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Allied Training College (ATC) Coalition Library |
NIR Cavalerie Tactics |
This is meant as an introductory manual for the use of French and Russian Cavalerie in the Talonsoft games, in particular the NIR scenarios. My allied co-writer Colonel Wattie will be discussing Cavalerie in the Anglo-Allied games. It is divided into five parts.
I. Introduction Cavalerie is without question one of the most enjoyable arms to use on the battlefield. There is nothing quite like a cavalerie charge as it thunders toward the enemy. However, it is also one of the most difficult arms to control and use effectively. This manual is an attempt to help aid beginning players in their use of the French arme blanche. In addition, I will be discussing the ways in which Russian Cavalerie can be used to counter the French horsemen. I will be discussing usage of the cavalerie in terms of TalonSoft games, not necessarily in their historical sense. Remember this is a game, not quite a historical simulation, although there are of course some common denominators between the two. Perhaps the single most important maxim to remember when employing Cavalerie is: L’audace, l’audace, toujours l’audace.
II. The Basics You have just begun a new scenario and you look out over your deployed forces. You gaze upon those brilliantly bedecked French horsemen and you cannot resist the urge to hurl them at the enemy driving all before them. Now, please refrain from this impulse. One of the first principles of cavalerie usage is conservation of your mounted forces. This is not only a wise tactical maneouvre but it makes sense in TalonSoft game conditions. Each 25 French Cavalerie troopers lost will cost you 8 VPs. That means that you would need to inflict 200 Infantry casualties vs. only 25 Cavalerie just to break even in the exchange! Now this ratio will not be reached even in the best charges, so you must prepare for the fact that you will always come out on the losing end in straight victory point calculation no matter how many enemy soldats you sabre. Victory then must be found through other means. This is not as much of a problem for Russian cavalerie, in fact it is a very substantial benefit. Russian Cossacks will only cost you 4 VP for each 25 that you lose. It is therefore advantageous to use them to engage the French, as you almost always will come out ahead in the exchange. Cavalerie must be broken down into squadrons. This cannot be stressed enough. Historically Cavalerie charged by squadrons, not by regiments, and adhering to this tactic when fighting a TS scenario will greatly enhance your chances of victory. The benefits of this are many and varied. 1) Multiple squadrons reduce the amount of fire that can be directed at you. It is more preferable to have four 50 man Cav units then one 200 man unit charging if they must receive a cannon shot. 2) With your cavalerie divided up into multiple squadrons it is much easier to recover at least some of your units from disorder. In the above example, it is far better to have two of those 50 man units ready next turn with two disordered rather than hoping your one 200 unit makes its die roll. 3) A cavalerie regiment which is divided up into squadrons can effectively block off more terrain and provide more threat zones than one large group of cavalerie. Since Infantry can not attack cavalerie, a unit of 300 cavalerie, divided up into squadrons can make life miserable for advancing infantry if they do not have cavalerie support. The cavalerie may not be strong enough to defeat the infantry, but it can force the infantry to move slowly and try and force the cavalerie back with musket fire, a very tedious process. 4) Doesn’t it just look better to have rows of cavalerie deployed?
III. French cavalerie The French cavalerie must be wielded like a rapier, not a broadsword. I have already stressed the VP discrepancy between the French and Russian cavalerie. This means that the French should only melee Russian cavalerie when they can effectively destroy it as a fighting unit. Battles of attrition should be avoided at all costs. Fortunately, you will invariably have cavalerie superiority over the Russians. You have more cavalerie and in particular, more heavies. Don’t forget the additional 25% bonus that attacking heavy cavalerie or lanciers provide. The Russians will usually aid the French player in their use of cavalerie. Since the French will usually be attacking and the Russians are usually set in defensive positions, a Russian player will invariably use his cavalerie in local counter attacks against the advancing French units. This will leave them exposed and over-extended. You should have no problems cutting them off and destroying them with ZOC. French heavy cavalerie is ideal for this role, they perform the actual thrust while you can use a few 50 man light cavalerie squadrons to block off the retreat options. You should not actively seek out Russian cavalerie by extending your units to go searching for them, be patient, they will come to you. The most difficult obstacle your cavalerie might face is the horrible terrain that is prevalent in the NIR scenarios. Except for the area around Utisa, the ground is ill suited. In particular the area around the Great Redoubt, which is where you are most tempted to use cavalerie, is marked with ravines, streams, wolfpits, woods, and others obstacles which will disorder approaching horse. Still, cavalerie can be used even here if a little thought is put into the charge. The French historically took the redoubt by charging through the rear of it with cavalerie. In this game too you have two convienent entry ways that are assailable. Even better is that they can be reached without exposing yourself to nasty Russian cannon fire. Reverse slopes of the hills will cover almost your whole advance. Another useful tactic in NIR games is to position your light cavalerie at the mouth of a ravine and sweep down overrunning all those pesky jaegers. Russian infantry regiments should only be hit with your cavalerie if you can destroy them through ZOC. This is because the Russian units will almost never rout and your cavalerie will end up being ensnared amongst the disordered, but unrouted Russian regiments. The four French cavalerie corps are wonderful units that can perform a myriad of functions. These are the basic building blocks of your French cavalerie force. The I and II Reserve Corps are the largest, and III is almost always used to support Eugene and IV Corps. This leaves IV which is the smallest to act as a reserve. In fact you have great mobility and superb command in control with these Corps, in addition to a mass of horse guns. Keep your cavalerie corps together if at all possible, and assign them to specific tasks. For example, have III assist Eugene, I assist V Corps, II back up I and III Corps and leave IV Corps as a reserve to be used with the Garde cavalerie for the coup de grace. This is only one example, there are many other options which you can choose because of the flexible nature of the French arme blanche. The important thing to remember about the French Cavalerie in NIR is that it will almost always allow you to seize and hold the initiative. You can force the Russians to react to your moves and threats. There is nothing more intimidating that a whole cavalerie corps sitting behind a ridge line. This 'sword of Damocles' will often cause a Russian player to panic and make mistakes. Sometimes the best use of Cavalerie is the threat of a charge and not an actual charge!
