Colonial Campaigns Club (CCC)

What's the deal with stragglers in the games? The rules say that "If a Routed unit fails the Morale Check, it stays Routed, but also loses a number of men based on the amount the Die Roll exceeds the Morale, times 25 for Infantry and Cavalry, which is reported as lost stragglers." From observations I've made, I don't think the straggler rule is working right, if at all. Any feedback on this please?

Phil Natta

It works - poor morale units (ie American Militia) suffer more than your Brits do.

Phil,
It really does work, for example if quality is 3 and morale check is 6 differance is 3 times 25 or 3 times stacking ratio... I think reference to 25 men was when each stacking point equaled 25 men. Now that stacking point is equal to one man, the rule should probably read difference of die times stacking point, Just guessing on this point.

Units will never go below 1 in straggling. Number of actuall stragglers is never shown. You will only see report that unit lost stragglers on the turn end report. To verify how many, one must write down strenth of unit on turn one, and then look at strengh of same unit on turn two, only if it lost stragglers. There is nothing in the game that will tell you how many straaglers the company has lost.

I'll take your word for it guys, but in over 100 club games I've never seen one mention of stragglers lost, even after a routed unit of mine takes a hit by fire and routs again, nor have I noticed a loss in men of that same unit. Maybe I'm being selectively observant. [:)]
Phil

It definitely works Phil, I've seen units disentegrate because a commander tried to keep them on the line when routed, and they continued to take losses and then suffer lost stragglers. Have seen 50 or 60 men lost in a turn (from several units) from this.

Phil, oh, it works very well in fact. I've seen it turn a battle on two occasions (both against Dierk actually) the first time we were at Ft Stanwix and about 1/3 of my garrison straggled in one turn. Bad scene.

The other time, Dierk had some Indian troops, and at one point in the game they broke and he lost 100+ in one turn, taking me from minor loss to salvaging a draw.

Thanks for the info gents. Are reports given to either player for straggler losses? Al says no but the rule alludes to some sort of report.

It's not a detailed report. When you get the report for the beginning of the turn, in the list of routed units, it will note any that lost stragglers. No numbers or the like.

Hmm, never noticed that but I'll start looking. Actual numbers would be nice, Rich. [;)]
Phil

Phil,

I guess we can test the straggler rule at Bennington.[:D]

Yes we can Jon, get your abacus out next turn and let me know your count. [:I][B)][8)]