"How ECW cavalry behaves?" Topic

A set of rules has Trotters, Gallopers and Dragoons, and also distiguishes between raw and experienced troops. In game turns, a melee between two experienced Gallopers (6stands) lasts as long as between 2 14 stand pike musket blocks (3+ turns)
In general terms, how does ECW cavalry behave?

"Trotters" are the horse that trot towards the enemy, discharge pistols at close range (maybe continuing by caracole) and then close to contact. Think Cromwell's Ironsides.

"Gallopers" are the horse that rely on shock and the blade, charging the enemy and persuing them as far as possible. Think Prince Rupert.

"Dragoons" are not horse at all, but more like mounted infantry. Ride to battle, dismount to fight. See Okey's Dragoons at Naseby.

In game turns, a melee between two experienced Gallopers (6stands) lasts as long as between 2 14 stand pike musket blocks (3+ turns)

I think mounted melees should be over much quicker than the foot melee. There are several accounts of the horse enegaging each other and one side chasing the other off the field, leaving the foot to slug it out to a conclusion.

In general terms, how does ECW cavalry behave?

In general terms, badly! They trampled crops, plundered the locals and loved drinking, wenching, carousing and looting baggage trains, and that's just the Puritans, the Royalists were probably worse but indulged in less ecclesiatical vandalism.

Oh, in battle, well, tricky to say. I'm not convinced that anyone today really understands in detail exactly how a cavalry charge worked in any period. Sometimes the opposition ran for it immediately, sometimes there was a longer drawn-out combat (ie Marston Moor where Byron's wing 'stood like an iron wall' till they were overcome). How common each was is maybe not something we can ever find out without using a time machine.

Whilst I would not disagree with Margard's overall definitions of Trotters, Gallopers etc, I think his choice of the Ironsides to illustrate typical "Trotter" cavalry is probably wrong. It is my understanding that Cromwell trained his men to form a three deep formation, riding almost knee to knee and achieving their effect by impetus rather than fire-power.
I agree with Timbo that we cannot really know at this distance in time what an ECW cavalry charge was like, but it seems implausible that the Parliamentarians could have achieved the cavalry successes they did (particularly at Naseby and Marston Moor) against other cavalry by relying on pistols. Against infantry on the other hand, that may well have been a successful tactic, as the pike blocks would have proven difficult to attack unless shaken and disorganised.

Aha, knew we'd been here before – previous TMP thread TMP link

Timbo W thanks for the link, I did a search… "Cavalry", after100 posts I got lazy and thought I would post the question, didn't think to search "galloper".
Our group revisit ECW every year or so, sometimes with newbies, who push forward mounted figures like they were all the same. They get a surprise when they discover what Dragoons can do.
I'm from a Gush background, our group has never found a set of rules that has kept everyone happy.
Personally, I feel that with ECW cavalry engagements, it doesn't matter who wins, the winner is 8-9 times out of 10 will pursue, then likely not to return to the battle.
So far no rules we have been using reflect this phenomenon.

I think his choice of the Ironsides to illustrate typical "Trotter" cavalry is probably wrong.

You might well be right. It was an off the cuff example. Perhaps I should have said Parliamentarian Horse.

No worries sillypoint, I had to have a long search before I dug that one up.

I'd imagine there was a tradeoff to be made between cohesion and speed. Traditionally the Ironsides thought of as being at the more cohesive end, the Cavaliers at the more speedy end. Ideally you want both, and, disregarding the stereotypes, its very difficult to say which units really did what on the field of battle.

As to hot pursuit a number of rules do feature it. Forlorn Hope, Terry Wise's old ECW rules and to an extent 1644 do make it difficult for Gallopers to avoid pursuit. Looking at the real battles, where the victorious side did manage to avoid pursuing, they usually had the advantage of numbers over their opposing cavalry wing (eg Marston Moor, Naseby).

Field of glory rules simulate the cavalry pursuit quite well i find.

You might well be right. It was an off the cuff example. Perhaps I should have said Parliamentarian Horse.
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that would still include the Eastern Association Horse under Cromwell – more accurate perhaps would be early war Parliamentary Horse ie pre the involvement of the EA etc