Defensive fire isn't as damaging in our HPS games as offensive fire because the unit defensively firing can possibly defensively fire more than once in a turn. If they made defensive fire as affective as offensive fire, then the game might end up being too weighted towards the defensively firing unit with more devastating volleys than the offensively firing unit. That wouldn't be fair, IMO.
The way that I see it, this is one problem with any <font color="orange"><b>You-go-I-go </b></font id="orange">format. All these actions are essentially taking place at <b><font color="green">one time.</font id="green"></b> What happens first? What happens second? In a <font color="orange"><b>You-go-I-go</b></font id="orange"> format that unfairness is inherent even though attempts are made to minimize it.
The <font color="red"><u><b>only</b></u></font id="red"> <font color="black"></font id="black">format for wargaming where it is totally fair to both sides is a <font color="orange"><b>we-go</b></font id="orange"> format where all the actions happen based upon minute impulses --one at a time over a period of time. Each action taking it's "turn."
By doing things that way, only so many volleys in say ---a ten minute game turn is possible. Whether they are offensive or defensive volleys doesn't matter any more. They will happen at full strength when appropriate.
Luckily for us, a Napoleonic game like that is on the horizon. For those that do not know, it is called <font color="orange"><b>Black Powder Wars: Battles for Napoleon.</b></font id="orange"> It is somewhere between alpha and beta stages right now and you can see more about it here:
http://www.doubleshotdesign.com/ The older DSD forum has a lot of information about the game while Matrix's forum about the game will have developing information.
Hopefully, our club will support it and allow members to play it like the 1NWCG has announced.
Cheers,
Rick
[:)]
<center>Chef de Bataillon Rick Motko
1er Bataillon, 33° Régiment d'Infanterie de Ligne
2eme Brigade, 11eme division
IIIe corps, Armée du Nord</center>