Attack columns question

[Grossi]

We played a game in which a French brigade (4 units +1 command in attack column) attacked a British brigade (3 units First Fire Steady) in line.

The French units charged so two units charged one line and two units charged another line. One attack column furtherest away moves first and aligns with the defending unit, then the second attack column moves in next to the first, so the two attack columns are aligned with the defending line. As far as we can tell, this is right? As long as I can get more than half a unit into contact, it fights, so I can pretty easily pack in two attack columns on a single line?

The first line fired, but did no casualties (attack columns get 3+ Save). The second line fired, and got a hit and a disorder but not enough to stop anything. So the defending unit shoots with 4 dice (+1 first fire) against one French unit, and the French unit needs 3+ morale save (+1 modifier for being in attack column). So basically, attack columns can't be stopped by musketry?

The attack columns in hand to hand rolled 12 dice needing 3+ (+1 charging), and smashed the British lines. The British brigade lost 2/3 of its units and automatically broke.

We did the game again - with the same result. It seems too easy for me to get attack columns into packs and smash over enemy lines.

Are we missing something?

[Big Al]

Yes and no. You more or less did it correctly. Remember that the 3+ save of the Attack Column only applies against shooting, not in Hand to Hand. It is clearly stated!
The column can be stopped by musketry, but you can't account for poor dice rolling. You said that one column was hit and disordered. That unit should have been fighting on a 4+ not 3+. The charge bonus cancelled out by the disorder. You didn't say how the British did in their combat rolls and I trust that you counted support from the third British unit for one of the combats?
Overall, it sounds like the British player needs to get new dice! That has not happened to me very often. I'm not saying it hasn't.

[HobbitMiles]

Did you rememebr the "steady" modifier for the British? I know that we've forgotten it a few times only to shout expletives (not very gentlemanly) a few minutes later when mulling over what went wrong.

I had a similar problem when playing a different period and was convinced I'd broken the game. When we replayed on another occassion with slightly different tactics for the defence it worked much better and, as Big Al suggested in his post, a lot of the previous result was down to unfortnate dice rolls. If you can set up the defence to whittle away even a little at the attacking columns before they make contact it makes a big difference.

[Cubster]

Doesn't a charging unit need to align itself to the centre of the defending formation, thus leaving no room for a second column to come in?

[Big Al]

No.

[Cubster]

You're right, I had to peek at the book and see what the hell I was thinking of.

Page 58. The charging unit needs to move the shortest distance needed to bring as large a portion of both unit's frontage into touch (which can result in models moving obliquely more than their allotted move, which is fine so long as the shortest distance between the units is within their move).

Thus the first column charges in with its maximum frontage touching the defending unit's frontage, lined up to the edge of the defending line (I'm assuming the line is wider than the column), with the second column able to also charge in so long as at least half of the defending unit's frontage is still exposed and half of the charging unit's frontage can be brought into contact (page 60).

I'm just writing it down more for my benefit really, so I understand it. So for the two columns to be able to charge in during the same turn, both must have advanced towards the defending unit with one slightly to the left and one slightly to the right (otherwise the shortest charge distance to the defending unit wouldn't line them up at each edge). They both need to weather the storm of fire that comes from the defending unit and any supporting units to the side and need to fulfill the conditions re: frontage for both charging the same unit.

If they fulfill those conditions and still manage to win the combat, there you have it I guess. I do remember this one cropping up a while back and don't think it was resolved to the satisfaction of all parties then. Maybe we'll see something in the Napoleonic supplements to tweak the effects of formations.

[Big Al]

You're right, I had to peek at the book and see what the hell I was thinking of.

Warmaster!

Thus the first column charges in with its maximum frontage touching the defending unit's frontage, lined up to the edge of the defending line (I'm assuming the line is wider than the column), with the second column able to also charge in so long as at least half of the defending unit's frontage is still exposed and half of the charging unit's frontage can be brought into contact (page 60).

Yes, but if the attacking column can make full contact by moving straight forward (the shortest distance) it must do so, not shuffle to onside to line up with the edge. So you have to think carefully about which of the two columns you will move first. If one needs to move obliquely to make contact, then move that one first, then the other. However, you must also make sure that teh first column doesn't block line of sight of the second column. Confused yet? It is easier than it sounds.

They both need to weather the storm of fire that comes from the defending unit and any supporting units to the side and need to fulfill the conditions re: frontage for both charging the same unit.

No! Only the first column weathers the storm of fire from the defenders. The defenders can only fire closing fire once. Supporting units do not give closing fire unless they are contacted. Contact has to be along the front and not corner to corner. So any adjacent unit whose bases are touching the defending unit are not included in the fight and don't fire closing fire.

If you have good dice rolls when shooting, the first column might be forced to take a break test and fail, so not completin the charge. If you have decent rolls, but some are saved, you might have been lucky and rolled a 6, in which case the first column hits home disordered, attacking on 4+ (+1 for charging; -1 for being disordered). The second unit charges with no resistance and hits on 3+. After the fight you compare casualties, excluding the ones caused by Closing Fire and adding +1 for any supporting units (up to +3) and after establishing the winning side, the losers take a break test. If it's a draw, all units that are shaken take a break test.

[Cubster]

Yes, but if the attacking column can make full contact by moving straight forward (the shortest distance) it must do so, not shuffle to onside to line up with the edge.

Yeah, got that bit.

No! Only the first column weathers the storm of fire from the defenders.

I meant in moves leading up to the charge. This is one bit that does annoy me though, the way that a good roll for moves somehow blinds the opponent to someone walking towards them until they charge. Yes, I can live with the idea of a good commander doubling his men forward purposefully ... but why should that make the opposition sit about idly?

I guess it's all about move rates, weapon ranges and their translation to the table, but it is one of the sticking points for me. Hopefully as I say, the Napoleonic ruleset will clear it up a little and have some appropriate tweaks for the period and their tactics.

[CplJohn]

You might also want to think about the length of your lines and the width of your columns.

I was having problems with two cavalry units being able to charge and contact one enemy infantry line. Made it almost impossible to stop the cavalry as the fire was either split or hit only one allowing the other to close unhindered.

Solution: made my cavalry units bigger. Now the players could not get two on to one.

Again, as wargamers we tend to find the loophole and exploit it, or see the gaming opportunity that probably would not exist historically. Did French columns advance on the enemy and then all decide just to mug the one line in the middle and ignore the other enemy lines around them. Porbably not, but they do all the time in wargames.

Just make your lines shorter or your columns wider!

cheers

[Grossi]

We forgot that the British were Steady and automatically rolled a '12' for their first Break Tests. Then again, they were both Shaken by the number of casualties inflicted from the Hand to Hand against the attack columns, and that would have broken the brigade.

So there is no problem me stacking two attack columns on a line (we play with 24-figure units, lines 12x2 and attack columns 6x4)?
And the chance that even one column can be stopped by musketry is pretty remote (4 dice needing 3+ and then a morale save of 3+) and the British weren't having particularly poor dice rolling. It seems weird that muskets cannot stop a column in its tracks. (Assuming the French get a +1 morale save for attack column vs. closing fire?)

We did not count the attack column +1 bonus for hand-to-hand, and included the -1 disorder for one French unit. The British rolled pretty averagely in hand-to-hand. It wasn't poor dice that broke the British - it was the French being able to stack 12 dice with charge bonuses against 6 dice.