"Cossacks on the battlefield/gaming table" Topic

Well, I thought it would be fun and different to be able to use these irregular cav units during a game. From what I have read, as most of you already know, with the exception of the Guard units, they could not and would not fight like regular units of the line.
As you all know they used hit and run raids, guerilla tactics, targets of opportunity or allowed greed and the chance at plunder to motivate them.
With this in mind I was wondering if it would be a fair representation of these units to treat the Guard units as veteran units, not true guard units.
As for the regular Cossacks I thought about saying they are not allowed to attack any formed unit to the front(and would run from any that charged them) unless it is isolated and they have 3-1+ odds but with a morale check allow them to attack a formed unit from the flank or rear (non squared). I also thought to give them no terrain penalties going through woods and hills and perhaps some extra speed to represent there open order formation and initiative when they saw an "opportunity".
So, do you guys think this would be doing them justice or would this still be giving them more "credit" then they deserve as far as being able to contribute during a large battle?

For the same reason I was trying to get a bit lore about them from Russians. One actually spot on answer was: useful but despised by regulars, one cannot find much on them as writing on something not worth.
Then there would be things and even memoirs. But the type is naturally also bit of braggard…
Well, results:
In my rules, which I might finally get published next year, the cossacks are well, useful and… Irregular.
To reflect reality, as they did have sounding victories against formed cavalry, not least against Poles, and the Russians kept them on and on, not just for the pleasure of paying them, they have special ( optional) rules.

1 pre game and in game recon, obvious.

2 a unique " infiltration" ability (in life, very lose swarms or parties roaming about) where they hinder command (in real intercept messengers/ leaders).
In game terms , at beginning some units might be converted in " nuisance capability" ( to keep a bit of parlance of the time) shown by a few dispersed guys around, who cannot get under 500 m of cavalry ( assumed chased away) and within their 500 m give a -1 to commands.

3 in fighting: quite bad ( don't like forbiding, it would depend on players' choice, and target status) at attacking infantry, useful in impeding skirmishers.
Against cavalry if attacking or attacked, they roll a die to see their ability for that fight which can go from crap to just below average. They also systematically overlap ( the lava tactic). So neither the Russian player nor the enemy can discount them, nor be too sure of their effects.
Pretty much to me what was their ways.

I like Jcfrog's ideas

Memoirs of a Polish Lancer, Dezydery Chlapowski [page 112 / 1812]

There we encountered our first cossacks. Oure main body halted by some buildings and one squadron went out to meet them. The cossacks retreated off to our left, toward the Dnieper. At about this same time the sun rose and we were able to see the country round about. To our front stood a line of cavalry one the crest of a hill, screened by a few hundred cossacks. Kozietulski now recalled the first platoon, which which had already come to grips with the cossacks [skirmishing, and he formed the leading squadron into line. THe regular cavalry must have been able to see our other three squadrons in support, as they did not move from their position. But the cossacks approached with increasing boldness, firing their pistols. As we sent nobody out to skirmish with them, they came closer and closer, shouting: "Lachy!" [slang for Pole] when they discovered we were Polish. A cossack officer on a fine grey came as close as a hundred paces [@75 yards],perhaps less, and in good Polish challenged us to meet him in single combat. Kozietulski forbade any of us to move. The cossack jumped from his horse and cried: "Now you can catch me!" He then took off his cap and waved it in the air, then having concluded that he would not provoke us, he leapt on his horse and rejoined his men. THe cossacks must have fired a hundred shots at us, but not one hit its target.

Cossacks will not charge even a lone squadron if it is in good order. They like best to tackle individuals, whom they taunt in order to lure them out of the way, entrap them, and take them prisoner. For that reason you should neve33r let impetuous, bold, or excitable troopers go out and skirmish with cossacks.

De Brack considered the cossacks the best light cavalry in Europe. He wrote that they protected the Russian army well, wore out the enemy, attacked him frequently and were seldom attacked themselves. He attributes his opinions to the observations and comments of such generals as Soult, Gerard, Clausel, Maison, Morand, Lallemand, Pajol, Colbert, and others. He wrote that Cossacks always fight in skirmish order, with only weak reserves in their rear. De Brack also noted that Cossacks always dispersed themselves in their retreat, and were very dangerous to those who pursued them too far.

Even though the Cossacks didn't actually attack in close formation, they were dangerous enough for formed, regular cavalry, particularly if the cavalry was inexperienced, bold and unaccustomed to fighting cossacks and/or unsupported.

