Slitherine

Am just exploring FoG(R) for the 1st time, after playing FoG(A) for a good few years, mainly becuse I get to play with my favourite period ECW

Having had WoR & the rules since Sat & got my 1st army drafted (at least on Excel) Dragoons appear to be a bit of an enigma...

Even though they start the game dismounted as Foot, they move as fast as Cavaliers, if you leaves them single-ranked, they can evade charges, they're really not that horrible when shooting muskets, they can (reluctantly) take on other Lights, & Arty if not supported

if so, they appear not to be as black as they were painted


Jer

They can evade in any formation, they count as skirmishers.

put them in terrain, helps if they get charged and want to stay put, although not running is usually a bad idea. They can be a pain or as happens in some of our games they just die quickly and thats that.
Dragoons vs Dragoons, for ECW that is about as much light vs light fight as you will get, can go good can go bad.
If you think they remind you of cavaliers try letting them stand against a cavalier charge, then you will see they are not really cavalier material.
I agree they can shoot well, especially at short range, I gun fire can be deadly in FOGR no matter who is shooting. We prefer to run them in 3's, although 4's will give you one extra die at long range and be equivalent to period pike and shot at short range. Seems you cant make a list without at least one BG of them.

>They can shoot! They are a pain to horse that can't shoot back.
>They can run away from anything they don't like.
>They are fast...esp. with first move...and can hang up an opposing flank (for a bit at least).
>I'd prefer 4paks (less cohesion tests) but usually can't afford that fourth base!!!

Just keep them away from anything that can shoot!!

I'm planning to run the plucky Dragoons within a Division of Cavaliers so they can cover each other. And there's lots of both
Think along the lines of Roundway Down

I like Dragoons, they're nippy, annoying & flexible. Especially if you can have a good few of them. Just keep them out of harm's way, unless one can do an 'Okey'....



Jer

I prefer 2s (if allowed) or 4s. My experience is that a single 3 is very vulnerable as 1 hit causes both a CT and a Death Roll, but a pair of 3s can be OK if you use them together.

Just bought a big batch of ECW from Kennington, so no excuses not to try the doughty dragoons now


Jer

Kevin is right. Dragoons in 3s are generally a waste of points. Dragoons in BGs of 4, three in the front rank and one in the rear seem especially effective and have caused me no end of problems.

Point noted about the Dragoons - though the amount of extra Dragoons for the '43' Roundway Down list means you can have 3 x BG of 4, which is rather handy



Cheers,
Jer

just dont expect them to hold anything for you, they are a nuisance but cant hold ground against battle troops. Still 3 little BG's of bothersome shooters should make some ones day a bad one.

Unlike skirmishers in the ancient battles, you can't ignore anything with a musket! One hit can cause a base loss.