Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

Another novice question, no doubt. Sorry. But what are you meant to do about enemy cavalry when you have none yourself?  Defensive games are no problem - form squares in appropriate areas, try to get cannon up to reduce the cavalry, perhaps. At least, when I'm defending I've never noticed this problem. But what about where I'm attacking and have no cavalry, but the enemy does? How do I get them out of the way? Is there anything I can do with (attacking) infantry to deal with cavalry? 

Thanks,

Peter

It depends on the terrain, number of enemy cavalry and type.

If its Cossacks advance on them without any worries. They do not get the charge bonus.

If it is light cavalry (non-lancers) with normal morale (Chasseurs - 4) you can use a couple of units in Line formation to advance on them. Fire every chance you get. If they charge have backup infantry in line to fire on the Disordered cavalry.

If it is Lancers, Medium or Heavy cavalry stay in square or stay back of a hedge one hex. If the cavalry charges you and goes over the hedge it disorders and will have less value in the melee.

I like Line formation against cavalry. Just know that the battalion will get beaten badly in a melee but it always retreats facing the cavalry.

Light cavalry wont stand up as well to infantry over a short period of time. Their lower morale will cause them to rout.

BUT ....

Guns and infantry are a good combination against cavalry. Form square, put a battery in that hex and fire at the cavalry every chance you get.

The proper use of terrain is vital in this series ....

_________________


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)

Thanks Bill! Very helpful! Can you believe that, until reading your reply, I had never thought - or even imagined possible - that you would place a cannon inside a square and it would be able to fire! You mean you can site a square and cannon in the same hex and BOTH can fire normally? Peter

Yes, Bill is right. You can indeed do that.

And cavalry, even cossacks, are worth good points, so encourage your opponent to attack you.

_________________
Ernie Sands
1ère Brigade of 2ème Division de Grosse Cavalerie, Réserve de Cavalerie
de la Grande Armée
President, Colonial Campaigns Club

Good comments from Bill. One of the risks Peter is that your opponent uses combined arms.
If he has the 3 types of troops and you the 2 it gets much harder. In that case often choosing the terrain to attack through that does not favour cavalry is a good idea. In the later titles the cavalry and artillery of the allied forces is very powerful and a big challenge for the French player. Particularly when a skilled officer takes charge of it.

Also where you have a large infantry army vs the powerful mixed allied forces (such as Bautzen) the French player must be patient but also do what he can to disrupt the allied artillery deployments. Once those big Russian guns are in play the casualties will mount. Large and gradual concentric manoeuvres may be required in some cases.

All in all I like playing allieds in these later titles!
With the exception of Leipzig or Dresden.

_________________
Marechal Knox

Prince d'Austerlitz et Comte d'Argentan
Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur

"What is history but a fable agreed upon"