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SGH

Fusilier

Posts: 220

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Jun 17 06 11:15 AM

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A recent game threw up what appears to be an anomaly.

In a recent Peninsula game, a French Horse battery supported by light cavalry swept into canister range of British infantry, unlimbered and prepared punish the enemy.

Only it didn't. Because canister range and musketry range is the same, it was mowed down by volley fire.

Enquires lead me to conclude that this is not right - 6pdr canister range should be greater than musket range.

As they stand, it seems to me that the rules effectively prevent the correct use of horse artillery and also discourage the correct response - the rushing forward of skirmishers or the deployment of light cavalry.

Maybe the range of musktery should be reduced by, say, 2cm? (or that of canister increased by that amount)?
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#1 [url]

Jun 17 06 11:26 AM

Were there many instances of HA unlimbering close to infantry like this?

I think the main purpose was to reach an area for firing quickly or to leave it quickly, not to get in very close.

Canister could be sed at longer ranges, but is presumably assumed to be no more effective than roundshot. Effective range of canister is 20cm. Effective range of musketry is 10cm.

Swampster

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#2 [url]

Jun 17 06 11:37 AM

In a recent Peninsula game, a French Horse battery supported by light cavalry swept into canister range of British infantry, unlimbered and prepared punish the enemy.


If the HA battery was supported by light cavalry I would have thought the British battalion would have been busy forming square... 1/4 of the figures firing at long range would have been hard put to knock out a battery. What did they roll?

If they were in line, had fired the previous turn and the lt cav were within 1/2 charge it would be goodbye battalion...

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Rudorff

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#3 [url]

Jun 17 06 3:36 PM

SGH,

I think we'll need a little more detail on this one to make any informed reply to your query.

How many figures were firing, at what range (long or effective for the muskets) etc.

A quick glance at the musket tables, assuming a British battalion of 30, which stays in the same bracket of figures, if at long range, would need to throw 11 or 12 for 3 turns running to guarantee taking a gun off the battery.

On the first turn the battalion would be on a -2 (+1 British in line; -3 deployed artillery), and on a -4 (+1 British; -3 deployed artillery, -2 fired last turn) for any subsequent turns, with any casualties halved for being at long range.

Any average throws by the battalion would have them killing 1 at best, and more likely have them throwing for half and quarter casualties.

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#4 [url]

Jun 19 06 9:53 AM

SGH
As Gary says it would take some dice throwing of monstrous proportions to wipe out a deployed gun battery before the battery could inflict at least some damage on the Brits.
Did your guns throw double one and go low on ammo?
That would help but still you would have needed to keep rolling double ones to the Brits double sixes.
I suspect you didnt apply the half casualties modifier when the Brits were firing at long range.
A poor dice throw for a 3 gun horse battery on morale when suffering 10% casualties could I suppose cause them to be "swept away" quite quickly

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