The Mad One's School of Cavalry Tactics

[JC Edwards]

Need tips on capturing Artillery? Melee with enemy Infantry/Cavalry?

This is the place to ask.

regards

The Mad One

[born2see]

The important question is: Will we get any answers????

B

[JC Edwards]

The important question is: Will we get any answers????

B

Everyone else.....yes.

You.....absolutely not!

[Martin James]

I can capture guns ok, but please JC can you tell a poor trooper how to capture darn wagons? They dance an Irish jig when I go after 'em, turn on a sixpence, and sometimes ride right through our regiment and off into the distance.

Much obliged..........

Ike Clanton, Sergeant, 3rd Tennessee Cav

[con20or]

martin - JC is a fount of knowledge - i always go to him with my cav queries B)

I could be wrong on this, JC will know, but I think you capture them when coming in contact with them. I only noticed it the other day when testing something.

You don't need to charge, so just double time after them and right into them. Don't bother switching into line.

[Saddletank]

I would just like a basic SoW cavalry primer... a "mounted combat 101".

Cavalry seem very fickle in SoW, either they run at the first sign of the enemy's hats or they go charging in and before you know it have slaughtered a whole enemy brigade and then the rest of the evening is spent on teamspeak trying to work out what happened, with accusations flying every which way. Getting the balance of cavalry right seems hard.

It would be great to work from a historical premise first and agree on what cavalry should and should not be capable of on the ACW battlefield and then move on to how to best use them and how to best have them behave realistically.

As a British wargamer, with many years of wargaming European horse and musket conflicts and knowing exactly how cvaalry ought to be have in those contexts, turning to deal with ACW cavalry is not easy. They seem to fit into the period in European history when we had 'dragoons' before they became full caavlry, a kind of mounted infantry and not especially adpet at horsemanship. In those years (around the mid-1600s) dragoons were not a very useful tactical tool at all.

I also appreciate that betwen 1861 and 1865 there were great changes in cavalry use. The experience of the higher level commanders increased and the knowledge and skill of the mid-level commanders did likewise. At the lowest level of the troopers and field officers, the cavalry changed the most until by 1865 it was very different from 1861. Maybe SoW ought to try and encompass these changes as well.

But whichever... whatever the knowledgeable have to say, I'm all ears.

[JC Edwards]

I can capture guns ok, but please JC can you tell a poor trooper how to capture darn wagons? They dance an Irish jig when I go after 'em, turn on a sixpence, and sometimes ride right through our regiment and off into the distance.

Much obliged..........

Ike Clanton, Sergeant, 3rd Tennessee Cav

MJ - Con20or would be correct on the answer. Keep your Troopers TC'd in Column Formation and basically just "run the wagon over".

If the Regiment is small enough, while you're out there hunting down the wagons, TC the Regiment in Skirmish Formation. The actually move quicker (especially through wooded area's) than in Column or Line.

There's much micro-managing involved with TC'd units. But it's the best way to ensure accomplish exactly what you want.

JC

[Garnier]

TC the Regiment in Skirmish Formation.

I wonder how many people know this. Regiments (infantry as well) move fastest in skirmish formation, regardless of terrain. So to make real "column charge", you want to go in skirmish most of the distance. Fastest movement, least artillery casualties.

Happily it can be modded so it doesn't ruin the game.

[Martin James]

Thanks JC. Haven't thought to use column. Have tried line (which is too slow), and I thought I'd tried skirmish, but maybe I'm misremembering. Is it necessary to touch flag to flag to make the capture though?

And no, Garnier, I didn't know this. So thanks.

Martin (J)

[Blaugrana]

I would just like a basic SoW cavalry primer... a "mounted combat 101".

+1 please.