Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

Rich Hamilton and I had a discussion recently about the Rout Limiting (RL) and Flank Morale Modifier (FMM) (though we really discussed the former more than the latter).

I usually like to play with the RL rule ON. However, Rich pointed out that units in our games tend to stay on the line too long and that with the rule OFF you can see some historical routs. His comment was to just space the units apart.

Now while I could see his arguments the spacing of units over 100 meters is unhistorical. When a regiment marched in echelon or abreast towards the front line they rarely had more than a 40 yard/meter interval.

So in defense of Rich's suggestion I advocate that players also turn ON the Flank Morale Modifier so that you can have those routs that took place historically but that with the Flank Morale Mod on you give the units the security that their flanks are guarded.

BTW - I took this idea from the old Sid Meier's Gettysburg game. Also from my miniature rules experiences. Thus when I suggested the rule to John some years back it was with this flank security concept in mind.

With the FMM rule OFF you get too many routs with the RL rule ON.

I plan on trying out my games with these two rules set as listed above. Hoping to see if it works out better.

Lieutenant Colonel Bill Peters
Armee du Rhin - V Corps, Cavalerie du V Corps, 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]

Hi Bill
I have played a few games with Rout Limiting off and FMM on and I think it works very well. You do get the odd mass rout but that is realistic I think.

Having a morale modifier for secure flanks is a great idea as this effected troops greatly in battle. Also the routing of units on a flank also had significant impact with a ripple effect sometimes occurring.

Indeed it was this ripple effect that Napoleon's method often relied on. I recall he called it ‘breaking the equilibrium’. So this arrangement of the optional rules seems the most realistic.

regards


Colonel Colin Knox,
Baron de l'Empire
2e Regiment Gardes d'Honneur
La Jeune Garde
CO. 1er Brigade, III Division Cavalerie Legere, III Corps Armee du Nord
http://www.aspire.co.nz/colinknoxnwc.htm

Since I enjoy understanding the impact of the rules I'll put some obervations on the table.

While the FMM and RL are clearly related, I don't think the combination of the two changes the impact as much as other factors.

FMM effectively raises the quality of a unit with units on its flank by one step, when taking any check. I think it makes sense on its own merits and I generally play with it on.

RL if turned on essentially puts a "cap" on how many units might participate in secondary routs. How many units are impacted by this I think is more of a consideration of how dense the units are in the area of the battle. If the area of the battle is small and a lot of troops are engaged, then turning on rout limiting will make a significant difference in the amount of secondary routing. If the battle area is large for the number of units engaged, then the natural occurance of vacant hexes between units will effectively limit the secondary routing.

As a game mechanic, I think you need to look at the number of units on each side and the percentage of low quality units to decide whether to activate rout limiting. For example, if the overall troop numbers are about the same but one side has a higher percentage of poor quality units I think you want to turn rout limiting on, otherwise you are are giving the opponent an advantage -- which may be historical, but may not make for a good game. On the other hand if one side has a lot more troops but they are low quality, playing without rout limiting is a way to give the smaller force an opportunity. If both forces are roughly the same size and quality, it doesn't really matter, but playing without rout limiting does add to the opportunity for a major surprise.

If you like some numbers, I made a little analysis of secondary routing in 1812 assuming no rout limiting. I did it to get some insights has to how to balance scenarios when one OOB had a high number of low quality units. Now there are a number of factors you should consider and you could probably do a statistical thesis on the topic, here are my numbers from a simplified spreadsheet.

Assuming 60 % of the units take fire from units of comparable size.

Case 1 - units are packed close - there are 3 other units next to every unit. The number of units that rout depend on the effective quality - if C - 22%, D - 52%, E - 85%

Case 2 - units are not packed close - there is only 1 unit adjacent to every unit. If C - 9%, D- 17%, E - 26%



Major General Sir Bob Breen KT

1st (The King's) Dragoon Guards
Commanding 71st Highlanders
Past Commandant, RMA

This is my prefered way to play. guard your flanks and be very careful and intentional about when you mass troops tight together. The Prussians at Waterloo being an example..

Feldmarschall Jim 'Prinz' Pfluecke
Commander, Austrian Cavalry Reserve
3 Graf O'Reilly Chevauxleger Rgt
Hahn Grenadier Bn

Here's my preferd rules set with the engine today:






Maréchal Hamilton,
Duc de Barbancon
21st Division
VII Corps, ADR

1er Regiment Garde
Fusiler-Grenadiers

I've played with Flank Morale Modifier on and Rout limiting off for quite awhile now. It just makes sense to me that if a neighboring unit routing could affect you then having neighboring units standing next to you should have some affect also.

Lt. General Sir Mark Nelms K.G.
1st Regiment of Foot Guards

Rich - I note you leave the No Opportunity Fire Against Skirmishers (NOFAS) rule OFF. That was adopted to stop the unhistorical firing against the leaders as they move into stacks.

Compared to what you have been saying on another forum about reducing leader casualties (those additional leaders I added to Jena) this seems to go against your thoughts on that.

Also the skirmishers rarely were fired on by formed units as they moved. Just a waste of ammunition for the most part.

What is your rationale for wanting the rule to be OFF?

Bob - good points. In the ACW series I dont like Rout Limiting OFF as the Yanks normally suffer terribly from this in several of the games in the series. In the one Franklin battle the entire Yank command cowered in the corner of the town. Was just pathetic ... [;)] (as he dons his CSA officers hat and cape)

Lieutenant Colonel Bill Peters
Armee du Rhin - V Corps, Cavalerie du V Corps, 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]