Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

As we all know, disrupted movement allowance was originally only 1/2 that of undisrupted units and has now been increased to 2/3 in a recent patch.

But perhaps it would be better if there were no movement penalty?

I'm suggesting this because:

1./ Disrupted units already get <i>significant</i> fire and melee penalties, making it better to keep disrupted troops out of the front line. Thus removing the movement penalty won't greatly benefit an attacker.

2./ Disrupted defending/retreating units tend to get left behind. While the disrupted movement allowance has now been increased from 1/2 to 2/3, this is still not really sufficient to allow disrupted troops to keep up with other retreating troops, especially in poor weather conditions.

3./ There's currently no movement penalty for fatigue. Thus an undisrupted unit with max fatigue can still move up to the full movement allowance, but a disrupted unit with low (green) fatigue can only move 2/3 normal speed. Is this logical? Surely if there's going to be any movement penalty it would be better to link it to fatigue level rather than disruption?

Perhaps it would be worthwhile if everyone could state their preference for retaining the current 2/3 or else for disrupted units to be allowed full movement?

NB: This is something that can be modified in the pdt, so it won't require any engine changes.


Maj. Rich White
4th Cavalry Brigade
Cavalry Corps
Anglo-Allied Army

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Surely if there's going to be any movement penalty it would be better to link it to fatigue level rather than disruption?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Absolutely agree with this!

<b>general-feldmarshal Eugene Gulyaev
Club Secretary
RA Chief of Staff
Leib-Gvardii Semenovskij Polk
</b>

The movement allowance was increased to better enable an army to conduct a fighting withdrawal. With the disrupted movement allowance at 1/2 mp, the defender was simply overrun by the attacker (ususally the French with superior numbers of units). In addition to the increase in the disordered unit's movement abilty, the cost to "about face" a unit was generally reduced to 2 movement points. This reduction at least allows a disordered unit to retreat and then turn to face the enemy. Say what you will, but I believe that this change has done a great deal to improve the playability of the games.

I can say that this change was much debated amongst the designers and playtesters and we eventually agree that this was the best solution.

As for penalties related to fatigue... I agree that fatigue does not currently play enough of a roll in the games. Both movement and fighting ability should be affected by fatigue. A combat penalty is already assisgned to high fatigue units, and a movement penalty (even a minor one) would be an improvement. Then perhaps players would start resting their units.

I particulary think that units at maximum fatigue should be severely penalized -- perhaps with a higher probability of routing.

IMHO,


FM Sir 'Muddy' Jones, KG
2nd Life Guards, Household Cavalry

Fatigue already does affect morale tests. Check out the rules.

From the manual:

If the unit has Medium Fatigue, then 1 is subtracted from the Morale.

If the unit has High Fatigue, then 2 is subtracted from the Morale.

With the lower morale ratings in Jena you will find that High Fatigue units will rout quite easily.

I would like to see 2 points of fatigue added to a unit for each hex moved into and add 2 for forest, or any other difficult terrain to include going up a slope.

I dont see an issue with night vs. day. If a unit was fully rested and got on the road at 10pm then they could easily march for 4 more hours without any ill effect. But they would be accruing fatigue ...

Bill Peters
Armee du Rhin - V Corps, 5ème Division, 20ème légère Brigade de Cavalerie, 13ème Hussar Regiment
HPS Napoleonic Scenario Designer (Eckmuhl, Wagram, Jena-Auerstaedt and ... more to come)

[url="http://www.fireandmelee.net"]Fire and Melee Wargame site[/url]

I just finished reading "Memoirs of a Cavalier ..." by Daniel Defoe circa 1650's. Though earlier period then Nappy, the ideas correspond. Interestingly enough he used the exact word "disorder" to describe units not easily responding to leader commands. This might be the reason for the 1/2 or 2/3 multiplier applied to movement rate, rather than the actual ability of INDIVIDUAL men walking. These are units composed of hundreds of men moving, which if anyone has tried to organize a team (I coach american tackle football) to do something in unison, should understand the effects disorder can have on UNIT SPEED. Perhaps in game mechanics the disordered unit can move at the same rate as an ordered but at the cost of attrition SP casualties representing men who get seperated from the main body; ie, stragglers.


Col. Dirk Smith
1e Bg, 16 Dv, V Corps
Armee du Rhin