Limbers

[nickdives]

As the title, what is the requirment?

[terrys]

The requirement is for 1 limber per artillery unit. Which means (usually) a maximum of 4 per army.
Only the attacker is likely to have all of his artillery limbered at the same time - and only during the first 1 or 2 moves.
If players don't have enough limbers the usual method is to replace them with the gun models in column facing backwards.

[BrettPT]

Hi Nick

I have my old (true) 15mm figure limbers based on 40mm x 80mm bases - for small (2 gun models) artillery units. With my newer AB 18mm lads I am going a little deeper (40mm x 120mm) because I want to model a gun being towed by the limbers and also have a couple of crew walking (riding for Horse Artillery) on the base.

1. If you field large artillery units (3 models), then the Beta rules said you should represent this limbered by a single 6 horse limber. Small artillery units get a single 4 horse limber.

2. Depth of limber bases doesn't really matter and the last draft of the beta rules did not specify a depth for artillery limbers but said to use "withever fits".

I assume this is unchanged in the final version Terry?

Cheers
Brett

[Agesilaus]

What sized bases would you use for 25/28mm artillery limbers. Some of them are quite large....

I have my 25mm guns on 60mm x 60mm square bases (the 28mm ones will hardly fit on anything smaller). I'd say a limber model will need a base 60mm wide and at least 90mm long. Any comment?

So just to be clear, do you need one limber model for each battery, or for each gun that is moving? How many gun models do you need for a battery?

[BrettPT]

What sized bases would you use for 25/28mm artillery limbers. Some of them are quite large....

I have my 25mm guns on 60mm x 60mm square bases (the 28mm ones will hardly fit on anything smaller). I'd say a limber model will need a base 60mm wide and at least 90mm long. Any comment?

So just to be clear, do you need one limber model for each battery, or for each gun that is moving? How many gun models do you need for a battery?

With the caveat that I have not seen the final rules, only the last beta version ...

25/28mm troops are on 60mm frontage bases.

'Standard' base depth for all troops (other than generals, limbers, heavy artillery and line of communication bases) is recommended for 25/28mm figures to be 45mm - although it us stated that for depth 'whatever fits' is fine for artillery guns. For limbers, the beta version did not have a recommended depth. Again, whatever fits.

Heavy artillery are on 60x60mm bases. Other artillery is 60x45mm, however as you say this is too tight for most 25mm artillery models so 60x60mm would be fine.

Batteries have either 2 gun models (small battery) or 3 models (large battery). There are swings and roundabouts about whether small or large artillery formations are preferable. You would also want a few extra guns models to use as attachments (my 800 point French army usually doesn't usually field any artillery attachments, however I tend to use 2-4 attached artillery models in my Austrian army).

For artillery attachment bases, 60x45mm bases would look better in 25mm as then they wouldn't 'stick out' in front of the unit they are attached too. So I would try and fit a couple of your smaller gun models on 45mm bases if possible. No biggie though.

You need a single limber model to represent a whole battery (or 2 or 3 gun models) when limbered. When the guns are deployed you take the limber model off the table and replace it with 2 (small) or 3 (large) gun models. If you want to limber up again, the gun models come off and the limber goes back on table.

Artillery attachments do not need limbers.

The maximum number of limber models you would need depends on how many batteries you field - assuming you have them all limbered and moving at the same time.

Most 800 point armies used in our playtesting group contain 1 or 2 batteries. Occaisionally you might see 3 batteries, I doubt if anyone - other than possibly the Russians - would ever field 4 batteries in 800 points - although I am aware that other playtesting groups have perhaps tended to max out on artillery more than we have.

So 2 limber models would be fine for most games. Occaisionally you might use 3, (or if Russian, or an artillery-phile, 4) .

Cheers
Brett

[Agesilaus]

Brett

Thanks that is clear on the need for limbers and basing frontage width. I take it there is no minimum/maximum based depth for the limber itself? As I said, I think I would need at least a 90mm long base.

[BrettPT]

Brett
I take it there is no minimum/maximum based depth for the limber itself?

Nothing in the final beta version.

Cheers
Brett

[terrys]

Official depth for limbers is:
Small units: up to 90mm deep
Large units: up to 120mm deep.

This should provide enough depth for a 4 horse limber to be used for a small unit and a 6 horse, or 4 horses plus the gun model to be used for a large unit.

We also state that "it may be expedient to use artillery models 'in column' to show that they are limbered".
This is for players who do not have enough limbers can still indicate that their guns are limbered. Obviously limbers are preferred.