understrength units in melee

j1mwallace · Post by **j1mwallace** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 4:39 pm

we had a game last night and the following came up, a squadron of british cavalry 3 strong charged a full strength , 6 figure unit of french cavalry.
there doesn't seem to any amendment /penalty for being a small unit vs larger one.
if this is correct you may as well charge full size infantry units with Kamikaze single figures.
i'm sure thats not your intention though Barry.
We did think that should be perhaps -2 or 3 for being below half strength.
Jim

Post by **barr7430** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:59 pm

Hi Jim,

this is a good shout and I can now see where the potential anomaly comes from. The mechanism in R2E involves regiments operatiing for cavalry and not squadrons. This means that small units would be so depleted that the chances of them ever charging in the first place is non existent. With the 'squadron' base of BLB this possibly becomes a more common occurence.
You suggestion is quick and sensible and I'll note it now in the amendments but I wonder what everyone's thoughts are about this interpretation:

Occasionally small and well led units DID get themselves together and achieve great things against superior forces. If a small unit has 'taken the minuses' and still bee able to charge it may. like a firework, have one quick shot at achieving something before getting snuffed out. A 3 model unit charging AND winning will still take 2 casualties and thus be gone after the initial contact. There is a case for this although how strongly I would argue it I am not sure...
Roll on the Kamikaze's???????

Post by **barr7430** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 5:51 pm

rethought this Jim.

A unit gets a single D6 for a stand so penalising it by -2 or -3 for having 1/2 a stand is to severe..

The answer...

1 x D6 for each fighting stand at more than 1/2 strength . This means that understrength units of 3 or less will start the combat with 0 dice until modifiers are applied.. that solves it I think

flick40 · Post by **flick40** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 2:53 am

During melee modifiers can leave you with 1/2 die etc. Do we round these up or down? If a unit suffers negative modifiers they get no roll or should they always roll one die?

quindia · Post by **quindia** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 4:19 am

Assuming the new version of BLB leans toward R2E, you round half dice up and always get one die regardless of modifiers.

Darkman · Post by **Darkman** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 3:30 pm

Ok so if two squadrons fight each other for two bounds and both bounds are a draw and they pass the losing 1/2 strength test, what do they do in the third bound when they have no dice to throw? (yes I know its a bit difficult to happen but if it can it will)

flick40 · Post by **flick40** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 5:09 pm

what do they do in the third bound

If quindia is correct in saying both throw one die regardless of modifiers then both roll 1 die. However regardless of the outcome both units are now effectively destroyed as they lose 2 figures a round in the melee. Three rounds = six casuatlies. Even if reinforced by additional squadrons the melee is over as the main combatants are destroyed.

Post by **barr7430** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:20 am

Pretty much right. There is the 'always one die' rule in R2E which means no matter how bad things get there is always a small chance of achieving something.
This should work fine here too.