defending artillery, fortifications or both?

[expendablecinc]

How does defending fortifications and or artillery work

Consider a line of field fortifications
2 BG of 2 artillery

2 groups of 6 poor defenders

DD 1 BG of 2 gendarmes


---------- fortifications
AA__AA 2 BG of artillery
BBBCCC 2 BG of poor defenders (2 Shot with 2 pike in the centre file)
BBBCCC


can the gendarmes charge straight across the FF?
Is B and C actually considered to be at the FF if they are touching the rear of the artillery - if so presumably the generames would have to charge the Poor defenders and fight them across the FF even though they arent actually contesting the artillery.

At this point who can shoot?
Obviously one file of B and C can shoot but what about the right file of C and the left of B (assuming they are in arc?
Where is range measured from if these defenders are presumed to be at the FF?

Is it more correct to represent them on table like so:

---------- fortifications
AABCAA 2 BG of artillery
BBBCCC 2 BG of poor defenders (2 Shot with 2 pike in the centre file)
BB__CC


I ask these questions becasue I am considering an artillery heavy army list with FF and wondering how the defenders can be used or if they are pretty much wasted unless someone tries to take out the artillery hand to hand. If you load up on artillery adn have to put even poor BGs behind it you still end up with a pretty narrow army that also cant relaly move much so is just begging to be outflanked.

Anthony

[rbodleyscott]

Your ASCII diagram does not work, but let me try to guess what it was meant to look like.

The foot are "rear supporting" the artillery so count as if in the position of the front of the artillery, except that those behind the arillery cannot shoot.

So the whole lot counts as defending fortifications. The infantry files that are not behind the artillery can shoot, measuring their range from the front of the fortifications.

[expendablecinc]

Your ASCII diagram does not work, but let me try to guess what it was meant to look like.

The foot are "rear supporting" the artillery so count as if in the position of the front of the artillery, except that those behind the arillery cannot shoot.

So the whole lot counts as defending fortifications. The infantry files that are not behind the artillery can shoot, measuring their range from the front of the fortifications.

Thanks,

I've attempted to correct it by inserting underscores to put in spacing - but regardless your assumptions are right. From this thats good for the defends then and there is value in being wider than the artillery if the guys hanging out the side are shot and the artificial distance from teh FF isnt a disadvantage. Later germans here we come - I based 8 cannons last night.

[deadtorius]

As far as attacking FF's goes, your opponent moves up to within 1 Mu of the FF, and stops. Next turn they can charge it. Keep that one in mind too. page 157 right hand bullets lists how you attack an FF or an obstacle.
you get one extra turn to shoot them up before they can charge in

[expendablecinc]

As far as attacking FF's goes, your opponent moves up to within 1 Mu of the FF, and stops. Next turn they can charge it. Keep that one in mind too. page 157 right hand bullets lists how you attack an FF or an obstacle.
you get one extra turn to shoot them up before they can charge in

Hmm interesting. So the best approach if you are going over the top is to stop at 5 inches away (at long range) then move full to 1 inch away.

[rbodleyscott]

As far as attacking FF's goes, your opponent moves up to within 1 Mu of the FF, and stops. Next turn they can charge it. Keep that one in mind too. page 157 right hand bullets lists how you attack an FF or an obstacle.
you get one extra turn to shoot them up before they can charge in

Hmm interesting. So the best approach if you are going over the top is to stop at 5 inches away (at long range) then move full to 1 inch away.

If you are Swiss or Warriors.

Of course, the best approach is not to attack FF at all, as you are unlikely to win.

[deadtorius]

So you suggest hammering it with artillery and muskets till they show the white flag? I was originally tempted to do Dutch as that was my DBR army, but Blathergut is not to keen on my standing behind FF's and he has threatened that if I did it he would just stand on his side of the table and not advance.
Parliamentarians are not very sporting are they?

[Blathergut]

How about, I've captured your fortifications previously, and you have to take them back?

[deadtorius]

We will see, I don't think I am that scared of facing off against them. Would have to wait till I could toss together a nice Tercio army first though.