American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Of course everyone should have on their check list of things to do at the start of any new game "How to handle Column Melee?" Even if you don't care don't assume the opponent doesn't have preconceived ideas about it so its best to qualify up front before the situation arrises.

Now for my personal recommendations after having seen numerous versions attempted.

Infantry (and infantry only) can't melee from column unless it is the only means of entering the hex in question.

This is simple and straight forward but has many ramifications some of which are:

1. It won't work in all scenarios because the scenario was designed assuming it is easy to take and control bridges. You have to particularly be carefull with heavily wooded scenarios like in the West and the Pennisula battles.

2. It means what it says. You can't cross a creek in column then proceed to continue using melee. The hex entered must be unenterable by any other means so only the hex on the opposite side from your unit with a creek inbetween qualifies.

3. This also means that column melee can't be used in towns because you can move through town hexes in line, it just disrupts them when they do. I think using column melee in towns makes them entirely to easy to take and they weren't easy.

4. The rule doesn't apply in any way to Cavalry. I consider Cavalry's main formation for fighting should be Column and shouldn't be restricted.

5. It also means a column moving through heavily wooded areas can easily be stopped by a small number of men. Forcing them to go into line to clear the way. Tough! As Jackson found in his march to join Lee for the Seven Days, if you don't take it into consideration you will be sorry.

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General Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
AoT II/1/3 (CSA)