On June 27 and July 9 1812, at Mir, M.I. Platov defeated several newly-formed regiments of Polish lancers. General Paskevich wrote about the tactics used in this combat:

Platov had his own way of war. Having observed the enemy, he divided his troops into several parts, accroding the convenience. One he hid on the right, another on the left, and the others stood in front of the enemy; i.e. sometimes rushing forward, then withdrawing, provoking [the enemy into pursuing], and 'guiding' [the enemy] into the flank ambush. Then, having charged the enemy in flank and rear, if he became confused, [they] pursued and exterminated him; if he stubbornly held out and it was impossible to knok him out by force, [they] retreated helter-skelter and again gathered together elsewhere.

There are examples of this method being reported in Tactics of the RUssian Army in the Napoleonic Wars by Alexander and Yuri Zhmodikov, [Vol.II, pp 55-56.]

In one action, the French heavy cavalry was forced to actually form square, flank files facing out, to deal with the cossack attack.

Cossacks also did charge 'isolated' infantry squares and break them. Cossacks would not approach artillery because they were afraid of losing their horses, which were personal property.

I would add to JcFrog's rules:

1. Always deployed in skirmish order. Added strength/modifiers facing enemy skirmishers and/or against inexperienced cavalry.

2. Will attack 'unsupported' cavalry and infantry with 'lava' or swarm tactics. Different rules define that term 'unsupported' in different ways.

3. Can't be caught in a retreat… the smaller horses were simply too fast and the cossacks would disperse.

4. Will not get into range of artillery [say 800-900 yards]

Heard the Don Cossacks were a bit better. Not sure how you would do this.

Depending upon the scale that you are playing at, a "lava" attack can be modeled by allowing a Cossack unit to divide into say 3 parts. One fronts a line but doesn't close. (If counter charged it runs away and keeps an inch or so ahead of the enemy). The two wings (horn as per Zulu) overlap the very most flank stands and skirmish them from the flank and rear. They occupy the enemy, run away if charged but will close with their flank and rear. They work better if you rules have fatigue results for engaging in even this combat OR if reorganization of normal units is required after a charge.

If your rules have some bad status for units, such as shaken or disorganizaed or routed, then Cossacks can attack these units with some pluses and also prevent them from recovering from the bad status.

Yes in the list I forgot cannons, but yes even in 17th cty they already did not like being shot by cannons, not that any one likes it, but they made a point in avoiding it. Same stuff as inf for attacking deployed guns from front.

Again I would not forbid players to be in gun ranges, but if hit their morale will be low and have a high tendency to break so a player will quickly avoid getting them as a target.

I believe they got a lot o these mounted tactics from tartars, having started a poor infantry in the 16 th cty. Then mounted 100+ years later.

As for the Don cossacks, this might be a thing we players transmit from generations to another from rules. Over there so far impossible to know, the Kuban ones being very proud too etc. would need research in Russian.

Players might forget there are Kazaks and Kazaks. The regular ( or semi regular as they mostly spend a lot of peace time in farms) uniformed, then you had for 1812 the opolchenie levy, less if not uniformed.
I always thought that a lot of the bad estimations might come from these second types.

Great contribution McLaddie. I own, but haven't yet read the Polish lancer memoir.

I believe they got a lot o these mounted tactics from tartars,

Jcfrog:
Yes, but the Napoleonic Wars, they were tartars. Those tactics were used by the Mongols in the 1200s and earlier.

Flashman14:
Thanks. Chlapowski is a great source for descriptions of cavalry actions. He even has two examples of Cuirassiers receiving charges without counter-charging. One successful and one not some much.

Very useful and calm discussion – thanks all!

Oh, one thing that I forgot to put in my entry. Cossacks were sort of like black flies. You can swat them away, but they come right back. I would give them okay to bad morale for carrying out charges and some additional die roll support for running away. HOWEVER, when they run away, they should get a sizable bonus for reforming- it should be almost automatic.

What you want to create is something where the enemy units have to be careful and slow about maneavuring near Cossacks. When they chase them away, it accomplishes little because the Cossacks reform and are back at it again. Note that Cossacks often brought along light (3# type) guns with them and liked to discomfort formed troops with them. Not really deadly, but cheap and will start to nick a few figures off of a unit over time.

Thanks for all the input guys! Very useful and many "gaming" ideas to think over. Like I said I always thought because they are so different that they could add a lot of fun to a game IF they could be done the right way:)

Travis

Has me thinking the Cossack regiments I'm missing are not important or at least will be last

Irregular light cavalry, nothing special.
Not capable for frontal fighting but good for recon on lands, conquered by Russians, flank maneuvres and pursuing after battle.