Thought I would let everyone know where we are up too. I have been busily incorporating ideas and further period refinements on the basis of feedback and suggestions.
Greg & his gang from Tuscon have provided several excellent ideas which I have incorporated to add further period flavour. These include:
1. Further development of the platoon firing/rank firing tactical doctrine effects. Crudely put, Platoon Firing Foot will be allowed the current bonus for stationary fire and a 1/2 move and fire option with no penalty. Rank firing units will take a shooting negative modifier for this latter option. This further opens the gap between the two fire doctrines and ties it to tactical decisions about moving or not. I think the mechanism produces the' advantage' without tedious reference to complicated distinctions in move allowances etc. I have rejected the wider arc of fire for Platoon firing as its advantge is probably already covered in the +1 fire modifier.
2. THREADING as a melee result for Horse - the DRAW result for Horse melee now means zero casualties per side, a swap of position for both protagonists and the recommencement of the close combat with all first round factors re applied. I think this is a fun way (ie second chance to make the big impact) with more than a passing reference to real life. Reinforcements can also be added at this stage making the whole thing much more like a game of poker!
3. Removal of the 'Defence against Horse' formation for non pike armed foot.
4. A possible further refinement of the BLADE - BULLET Horse tactical distinctions to encompass the Austrian tactics and the extreme nature of the Swedish Gallop.
5. Reinstatement of the mandatory ROUT after 1/2/3/4 consecutive defeats for RAW/DRILLED/ELITE/GUARD troops but without the pushbacks. This avoids congestion through interpenetration but give smaller Horse units a chance to break their opponents quickly before they disappear through combat attirition. THANK YOU JOE for your excellently illustrative and convincing worked example in your last mail
At the moment the main unresolved issues are:
Movement rate - I am monitoring the debate and will make a decision soon.
DEFEND order - and whether that needs further clarification (it seems to be annoying one or two of you!)
Several of Joe's recent suggestions in an email have also been incorporated (in fact the Da H may have been Joe's idea!) Sorry Joe!