Newbie Questions version 564.

[JJMicromegas]

Hello,

I played my second game of FoGN last night, my first game was a demo so I didn't really have the chance to get in contact with the rules. I am sure there have been many of these newbie threads but I was hoping to get some help with the following questions:

1.) My unit of cavalry was shot at from the flank and the result was "need CMT to advance". The unit failed it's CMT, however the question came up whether I could turn and face the firing unit (I was outside of 2MU so it would normally be a simple move).

1a.) I am assuming that if the non-active player gets a result "CMT to advance" it carries forward to their own movement turn?

2.) I am assuming all retire moves as a result of combat are done as per the Outcome Moves Table.

3.) If a unit of infantry is charged by cavalry or infantry, it can choose to change formation in response to the charge. Can that unit of infantry conduct defensive fire?

4.) Cavalry within 6MU of infantry reduces their fire by 2 dice to represent the skirmirshers staying inside the formation, I am wondering the reasoning behind this design decision. This makes it very easy for cavalry charge into infantry head one since the same applies to defensive fire (I am assuming). Some clarification would be helpful.

Thanks in advance,
JJ

[deadtorius]

1 an advance is moving closer to the enemy, you can turn in place or move away from enemy as a simple move. Only need to pass cmt if you are moving closer to any enemy unit.

1a cmt to advance only affects you during your own turn, the inactive player you ignores it.

2 yes retire moves are made as per the outcome table.

3 yes a unit that changes formation as a response can still fire defensive fire.

4 cavalry within 6 mu only affects skirmishers. Your artillery still fires at full and units within 2 mu of cavalry shoot all their dice needing 4's to hit, close range target. There are no skirmish dice at 2 mu or less.

Try charging steady infantry with your cavalry and see how fast the horse can run away' you need to knock your target down to at least disrupted before you assault for a chance at success.

One last thing to keep in mind, if you use double moves you can not get within 6 mu of an enemy, so using double moves you can not move to within skirmish range and shoot during the turn you double moved. You stop just outside of med range.
Its a common mistake players make.
Hope that cleared it up for you and welcome to FOG N.

[Blathergut]

1. You can turn to face. You are not 'advancing.'
1a. No. 'Halt' results on the inactive player have no effect.

2. Yes.

3. First, the unit would get defensive fire during the charge. If it ended not in contact (assault was halted), it could also fire during the Firing phase.

4. The cavalry do not have an effect on close range firing. So when the cavalry assault, they are hit at close range for full effect.

[Blathergut]

ahaha....posted at the same time

[hazelbark]

I know other have answered just adding for clarification

1.) My unit of cavalry was shot at from the flank and the result was "need CMT to advance". The unit failed it's CMT, however the question came up whether I could turn and face the firing unit (I was outside of 2MU so it would normally be a simple move).

An advance is forwrd movement. Movement to the rear or a formation change are not effected by the CMT to advance. ALTHOUGH they may require their own CMT depending on circumstances.

1a.) I am assuming that if the non-active player gets a result "CMT to advance" it carries forward to their own movement turn?

No just the immediately following phase. So out of sequence they have no effect.

2.) I am assuming all retire moves as a result of combat are done as per the Outcome Moves Table.

If an outcome move (4+).

3.) If a unit of infantry is charged by cavalry or infantry, it can choose to change formation in response to the charge. Can that unit of infantry conduct defensive fire?

A unit charged by cavalry (with or without infantry) has basic options: Stand and fire OR form Square. Not both.
It takes its CT test, then perrform the action automatically. A failure of the CT does not stop the action, just lowers your cohesion level which effects the shooting and melee.

4.) Cavalry within 6MU of infantry reduces their fire by 2 dice to represent the skirmirshers staying inside the formation, I am wondering the reasoning behind this design decision. This makes it very easy for cavalry charge into infantry head one since the same applies to defensive fire (I am assuming). Some clarification would be helpful.

First this only applies to medium range shooting. So Cavalry charging infantry that chooses to fire will be shot at at close range and uneffected.

