Brigade Skirmishers

[CoffinDodger]

Gentlemen,

In some of my earlier reading and earlier rule sets, skirmishers were used to cover the entire brigade rather than individual battalions.

For example a British brigade of three battalions with a company sized Rifle detachment as was prevalent during the Iberian Peninsula campaign would deploy all its light companies and its Rifle detachment as a brigade skirmisher screen.

Can this be used in RtE and if so, how? Could the screen operate within nine inches of the lead battalion?

What would your thoughts be, please?

Jim

[Coyote]

I guess technically no. You can have a detachment of specialist light infantry with a brigade and it can go where it pleases.

In the 1812 section it mentions creating light battalions out of detached flank companies, which tells me that this isn't normal for the rules.

Now, that said, if it happened at the battle I would do it. Also, if I'm playing a small game I would also doing it on the assumption that this was something that the British would do when their numbers warranted it.

[quindia]

While the rules don't specifically cover that situation, Jim, there is nothing to stop you from fielding a brigade of, for example, three battalions minus their light companies (maybe one combat stand for British units?), and a 'specialist light infantry unit' of four (or whatever) companies. You will not be able to recall them to their parent units, but that may not have always happen in the 'brigade skirmish screen' you cited above anyway. Even if your specialists are mixed musket and rifle, just use the appropriate range and modifiers for the stands as they fire.

[obriendavid]

Jim, you are probably aware that the rules allow individual battalions to send out skirmishers so they could certainly line up and operate with the riflemen but not as a complete unit. As Clarence has already suggested for a one off game you could just combine them into one unit but we didn't want to add lots of extra rules for situations that might never crop up in most games. The rules have already been criticised for having too much detail and explanations as it is without us adding a whole list of minor points.

Cheers
Dave

[CoffinDodger]

Tyler, Clarence and Dave,

Thanks for your replies. I was just surmising and lining up my ducks for the gaming weekend. I had visions of a French brigade of four battalions in column of attack, two in front and two behind, preceded by a veritable cloud of skirmishers.

Ah well, back to the drawing board.

Jim

[obriendavid]

Another great plan scuppered Jim?

Cheers
Dave

[Chad]

Does this mean that a Prussian Fusilier battalion could not be deployed according to the 1812 regulations ie across the front of a Prussian 'brigade'?

Chad

[obriendavid]

A Prussian Fusilier battalion would be classed as light infantry so apart from keeping a close order stand the whole battalion would skirmish in combat groups of two figures and each group can be seperated up to 3" apart so that should be enough to cover the entire frontage.

Cheers
Dave

[CoffinDodger]

Another great plan scuppered Jim?

Cheers
Dave

Dave,

The faster I make them up, the faster they get shot down. My final (and TOP SECRET) plan is: if, through poor dice throwing, I start to run out of MPs, I will just buy an extra pack from Barry on the day.

Jim

[quindia]

The faster I make them up, the faster they get shot down. My final (and TOP SECRET) plan is: if, through poor dice throwing, I start to run out of MPs, I will just buy an extra pack from Barry on the day.

Jim