"Napoleonic artillery tactics" Topic

Hi all,

Sparked by a recent TMP thread on AI, I need your help on artillery tactics.

We use a local ruleset which we try to improve from time to time. None of us made the original rules so I have no idea about the background for the choices made. I have not tried other games and know little of the common terminology when refering to game specifics. I will try.

We play with units of battalion size.

In close combat, when two battalions reach each other (we dont use skirmish). The combat is decided with dices based on a set of values (that will be added or substracted from the dice roll) given to each unit. Those values can be basen on inherent unit specifics, eg. how good they are, and on situational specifis such as the order of the battalion or their formation.

A feature of the game is that your battalion gets extra value in a combat if they have a unit located behind them to provide moral support. The moral support of this unit can be removed if they recieve artillery fire.

The value given because of this moral support is relatively large. This causes 9/10 of our artillery targets to be those second line companies to remove their support to those in front of them. Only when first line battalions are within canister shots of the cannon they are targeted directly by artilery.

Can anyone comment on the historical accuracy of this. I suspect that guns would primarily target first line batallions in order to deminish those and cause disorientation. But I dont know.

The artillery would not be able to fire over the first line of units to engage those beyond unless they are considerably higher up. Depending on how far back the supporting units are, it is likely roundshot fired at the first line would go on to hit them anyway.

Also, I don't see why the first line unit considers the supporting uint any less helpful just because it is under artillery fire, unless of course it has become disordered by it, which would potentially be visisble to the first line unit.

As a rule of thumb, artillery should fire at the closest formed target or threat. That takes care of playing the period instead of gaming the rules.

What kind of morale bonus does the front line receive?

Not only do I question the practice (or even the practicality) of targeting the support line with plunging fire, but I question the design model of giving the front line battalions morale bonus for rear support. That's not why divisions deployed in two (or more) lines of battalions. It's to make the division stronger (by having an immediate backstop in case of failure of the front line, or having immediate relief if it becomes too worn out).

Thank you for some very nice answers – they all point in the direction of firing towards the closes target.

BillyNM: I agree – we are considering changing this also so that it can be a support unit as long as it is in a state of "good order"

Eumelu: I agree somewhat – I could see some moral support of knowing there is someone there to "catch" you if you run or to provide new forces to relieve you. But its just my thoughts

79thPA: the morale bonus is big. You get 2+. We roll three dice each and calculate the difference. Anything above a difference of 2 causes the loosing unit to retrieve..

I always kind of thought that formation bonuses were an incentive for players to use historically proper formations. If you have flank and rear support, that's the formation your battalions should be in. Just like combined arms give you a "bonus" from their usage (cavalry forces infantry into a square so that artillery can pound their dense formation).
A lone battalion attacking wouldn't get "bonuses" because it's not a good idea to attack with an out-of-formation unit!
I could imagine a ruleset where units must be in some kind of brigade or divisional formation. Then you would get minuses if you did NOT have flank or rear support!

MagnusPloug2

First off, if you're playing with battalion-sized units then the artillery models probably represent a battery of two. So you have to think what the general orders given them before the battle would be and what their shots would aim at on average. Firing at the second rank would be an unlikely general order for these reasons:

Batteries will want to maximise casualties and given round-shot often follows through to the men behind, it makes sense to fire round-shot at the enemy front row. Artillery is also intended to blunt an enemy's teeth: ie its ability to fire or charge; both properties of the front rank.

As for before a melee, you would think an artillery crew would be trying to disorder or take kills off the enemy unit that's likely to be fighting first.

As for while a melee is taking place, you're talking about a very specific situation where your artillery is on high land and can see over the on-going melee to the enemy behind. Well, I guess you'd have to have a rule for how far that enemy can be to your side, yet still be close enough to the forward enemy to give "support".

Shako rules which are also for battalion-sized units just say artillery has to fire either at the nearest enemy or at an immediate threat to the battery. That seems right.
It has some good ideas, here:
link

As for supporting units, yes, I think they'll have an effect; whether from behind or from the flanks. But the effect should be very slight: a single point for each type of support would be enough.

Also think about round-shot run through: perhaps a minus point off casualties from the unit behind.