Hah! Have I got a lot to say. My loyal readers have written with some notes that deserve a column, and on top of that, our Fearless Leader said something that will allow me, in our next battle, to wipe his krauts six ways from Sunday. You see, Jean thinks that I will do a type of assault that I usually do when I am forced to "aggress..." But as an old Austrian War poster said..."Loose Lips sink Ships, or Archdukes or ....' Stay tuned for the next battle report.
Seriously, as you know I always am, writer Silverstein brings to the front some interesting topics:
Firepower--we have seen that the effects of muskets are more morale rated than the basic kill factor (unlike the American Civil War where over 90°s of the battle casualties were due to musket fire).
The point is raised that most rules make everyone into excellent shots (which we are trying to correct by downgrading the effectiveness of fire), and the other concept mentioned is the idea of skirmishers. Loyal writer Silverstein makes the point that in many game systems skirmishers' fire is not all that effective and the formed line can usually blow them away, which is not realistic since the line normally would hold fire. The power of the line's fire against skirmishers should really be reduced.
But maybe one of the problems we see with units breaking and units stting there and slugging it out is actually a function of time. That's true, flexible time. Units cou1d have a hand-to-hand combat that lasted a real "minute", and on the other hand, you could have a firefight that went on for 15--these are equal in many rules. We need to adjust the line fire against skirmishers so that they cannot just swat them away. What thinking about all this does show is the progress from the time of the Napoleonic Wars to the ACW. The bulk of Napoleonic casualties came from cannon fire and cavalry.
ON REMOUNTING OUR ARMIES:
I must make a comment on the remounting of the armies. Readers can recall when we switched to 15mm -- well, no 5mms ever. But Jean cut can the bases in half. Now while this will give us more space on the game table I will make the observation that will support only two figures per company will not be a popular scale. It's 60 to 1 scale and gamers like more figures morelfigures. I like more figured. I am not satisfied...I'm just old and cranky!
Here is another subject that we have neglected. Prisoners! more often than not, units that came within combat distance (I define that as when an advancing unit forces a unit to rout or retire). A die should be rolled with the following results:
In percentage of unit's strength:
- 1 =s 10%
6 =s 60%, etc.
ON A SPECIFIC BATTLE SITUATION
We have a situation ( in the battle described in this issue) that was first brought to your forward-thinking elements by the last issue as well as by nagging bits of reading that I've done over the last three decades (three ARGHHHHHH!).
By some turn of justice, Le Commandand Des Krauts (Monsieur Jean) has become trapped on a bridge, and is being assaulted from all sides. On one side of the brigde, the first division had been defeated and has fallen "back" upon the others trapped on the bridge. The point I'm raising is: when does the logic of surrender take place? Reading accounts of many battles, one soon realizes that the average gamer rarely if ever takes prisoners or surrenders. So what kind of situation allows for surrender?
This is really at variance with historical accounts. If pressed, masses of soldiers tend to surrender--even if they suspect foul treatment or treachery. Examples from the Napoleonic Wars or the American Civil War are easily found. Now the problem is how to translate this into a rule. I suggest:
SURRENDER RULE
The probability of a surrender occurs when a unit (s) is either completely surrounded, three-quarters surrounded by vastly superior forces (3 to 1), or devastated by fire (40% or more casualties in a turn). It doesn't matter if there is a chance of a way out--how many men in a unit would see it? And most certainly will not be to the unit's front.
One die will be rolled with the following results:
- 1,2 -- fight on
3,4,5 -- surrender
6 -- panic surrender--80% surrender, the rest disperse and are no longer usable for the remainder of the game.
ROUT IF PURSUED: Now a unit throws a die
- 1,2 -- 10% loss
3,4,5 -- 30% loss
6 -- 50% loss
Now let's go out there and get those Austrians, lots of them.
THE PLEA
Now much to my regret, I need some SYW information. This is really terrible and my wife is groaning as she proofreads this but..... whaddahell.
Basically, I need flag and uniform data for at least 8 French and English regiments and artillery. Z do have the old booklets on the Prussians and Austrians, but I need more, even as, grateful to my loyal readers, I tender my thanks as I go out to grease the Carriage wheels. (Not 5mm--and you should have seen the horror when I offered the White Menace a 5mm Hussar as a picket.)
As this is written, we are about to smash the White Menace and I am so inspired that I will soon launch a massive attack of all my krauts. As the hate remounting proceeds, I'm doing a map for campaigning and Jim Bello is doing the roster; our wives will kill us all.
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