SYW skirmish cavalry

[FreddBloggs]

Given that squares were ordered not to fire at the charging cavalry, it seems an odd tactic.

[ochoin]

Given that squares were ordered not to fire at the charging cavalry, it seems an odd tactic.

Provoke them to fire?

With regards to the LI in all our SYW games, the skirmishers have provided some level of annoyance but really achieved very little. I think this means we must have gotten the rules right because this seems to be their usual impact in historical Big Battles.

I do like them for the additional colour they provide. Just look at my arqubusiers de grassin in their blue, white fur-lined robes, mirliton & red breeches(although you are all too polite to mention that the adg were actually disbanded before the SYW).

donald

[FreddBloggs]

Well Dundas Drill book, specifically that states that when forming square for all muskets to be fired to the front, before moving. Essentially it was formed unloaded. Continental ones did much the same.

The reason, a charging horse hit at 10 yards will carry on into the mass of men. As essentially happened at García Hernández.

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

Part of the square of the 69th halted to fire at oncoming cuirassiers, during the action at Quatre Bras, which meant that the front (I think) face was incomplete. and the entire battalion was ridden down.

[grizzlymc]

I have never read about the drill if the square didn't fire, maybe they just charged home on the corner.

[FreddBloggs]

Oh squares fired, but at moving away cavalry.

The 69th were just slow, there is also the square formed with French Lancers inside it when it completed.

[grizzlymc]

79th?

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

42nd I think.

I seem to recall that the light company was distributed around the inside of the square's walls facing the most likelihood of cavalry attack, with orders to pick off the officers etc.

[FreddBloggs]

I thought 42nd but could not remember who.

[tim.w]

Cossacks! I love them in DbA. I used them to draw away canon from my valuable regular infantry in the last game. They can be a real pain to their ememy by just getting in the way. In the rules they don't give VP when eliminated so you can throw them away as you wish, they generally run off before they die anyway.

Richie once thew them at some formed units just out of boredom and they ended up taking out several units as I remember, I don't know who was more surprised.

So as light cavalry they are there to disrupt more than anything, forcing the enemy to engage where they would have otherwise had more juicy targets. Good at worrying bagage carts too.