Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

Lets use the Prussian Model. Given that we have the following formation formed up in 3 Lines:

--X---X (first line was light battalions and skirmishers ahead of them)

X-X-B-X-X

--X-X-X--

Where X = battalion and B = Battery and the battalions are regulation sized (760-800) what would the frontage of the above brigade be?

Another thing? Why is it that we are always satisfied using the Shortened Line? Perhaps if we didn't play the game in such a "anything goes" format then it would make more sense to use the Extended Line.

In the above example there is a hex gap between these battalions to allow them to form a full line.

Thus are we looking at a frontage of say 9-10 hexes?

Now follow this ... with this frontage - would another friendly brigade come crashing through this formation or filter through to attack the enemy?

If you were to deploy the typical four brigade Prussian corps on a front with one brigade in reserve it would take up about 36-40 hexes in frontage. Gaps allowed for the Reserve cavalry to deploy for attacking. Any dissenters on the frontage value?

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Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Prinz Peters von Dennewitz

3. Husaren-Regiment, Reserve-Kavallerie, Preußischen Armee-Korps

Honarary CO of Garde-Ulanen Regiment, Garde-Grenadier Kavallerie

NWC Founding Member

For Club Games: I prefer the Single Phase mode of play. I prefer to play with the following options OFF:

MDF, VP4LC, NRO, MTD, CMR, PR, MIM, NDM, OMR (ver 4.07)

Good question Bill. I think it the historical practce is discouraged by the command situation in the game engine. Particularly in games where a lot of movement is required to get into a battle situation, the brigades will tend to be grouped around their commander, to benefit from the command radius. An overall commander will keep the units in each brigade within that radius but not care that much about intermingling, so long as it does not confuse the situation. So a brigade frontage will reflect where the units wind up rather than a "pure' reading of optimal arrangements.

I suspect the historical situation was more complicated and brigades were kept separate for very good reasons. But so long as the game engine relies only on the command radius, there is no reason for players to adopt that historical arrangement.

Well actually the Prussian formation I depict has 3 brigades under it with one division commander called a "Brigade" leader. So command control in the example is not a problem.

But I hear you on this.

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Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Prinz Peters von Dennewitz

3. Husaren-Regiment, Reserve-Kavallerie, Preußischen Armee-Korps

Honarary CO of Garde-Ulanen Regiment, Garde-Grenadier Kavallerie

NWC Founding Member

For Club Games: I prefer the Single Phase mode of play. I prefer to play with the following options OFF:

MDF, VP4LC, NRO, MTD, CMR, PR, MIM, NDM, OMR (ver 4.07)

In all of the HPS games the frontage for this formation can be as short as 5 hexes, i.e. 500 meters. In HR document this issue was described in detail (http://www.nwc.albom55.ru/hrp/pic/H&R%20Main%201.01.pdf pages 14-17, all the files made may be found here http://www.nwc.albom55.ru/hrp/).

100 meters of frontage is enough to contain 430 men in line without any tactical intervals. Hence every batallion in line from the example should occupy two hexes and minimal frontage is 9 hexes=900 meters, almost twice longer. This is one of the main reasons we began the Project.

That is "normal" frontage for line. These four batallions could possibly cover 20 hexes in thin line with 1 hex in between "demibatallions" and arty brokendown in two "demibatteries". This very brigade can occupy a shortened front of 4 hexes with all the demibatallions in columns, two per hex and arty on the back. Or even 2 hexes with regimants put one behind another. Under such assumptions I see nothing wrong in a reserve brigade passing through the "front line" and penetrating the enemy line. Such a calibration allows to understand successes of early French column tactics agains immobile lines of Austrians and Prussians.

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My solution is simpler. No OB changes.

Just keep a one hex gap if possible. Go to Extended Line or stay in Shortened Line.

Shortened line gets penalized in the system because theoretically one to two companies are kept in reserve and do not fire.

Perfectly acceptable that a 600 man battalion can fit in a 100 meter hex if two companies are not on the front.

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Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Prinz Peters von Dennewitz

3. Husaren-Regiment, Reserve-Kavallerie, Preußischen Armee-Korps

Honarary CO of Garde-Ulanen Regiment, Garde-Grenadier Kavallerie

NWC Founding Member

For Club Games: I prefer the Single Phase mode of play. I prefer to play with the following options OFF:

MDF, VP4LC, NRO, MTD, CMR, PR, MIM, NDM, OMR (ver 4.07)

180 men per rank at 100 meter frontage times three = 540. Officers, NCOs, musicians and color guard the last 60. Only the first two ranks, 360 men, can use their weapons effectively.