IV. Russian Cavalerie Russian cavalerie tactics will differ from those of the French. This is necessitated by several factors. First of all the French will usually outnumber the Russians in cavalerie strength; a large proportion of Russian cavalerie is cossacks; the Russians will primarily be on the defensive; and finally Russian cavalerie is cheaper in terms of VP. How is a Russian officer supposed to use his cavalerie effectively? One of the great strengths of the Russian army is the large number of Cossacks which are available. Now true, they are almost useless against Infantry, as they don’t receive the x3 bonus except when charging routed infantry, but infantry still cannot melee them and they can cause massive head aches to an aggressive French commander. The best opportunity for this is on both of the flanks. The Cossacks around Utisa and the Cossacks and light cavalerie beyond Borodino can be sent forward in dispersed squadrons to harass the French General to end of grief. It is to your advantage for the French to melee your Cossacks with his cavalerie. Remember your 2:1 VP advantage. Place your Cossacks in positions where the French will be forced to melee you and disorder his cavalerie. In some instances cossacks can keep large contingents of French cavalerie from even playing a part in a battle, King of the Hill is one such scenario. Cossacks can also overrun guns just as easily as any other type of cavalerie and an unexpected attack on guns which have been left undefended can be devastating to the French, particularly moral wise. No one likes to have cossacks running around on their flanks, and a French player may be coerced into using valuable reserves to stave off a cossack attack real or imagined. The very thing that happened to Napoleon historically at Borodino. The Russian cavalerie also enjoys the advantage of being able to sit back and wait for the French to become cut up and disordered as they launch their attacks on the Russian positions. However, if you are going to charge, charge like a French beau sabreur, meaning charge in force and charge home. Don’t commit your cavalerie piecemeal, or they will be surrounded and destroyed. A charge in force can very often sweep the French back and stall their advance for a long time. You may then retreat behind the cover of your guns to reform. The Russian commander should always keep a couple regiments of Heavy cavalerie in reserve for emergency situations. The victor in NIRr, more that the other games, usually is the one with the freshest reserves and having a few heavies in reserve can be crucial. This doesn’t mean throwing them forward to rout a few French brigades. Wait until the French are advancing in disorder after they have taken a position. They will be fatigued, understrengthed and out of position. A well timed charge will sweep them back allowing you to reclaim the position and making the French go through the whole bloody process all over again. It is usually best to attack the French Infantry and leave the cavalerie alone, either forcing them to attack your Cossacks or waiting until they have charged and then hitting them while they are out of position and disordered. It really gains you nothing to go out and advance in most scenarios, engaging the French Cavalerie head on, the French will come to you, that is guaranteed. Perhaps the best tactic to use is one of the most under-appreciated attacks a cavalerie can make: the counter-charge. Well positioned Russian cavalerie can spoil that grand French cavalerie charge, saving your infantry and leaving the French exposed to nasty artillery fire next turn.
V. Conclusion I hope this manual helps you manage your cavalerie better in the NIR games. It is a shame to waste cavalerie uselessly because they can be better employed in so many other ways. Cavalerie must be hoarded and conserved. It should spend long moments on the battlefield in reserve. The ugly slugging matches of NIR should be left to the infantry and artillery. But when the time comes to use the cavalerie, it should be used with flair and audacity. Don’t commit your units piecemeal. Don’t forget about your flanks, and don’t take any cannon shots that aren’t necessary. Proper cavalerie usage takes practice, but the rewards are noticeable and very often can prove decisive. [Written by Unknown Author as Published in the Napoleonic Wargaming Club (NWC) Newsletter]
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