"ECW artillery - help needed." Topic

We are starting an ECW series and are trying to figure out what is an appropriate rating for ECW artillery, so I'm looking for folks with knowledge of historical usage.

Was it mobile during a battle, and if so was it something that was done a lot or rarely?

How effective was it against troops moving in to close combat? Did artillery stand a chance against approaching enemy formations, or were they pretty much toast. I'm looking for historical examples of guns being charged by infantry or cavalry. Was it grouped into batteries or interspersed throughout the army?

Thanks for your help,

David (aka an ECW novice)

I'm no expert on this period, so expect someone to correct me in short order. Most guns were fairly immobile, unlimbered once and not moved after that. The gunners were hired specialists rather than soldiers and not expected to defend their pieces against charges.

On the Continent some armies (Swedes) had light mobile guns that accompanied the infantry. I don't know if any ECW armies did this. Basically most of the few heavy guns each army had would be placed into one or two batteries and start the ball by firing the odd shot at the foe.

You should contact people from ECW re-enactment groups such as The Sealed Knot and The English Civil War Asoociation. They'll probably know the answers but,if not,will know where to point you.

Guns seemed to have fallen into three cats.

Light pieces used to support inf. man handled if moved at all.
Medium pieces seemed to have been place in pairs and remained stationary.
Heavy pieces not usually on a battlefield but used in seiges. If they did appear on a field again in pairs spread through the army but mainly in the centre.

Guns were not that effective in the actual numbers of injured but were very effective in the moral issue. Sometimes used more as a suppression weapon.

As with all things with the ECW period its never that simple. Other issues always break any sort of standard or rule. For example sometimes there was not enough powder for the guns, or they could not be moved ie no teams to pull them. The list goes on. Best references are the accounts of the period but few I remeber talk dirrectly about artillery.
Hope that helps a bit

If you want a set of rules to look at try the Forlon Hope rules best I have found also try the same question on their Yahoo site?

Thanks to all who responded. We are playing the Humberside extension to DBA for our rules, but were trying to figure out appropriate rules for artillery. We have made them able to shoot only in the active player's bound, just like in DBA, and they cost double to move. I think they are over rated in close combat, but as this modifier also covers the approach of the enemy into close combat, I can live with it.

Thanks again,

David

Tym's comments are similar to what I could offer. As for DBA … I would not allow artillery to move. Even at double cost. ECW armies did not generally re-position their artillery during a battle. Small guns, such as a Falconet or Robinet could be hand pulled or moved with a small team of horses and thus accompany foot. There-in lies a problem with DBA as I don't think it differentiates between size and field function of artillery.

Osprey has a pretty good booklet on ECW artillery if your interested in more information.

Mike B