Hi j1m,
I may have misinterpret the BtLB rules, but to me the way it reads is that a battalion of 18 which has lost as you say 8 casualties, fires with all 3 stands as the 50% criterion has not been reached, but does receive a -2 when firing as a stand has losses equal to or greater than 50% of a stand.
If the battalion loses a futher casualty (making 9) it only fires with 2 stands as the battalion having received 50% casualties now removes a stand.When firing, the 2 stands fire, but again with a -2 modifier as again a stand has lost 50%.
Unsure if it's the whole battalion that fires with the -2 or just the stand with the 50% losses
and the other stand fires at full effect
I'm a bit rusty as I haven't played these rules in a while.
Roll on the release of BtLB2 when hopefully everything will be explained better.
Regards......Ray.