Charge Rules

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markantony
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 10:27 pm
Location: Loughton, Essex

Charge Rules

Post by markantony »

Dear PC experts - here is a situation I found tricky to manage in Combat Charge.

Unit A charges Unit B multiple times.

First time: Defenders fire and impose 3 casualties on the attacking unit (takes them to 4). The combat charge ends in a win for charging unit, with Halt and Volley result that inflicts 2 casualties on defenders who were already carrying 7 casualties, now up to 9.

Second time: Defenders fire but with all the negative modifiers this results in loss of Fire Discipline (FD). Despite support re-rolls, the combat charge ends the same as the first charge. Win for charging unit, with Halt and Volley result which inflicts another 2 casualties onto the defending unit, taking them up to 11 casualties.

Third charge - the defending unit unfortunately incurs a second consecutive loss of Fire Discipline (FD), which results in one Fatigue Casualty (FC), which results in them hitting 12 casualties and dispersing. And the defending Brigade Falters.

What happens now? The charge as declared cannot proceed as the defenders no longer exist!

What I did was:

1) Attackers advanced 3in and took the ground held by the defenders.
2) I allowed the attacking unit to halt and volley at the supporting unit from the defenders (it seemed unfair if they could not fire later as they had been involved in a (failed charge)?
3) Defending Brigade were subjected to Faltering Brigade table in next Command roll (which they passed, Obeying orders)
4) Attacking unit then declared a charge on the next unit in the defending Brigade.

And so the game went on.

Thoughts?
Munin
Posts: 1319
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2016 7:49 pm

Re: Charge Rules

Post by Munin »

I think the way you handled it is fine. I think it would have been equally fine for the attackers to stay where they were. With both of the previous rounds being "Halt & Volley" results, it sounds like you had several turns in a row of sharp, intense, close-range firefight. In such a situation I could easily see the attacking force not noticing that their targets had scarpered away due to all the smoke and noise.
markantony
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 10:27 pm
Location: Loughton, Essex

Re: Charge Rules

Post by markantony »

Thanks! I was debating (with myself!) whether the lead defending unit (which was badly battered) could evade (or just retire?) before Charge 3 (and their inevitable demise). But I couldn’t find a way to do this within the rules. If I were a real life General I may want to pull that unit out of the front line in an orderly manner before they collapsed and potentially disrupted the whole Brigade. But in the heat of battle, whilst under direct attack, I can imagine this might not always be possible!
Munin
Posts: 1319
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2016 7:49 pm

Re: Charge Rules

Post by Munin »

By the rules as written, so long as a unit has been "involved" in the charge phase it may not also move in the movement phase, which means you would not be able to voluntarily retire. In that sense, launching a charge at a unit is a good way to pin it in place. This makes a fair bit of sense, as retiring in good order in the face of an enemy at very close range is extremely difficult to pull off. If a regiment is flagging and very close to dispersal, your best bet is usually to pile in supports to try to maximize your 2D6 roll and throw the attacker back (which would represent the attackers becoming aware that they are now outnumbered and losing their nerve). This might give you the breathing room to swap out your ragged regiment. The risk you run there is interpenetration by the lead defending unit if it does disperse, which will cause your rear support unit(s) to become Unformed, which will in turn make it more vulnerable/less effective should the enemy continue to press the assault.
Tony TRT
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jul 13, 2019 10:04 am
Location: Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, UK

Re: Charge Rules

Post by Tony TRT »

Hi markantony and munin,
I think I would have been a bit more draconian and treated the scenario similar to a Rout! result on the Charge Combat Results table.

The losing unit immediately disperses.
Any supports are whipped. The dispersed unit’s brigade is now marked with a falter marker.

Whipped units must retreat until either behind a friendly supporting unit where they may halt, or have moved back the full whipped distance. Support unit will lose 1D3 casualties.

The attacker has the choice to either Take the Ground or Pursue. (Player’s choice.)

Of course, the other option is for unit B to realise their precarious situation and withhold defensive fire and try and avoid this whole situation in the first place!

Regards
Tony
siggian
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Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 3:22 am
Location: Windsor area, Ontario, Canada
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Re: Charge Rules

Post by siggian »

Trying to withdraw a badly shot up unit is very likely to turn into a rout. And that's assuming its commander is even aware of how bad things are.
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