Charging cavalry

[david53]

Do Cavalry being charged by cavalry have to counter charge if they intend to stand and fight.

[donm]

Page 30,

Their default action is to counter-charge, so you would have to pass a CMT to stand and there doesn't seem to be a reason why you would want to stand?

Don

[BrettPT]

It is worth noting that countercharging cavalry can frequently be drawn away from their rear and flank supports - as their countercharge move drags them out of support range of other units.

If conscious of this risk, the good defensive player will have carefully arranged the positioning of supports in his previous movement phase to minimise. It is one aspect of the game where the difference between good players, and those less astute, can come out.

Generally with cavalry it is better to charge than be charged. General movement takes place after assualts, but before hand-to-hand.
If you are the active (ie assaulting) player you can use the intervening movment phase to maneouvre flank and rear supports into position - giving you more dice in the forthcoming hand-to-hand phase. The non-active defending player does not have this opportunity and and must instead rely on (hopefully carefully) pre-positioned supports to get flank/rear bonuses in cavalry combats.

Plus, of course, if both units end up on the same cohesion level after hand-to-hand is adjudicated (ie both sides are disordered, both are wavering or both are broken) then it is the defender who has to retire - the 'attacker wins ties' rule.

Cheers
Brett

[david53]

Page 30,

Their default action is to counter-charge, so you would have to pass a CMT to stand and there doesn't seem to be a reason why you would want to stand?

Don

Unless they were uphill of the enemy charging them maybe.

[donm]

David,

Unless they were uphill of the enemy charging them maybe.

Having re-read the rules, there is no option for the cavalry to stand. 'Other steady and Disodered Cavalry MUST counter-charge.

So you need to position your unit so that your counter-charge does not bring them off the hill.

An attacking cavalry unit certainly gets the advantages within these rules.

Don

[david53]

David,

Unless they were uphill of the enemy charging them maybe.

Having re-read the rules, there is no option for the cavalry to stand. 'Other steady and Disodered Cavalry MUST counter-charge.

So you need to position your unit so that your counter-charge does not bring them off the hill.

An attacking cavalry unit certainly gets the advantages within these rules.

Don

Am playing another game sunday so this time will be a bit better as we have now covered things we got wrong in the first game.