How does the cavalry system work?

[Destraex]

Do heavy and lights charge differently and do they move through the different horse movement phases?

[mitra76]

No they don't charge in different mode, the difference is in their value, and yes there's a progression before the charge if there's the space. Charge happened at variable distances under the 100 yards, the run start at variable distances under the 180 yards. But of course is not always the case, sometime they can only countercharge or runaway, depending from the distance they become aware of enemy

Because the cavalry is not more linked to fire weapons in the target determination a new value in unitattributes.csv is present as "target distance" determination, more or less around the 300 yards, so it will be easy for the modder ,who prefer a less reactive more "player's under control", cavalry modify the reactions distance.

[Martin James]

That sounds promising. Thanks Mitra.

With the current engine, getting cavalry to charge can be an issue. They sometimes just hang about near enemy infantry taking fire, whereas they would mostly have either closed, or pulled back.

Martin (J)

[mitra76]

Ciao Martin

They run back when under fire and unable to charge or for the fatigue level, or because the target is in square or because the ground doesn't permit to charge

[Martin James]

Sounds perfect

ciao

[Destraex]

Sounds ok and I assume that heavy cavalry will be a little slower and less nippy on the field than lights and perhaps mediums?

[mitra76]

No not different speed, the difference was too minimal and the space to make running too short to have sense to be managed in terms of game speed.

[Saddletank]

I think people have many misconceptions about how Napoleonic cavalry was employed on the battlefield, thinking that heavy cavalry moves slower and hits harder. This was very rarely the case. There were bigger horses and bigger men recruited to the dragoons and cuirassiers but this had minimal effect on melee combat against lighter cavalry. All cavalry were battle cavalry but cuirassiers and their like were especially earmarked to neutralise an enemy's heavy cavalry and also for final breakthrough attacks.

Light cavalry operated quite happily on the battlefield against any enemy but their main purpose was pre-battle scouting and screening and post-battle pursuit and rearguard work.

A commander would try to keep a reserve of fresh light cavalry during battle for the necessary post-battle functions it was trained to do (whether he won and was going to pursue or lose and have to have a retreat covered) so the lack of use of some light cavalry in main battle encounters may have been for these reasons rather than they were not capable of taking on heavier cavalry or infantry head-to-head.

Light cavalry of course also operated on the flanks as in-battle observers scouts and a defensive screen to watch for enemy flank moves (such as Jacquinot's division on Napoleon's east flank at Waterloo).

The weapons were different as well. Light cavalry carried a curved sabre for slashing which by design required a little more space to swing while dragoons and cuirassiers etc carried a straight sword to be thustead forwards, principally in a charge to contact.

Wargames rules that give a disadvantage to, say, hussars against cuirassiers in melee are not correct in my view.

[Pansarskott]

Wargames rules that give a disadvantage to, say, hussars against cuirassiers in melee are not correct in my view.

Well...there's your answer...Cuirassiers wore a cuirass and helmet witch gave them better protection then hussars or other light cavalry...

[mitra76]

Well...there's your answer...Cuirassiers wore a cuirass and helmet witch gave them better protection then hussars or other light cavalry...

That is why during the skills calculation for the OOB creation we considered the armour yes or no like a factor in the edge weapon skill determination.