moon is made of green cheese" but that the statement should be proved before taking too much notice of it.

[Mike Target]

Angling the gun? The infantry already has restrictions on it due to the proximity rule.

No I meant assume the gun is already at an angle, pointing slightly across the red infantries front, before blue begins his advance...


I can only assume Im not making myself clear here...


Ive added another drawing to try and show it.

If The blue unit advances towards the Red unit, straight forward then as long as they cover at least the distance from point C to point B the cannon gets to shoot...but the infantry ahead dont. Why one and not the other? Ok so only the gun has had its front traversed but the blue unit has been in front of the red unit for just as long as its been in front of the cannon, and surely muskets fire faster than cannon...

And if blue unit decides to head directly torwards the cannon instead (again a difference of only a few degrees) why are the gunners suddenly unable to respond?

[Mike Target]

Well that would ignore these points mentioned in the rules:

The unit has to be moving within 12 inches
Across at least half the units frontage.

These two criteria had been fulfilled.

and is either charging or moving mostly out of the firing units front quarter

Ah..now this might be what we are looking for!

So in my second example (actually in the example in either diagram given), if Blue moves forward the cannon cant shoot it, but if it charges the Red infantry the cannon and the infantry can?