Supporting Artillery

PrinceEdward · Post by **PrinceEdward** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:49 pm

Can a gun flanking a friendly infantry unit fire in support if the unit is charged and stands?

flick40 · Post by **flick40** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:31 pm

No, unfortunately the shot would be too late. The charge declaration and move happen before artillery fire. The unit in question would be in contact when the artillery would be able to fire. There is no mechanism for opportunity fire in the rules.

Post by **barr7430** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:46 pm

There is deliberately no opportunity fire. Warfare was not that coordinated. The gunners were only recenetly part of the army and artillery would not be assigned to brigades and thus mandated to support 'friends'. The rules are designed to make units clunky and vulnerable.

CoffinDodger · Post by **CoffinDodger** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:32 pm

Is a "battalion gun" considered part of the unit if it is in base contact with it?

Jim

flick40 · Post by **flick40** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:57 pm

I don't recall reading anything special in the rules about battalion guns. I can only assume their fire is considered part of the battalion when it fires and not done seperately. Battalion guns are not placed on the game table but considered there where applicable.

Personally their effectiveness would only become apparent in the later stages of the period covered by the rules where it could matter to give a bonus for having them. I defer to Barry for final clarification.

Post by **barr7430** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:43 pm

I am ambiguous about battalion guns. I do have the odd light gun but never attach them to battalions. I think for detail about there use someone like Iain is probably the best authority. If you players want to use them with BLB then one per brigade counting as a light gun and being manhandled is probably fine.
I try not to overload my BLB games with a lot of artillery. It is of course nice to have on the table but in a 10-12 battalion game 2-3 guns max will give a nice effect. It is not the pre eminent battle winning arm of service it would become 100 years later.