Since General de Brigade was brought into the public arena it appears that wargamers actually use and enjoy the rules despite the best efforts of a certain columnist from a rival wargames magazine! As a result it was suggested that an occasional article could appear in Age of Napoleon to discuss and illustrate Napoloenic themes connected with the rule system - such as Napoleonic tactics, scenarios, refights, new rules, amendments and any other ideas that readers have. It is hoped that readers will provide most of the material rather than have to suffer my repeated ramblings! [it is also hoped to get a General de Brigade User Group up and running so far-flung players can contact fellow users. Contact the editor or myself and we will either print or dispatch lists to players. Whilst the answers to questions might refer to G de B don't feel your self restricted. If your own rules provide the answer, let as know how the mechanics work. ]

So to start off I'll cover a recent discussion (or was it an argument!) concerning what actually happened when attack columns failed to charge home (i.e. "faltering " columns) and the subsequent historical practise of deploying into line for a firefight.

ATTACK COLUMNS: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THEY FAILED?

So what actually happened when Napoleonic attack columns were stopped by effective enemy musketry fire? It seems that there were usually three results.

1 The Defeated Column.

On receiving enemy fire the column halted in confusion and disorder. The front ranks may have quite literally been decimated causing a break down in discipline and command. The survivors of the front ranks may have attempted to seek safety in the middle of the column, or simply stood in confusion - giving the column an appearance of "swaying back and forth". Some soldiers began an ineffective return fire - probably under no real orders but being more of a defensive reaction. It was at this point that the column was at its most vulnerable and in no position to reply effectively to an enemy attack. The column was "lost" to the assault and probably incapable of further offensive action. This attack column would now either retreat before a charge or retreat following a few more enemy volleys. The classic quote of such a reaction is from Marshal Bugeaud describing an attack on a British line. "The enemy's steady, concentrated volleys swept our ranks; decimated, we turned round seeking to recover our equilibrium; then three deafening cheers broke the silence of our opponents; at the third they were on us, pushing our disorganised flight."

2 The Shaken Column

On being brought to a halt some columns appeared to have recovered some discipline and order. Maybe they had not suffered as many casualties as in the first example although they had lost momentum and would advance no further. Or perhaps the column was not subsequently charged or subjected to further effective musketry. Nonetheless the column still remained vulnerable but given time it would recover and be in a far better position to respond to enemy attack. For example Gazan's French column attack at Albuera on being brought to a standstill by combined Spanish and British musketry managed to recover and engaged in a lengthy firefight though obviously had lost the will to keep pressing forward. Gazan was fortunate in that his columns were not charged by the enemy immediately after the initial setback.

3 The Veteran Column.

Some attack columns appeared to have recovered quickly from the effects of the enemy's fire and actually attempted to deploy in line while still under fire. Their discipline and morale must have been good even though all forward impetus may have gone. I suspect only the most experienced units were capable of such a reaction, e.g. the Middle Guard at Waterloo. Although the Middle Guard battalions did attempt to deploy into line, possibly only the 4th Chasseurs managed it, the rest were unable to do so. Also during the battle of Vimerio General Thomieres attempted to deploy his brigade into line after receiving several volleys from the 50th Foot. He found this to be impossible, "the French recoiled at each volley" and finally "broke and fled to the rear". Even with disciplined units it appeared extremely difficult to form line when under enemy fire and understandably so. Perhaps against less effective opposition than the British it was possible

The overriding factor from all three examples is that once a column had been brought to a standstill by fire it was in a state of extreme vulnerability for a distinct period of time. Gifted commanders such as Wellington, who invariably ordered his units to charge at this crucial point, spotted this vulnerability. Less capable commanders seemed to have allowed the faltering columns enough breathing space to reform and recover. We then end up with a situation not unlike that at Albuera, the columns have lost momentum but having recovered discipline and morale are willing to engage in a lengthy firefight.

An important point to raise here is whether the columns actually had enough room to deploy. Usually brigades advanced with sufficient room between each attack column so deployment into line was possible should it be required. But densely packed brigade formations, such as Gazan's column at Albuera, would certainly hinder deployment. Once a column was brought to a standstill by enemy fire within these formations any attempt to deploy into line may well have fallen into confusion due to insufficient space. It would literally appear a "milling mob"!

The theory or military practise at the time dictated that if the enemy failed to retire before a column assault then the attacking units were to deploy into line. But the reality was that only the most experienced units were able to do so or even make an attempt at this when within close proximity to the enemy. The vast majority of units lost any form of command and control after the first few enemy volleys. To deploy into line was a complicated manoeuvre requiring order and discipline and this was simply not possible under the conditions an attack column found itself in when halted by effective defensive fire. This was only too well known to senior French commanders, they realised that to halt or deploy for a firefight meant that the attack had failed. This is why many generals, including Marshal Ney, ordered assaults with empty muskets - or ordered soldiers to remove their flints. This was to encourage the men to charge home - there being no point in stopping to fire with no flints or ammunition!

The Rules?

How is the above covered in the rules at the moment? General de Brigade attempts to reflect the historical reality while trying not to over complicating the issue, add extra rules unnecessarily or leave players with too little control.

I decided that if a column falters during a charge it has two options available to it both of which seemed a fairly realistic interpretation of Napoleonic practise.

1. It can fire in the fire phase. Now if it decides to fire while still faltering that's fine and reasonably realistic. This fire will be extremely weak and almost ineffective it certainly shouldn't win any firefight. This often happened in the Napoleonic wars especially in the Peninsula when faltering French columns engaged in firefights with British lines - where they almost invariably came off worst.

2. Or reform and then deploy into line. If the faltering column takes this option - it will require two turns to do so. One turn to reform and one turn to deploy into line. Players will be lucky if they can achieve this. After all the French were not especially successful, especially when faced by the British as the British line rarely gave the French column time to successfully deploy.

So when the rules were written I felt that the historical points were covered and gave a reasonably realistic outcome. Simplicity was maintained, while no special rules or extra tables needed to be employed. However an alternative but more complicated approach was considered and included the following.

Once a charging infantry column has failed its morale check achieving a "falter" result the owning player immediately rolls 2d6 and applies the following.

UNIT REACTION TO A FALTER RESULT

Roll 2D6 per faltering attack column. Modifiers Conscript and Second Line - 1. Elite & Guard

Result - 8 or less = the column falters. [The player may exercise the option to reform and charge again, firefight or reform and then deploy into line in subsequent turns.] Result - 9 or above = the column halts still formed but must deploy into line in the next movement phase. If there is insufficient room for the battalion to deploy it will become unformed and unform the units adjacent to it that are preventing it from deploying.

This has the added "bonus" that players will have to give some thought to correct deployment distances between attacking columns - pack them too close and they will be unable to deploy.

Although this certainly complicates the issue and so takes up more time it does have its merits and appeals to some. I certainly attend to give this matter further thought and a version of this may appear in any future additions of the rules.

Let me know what you think.