"Forlorn Hope Rules - question about charges" Topic

Chas and I played our first FH game today, and great fun was had by all even though I had to concede defeat – a battle lost but a war will be won!

During the play I was in the most unfortunate position of having a Regt of foot charged and involved in CC from the front, and the next move from the flank. Looking objectively from my limited knowledge of military history, the Regt charged should disintegrate. However it appeared to pass all the Morale Checks and there appeared to be no reason for a Morale Test. Now we sat and pondered, read the rules again (it wasn't a quick game), but still the Regt assailed at front and flank stood. Is this right? What did we miss? There must be something that we did not see/realise as the Regt so attacked should have turned and scarpered!

BTW – we liked the fact that the ruleset emphasises Morale ( my cavalry routed) over firepower ( my artillery was a well polished, and expensive ornament).

Any ideas on what we did wrong?

IIRC the unit charged in the flank should be disordered if it can't turn to face the attack. If you didn't get that bit this might have a bearing on the result.

I don't see why a unit would automatically disintegrate if attacked in front and flank, that depends how good it is. For example, if veteran there's every reason IMO that it should stay put.

From what you've told us I think what you're doing sounds fine as long as you've been careful in applying the all modifiers required by the morale check.

Hi bill (wj) – crossposted from FH Yahoo, hoping someone will confirm or deny !

it's been a while since I played these, but anyway…

so, the first round combat is as normal.

At the start of the second round-

-the second unit tests to charge (with a bonus of 1)
-and the outnumbered unit tests to stand as usual.
-the second unit moves up to contact
-the outnumbered unit becomes disordered

In the combat-

-all figs contacted, 1 rank behind and 1 overlap fig count in combat
-the first unit fights as normal
-the outnumbered unit fights with half its number of figs as it's disordered
-the second unit fights at +2 for contacting flank (and might have other
charging plus-es if it's horse)

In combat reactions-

-each unit dices separately
-first unit at +1 as its opponents are disorganised
-outnumbered unit as normal
-second unit at +4 as opponents are disorganised and flanked

At least that's how I think it goes ;-)

Plus 4 is a hefty bonus for the flanking unit, so the outnumbered unit would
have to be doing really well to hold.

A horse melee would go differently though!

Cheers,

Tim

I know I'm a bit thick here but – the term IIRC. What does that mean?

Tim – posted on Yahoo GP – can't understand from the Rules why my unit is disorderd. It should be but…..

Best wishes
Bill

IIRC = If I Recall Correctly

Hi Bill,

IIRC (Cheers Waco Joe!), a unit is Disorganised if it contacted in Close Combat in the flank or rear. This is hidden away at the end of 'Moving and Maneuvering' on p20 of the new rulebook.

Don't forget, as in the Third English Civil War [aka the ACW :-)], each unit behaved differently. I can see a ECW or ACW unit standing defiantly as they were "civilians" and so tore up the rule book.

Rupert's at Naseby comes to mind.

Without pulling out the rules to check the minuitie it seems a historically feasible result, if a bit uncommon.