Medium range (2-6 MU) shooting for infantry represents the skirmishers deployed forward of the actual unit. Rather than markers, the authors incorporated it into range. Mounted units would prey on skirmishers. So the skirmishers are naturally falling back away form the small squadrons of mounted who would threaten then.

remember in this period, infantry almost never wanted to engage cavalry except in square. They usual outcome was the infantry was slaughtered. i jsut finished reading a book on the Eylau campaign and with one notable exceptions (pavlov Grenadiers versus tired French Dragoons) the foot is broken and destroyed if the mounted close on them when they are not in square. But a number of French an Russian battalions were destroyed when cuaght not in square. The same is true of the skirmishers deploying forward. The moment they saw mounted they would seek to return to the parent battalion or just be run down. If the rules had playerrs do all this then you would be conducting a much more tactical game.

[JJMicromegas]

Thank you for the answers and the clarification, things are much more clear now.

Blathergut I played in your demo game at Hotlead this past year (this is guy with the amazing dice rolls).

One follow up question I had was why the Austrian Line Infantry Average Drilled only costs 8 pts per base whereas in every other army it's 10 pts?

[Blathergut]

Austrians, as every good Frenchman knows, are unkempt, uncivilized, uneducated, and most importantly for our discussion here, unreformed.

They move more slowly (4MU) than the French (6MU). They don't shoot at medium range unless they have skirmisher or artillery attachments.

They tend to appear on the battlefield in 6paks, making it more difficult to hit the buggers since they reduce hits by one each time for being large units.

All of this makes them cheaper in the points list.

[Blathergut]

Hope you're enjoying the game. Kurt and I keep tossing cannon balls, musket balls, and occasionally horse turds at each other, thoroughly enjoying the system. You are welcome to join us anytime if you can make the dogsled run to Cambridge.

**One thing the Austrians do seem to be good at: spotting and shooting French commanders, especially charismatic ones!**

[deadtorius]

So far Austria has killed at least 4 Division commanders with a 0 loss to themselves. The french types like to lead from the front where as their white coated counterparts prefer to remain unattached and rally when the need arises, which is quite often.

[Blathergut]

Ya, ya...more Austrian self-gloating...or...self-bloating!

Since we promote based on merit and not birth, we have many more for you to practice musket aiming on!

[deadtorius]

Last game was the best as the froggies first assault of the game resulted in the demise of a Charismatic divisional commander . unfortunately bout initial success was it for the game as the army imploded on itself by repeatedly failing 2 out of every 3 tests for the remainder of the game

[JJMicromegas]

Was the Austrian army of 1813 in any worse condition than their allies. It seems as though the Prussians also had to recruit a force quickly and had a large number of landwehr and conscripts. Any justification for making the Austrians unreformed.

Blathergut thanks for the offer but I've relocated to London, UK. I'll have to take a rain cheque on the game in Cambridge, ON.

[Sarmaticus]

As I understand it, their rating as Unreformed is meant to represent their dilatory behaviour. IMHO that behaviour had more to do with Austria's idea of it's strategic rather than the capabilities of its army; Austrian tactics were reformed around the time of Russia's and Prussia's reforms. Archduke Charles faffs about a bit in 1809 and Schwarzenburg has an ambivalent brief in 1813-14. Any limitations of the officer corps would IMHO have better been represented by lowering Commander and Discipline ratings. It's not likely to be changed in the RAW but in your house, you can do as you choose

[hazelbark]

So far Austria has killed at least 4 Division commanders with a 0 loss to themselves. The french types like to lead from the front where as their white coated counterparts prefer to remain unattached and rally when the need arises, which is quite often.

Pretty historical. The French Officer Corps had a high mortality rate. There clearly was a belief of leading by inspiring others.

Note a commander who is lost is not necessarily dead. Just pinning for the fjords.

[Sarmaticus]

There were also big rewards for conspicuous gallantry. The only baton in knapsack on the Austrian side I can think of is Mack's