Good points Lloyd. Yes, we tried to keep things clearly differentiated. And again, the business of having a unit unable to fire because of friends in the way being a frustration -- just remind the guy complaining that he probably put the friends in the way.
All that said, if players need to have columns and squares fire, Terry's suggestion is fine. For squares I would recommend firing on contact only, perhaps not even with a -1.
Chris
When we first started playing Shako2 we had the Austrian players just keep their units in the masse formations. This was even with the -1 to the battalion's firing, they were still developing more dice rolls for staggers and possible kills. Two dice riolls per battalion frontage. Plus they could manuever easier. We pointed out that they would be unable to kill with a staggered unit but they still prefered the shorter firing formations.
As to squares firing TWO sides in one direction. I think this was not the case. I find it difficult to believe that the faces of the square can actually fire at a 45 degree angle. Plus cavalry was taught to attack the corners because the fire was less AND the corners were the weakest points. The reason the French in 1805-6 formed with their corners out was to allow supporting fire from one square to another without risk of hitting the friendly square. The easiest thing to do if a player complains that his line cannot fire. Is tell him not stack his troops that much.
I think this worrying over these small factors is exactly what Shako2 was trying to get away from.
Lloyd
-----Original Message-----
From: TERRY GRINER <TGRINER@COMCAST.NET>
To: shako@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 11:17 am
Subject: RE: [shako] Re: Hasty Squares?
Here’s an idea we toyed with. Aside from the squares not firing, there was the occasional complaint about a line not being able to fire just because a small part of one base was blocked, especially a large 4 base battalion that still had three unblocked bases. Some also dispute the lack of fire from a column.
One could allow ANY base(s) in a battalion to fire, but with a (-1) penalty per blocked base. Thus a square with only one face able to fire would do so at a (-2) penalty, as would a column. If cavalry attacked the square’s corner so 2 faces could fire, then the penalty would be (-1). We allowed large battalions in line to ignore the first blocked based and begin the penalties with the second blocked base.
From: shako@yahoogroups.com [mailto:shako@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Martin Groat
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 8:38 AM
To: shako@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [shako] Re: Hasty Squares?
Interesting thoughts. I always quite liked the suggestion that was used in Advanced Shako; squares can fire but as skirmishers on formed troops attacking ie a 5 or 6 creates a stagger.
I think an extra throw to determine a square's alignment is probably a little too detailed for the broad brush approach of Shako and at a divisional level possibly of little effect.However it's a suggested house rule and some might like to try it.
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