Some interesting questions

[ady2650]

Jammers and Quinton ( my mates... yes I have some) are playing a napoleonic Blackpowder game
Austrians v French 1809 ish

Jammers orders a French Infantry Brigade in mixed order assualt columns to charge an Austrian brigade in line. Jammers needs three moves to get to contact. drum roll please .... Jammers roles two moves

Question = Do the French mixed order assault columns change during their move to pure assualt columns or do they maintain their present formation. I was asked by the guys and gave an answer, just want your thoughts on the matter.?

[Alan Charlesworth]

Hi Ady

I would go with the definition on page 56. This states that if a unit makes several moves only the final move into contact is the actual charge move.

So when reading page 79 where it says Mixed Formation can charge and reform as a single move i would read it as referring to the final move to contact.

As the French didn't make contact they are still in Mixed Formation.

Just my take on it.

Regards

Alan

[Jammers]

We wuz robbed!!

I needed the 3rd move* as it was over a stream and we said in advance it would take a whole move to cross

Not as dumb as it sounds to try - i used my "H-H-H" Brigade Commander

[Jammers]

Riddle me this one gents ..

My French charge an Austrian battalion gun in line with infantry. Less than 50% of the Austrian line was covered. According to the letter of the law the Austrian infantry isn't engaged. It doesn't feel right somehow though

The battalion gun evaporates, as do two "supporting" (sic) units of Austrians/Hungarians, who both roll 4.

Q is looking less than pleased at this point. I barely stiffle a snigger ...

[Big Al]

Jammers, you say that the French charged and destroyed the gun. How did you lose two supporting units when guns can't be supported? I don't think that they should have tested. See page 63 about supports. I know that units should test whether or not they actually support, should a friendly unit break or be destroyed, but I would not count them as in that position because of the rules about support and artillery.

I also agree about the incidental contact of the adjacent unit. Was the unit a large unit? If so, it might account for why less than 50% was contacted. On the plus side for the French, they'd have been facing closing fire from that unit as well and all those additional attacks. For the Austrians, I think that only the gun should have been removed. French unit probably toast next turn.

[Jammers]

Interesting points Big Al

I'm the novice in the group - the Veteran reached for the dice to test but i take the point

I don't think the Austrian infantry get to give the closing fire as its not in combat; the French didn't traverse that unit. The artillery fire did nowt!

All the battalion gun base was covered by the French attack - Austrian infantry was in line formation

[ady2650]

I wasnt there, and havnt got the books with me, but I am sure it says something about testing whether they supported or not ?

[ady2650]

Hi Ady

I would go with the definition on page 56. This states that if a unit makes several moves only the final move into contact is the actual charge move.

So when reading page 79 where it says Mixed Formation can charge and reform as a single move i would read it as referring to the final move to contact.

As the French didn't make contact they are still in Mixed Formation.

Just my take on it.

Regards

Alan

Hi Alan this is what I said
lets put this question into battlefield reports from the era, in the main
reports of french assaults in column; phase 1 continental generals deploy
their field forces on forward slop positions in view of the French enemy.
french commanders deploy artillery assets and dedicated skirmish assets
(usually light infantry battalions or conmbined voltigeur/tirralieur
battalions) to soften up the point of attack ( the dedicated artillery
could be a Grand battery), whilst battalion, brigade or divisional !!
columns are formed at their staging areas. Once the
Austrians/Russians/Prussians etc were sufficiently softend up (wavering
being openly visible to French commanders) the assault columns would be
unleashed, in the main the mere site and sound of thousands of french men
advancing had the desired effect. Now we come to the formation of the said
assault columns, if the skirmish screen created by the dedicated skirmish
assets was sufficient then the voltiguers from the battalion column would
form part of said attack column usually at the front. If that was not the
case the battalions voltiguers would skirmish, allowing the main body to
move through their position at the last moment.
So how does this generelisation transfer to the gaming table .... I think
that the column would change formation on the turn that it charges home so
that would be the last move of a sequence of moves e.g.

1. A Mixed Order Battalion needs 1 move to make contact and fails its order
= No change in formation
2. A Mixed Order Battalion needs 2 move to make contact and recieves 1
order = One move and no change in formation
3. A Mixed Order Battalion needs 3 move to make contact and recieves 2
orders = Two moves and no change in formation

[Alan Charlesworth]

Ady

My reply addressed the RAW. You have introduced the dastardly and nefarious tactic of referring to the real world to support and justify your answer

Fortunately it would seem that the two coincide

Regards

Alan

[Jammers]

As we're all in high spirits

Could we get a consensus on whether those two Austrian units of infantry should have tested or not for the Battalion Gun breaking. Thanks chaps