Light Cavalry
What do I do with the light cavalry? When I play ancients games they skirmish with varying degrees of success, but when I play Napoleonic’s they usually get either shot to bits or charged by other cavalry and routed in pretty short order. I have considered making them elite and superior mounts so they can go toe to toe with heavies, but this doesn’t seem right. So can someone please tell me what is the role of light cavalry in GdeB

I had the same question when I started and someone on this site replied that the threat of the cavalry is all that is needed some times. Use them to threaten enemy infantry, don't charge but make them go into squares and then hit them with artillery or infantry. This means light cavalry must operate near the other arms. Don't expose them out wide on their own. Perhaps keep cavalry in the rear with lanes down which they can advance. Use support or engage orders. Any time I don't keep to this I usually regret it. Also, look at the design of games you are playing. GdB generally is designed for a division or a Corps. Most of these formations had light cavalry attached but did not have heavy cavalry attached, and certainly hardly ever had cuirassiers. Are you using the points system? We have largely moved away from this as some of our group would only ever field Guard or elite units of cuirassiers or lancers etc. The final problem is the you-go, I-go deploymentat the start of the game. This seems to always result in lancers being placed light cavalry and cuirassiers placed opposite lancers etc. We have lately used hidden deployment - brigades are indicated on a map and units must be placed within those deployment areas. Hope this helps. Ants

Thanks captain, pretty much as I thought, I probably just need a bit more practice. We play points games with a small division a side (but I’m still painting!), the guy who I usually play against has a lot more figures than I have and I usually come up against cuirassiers, lancers or loads of artillery.

Just mind, I am relatively new to all this (played now 18 months). I think it is important to have some ground rules as to what can be fielded. It is not much fun (nor is it realistic) to keep coming up against elite troops or cuirassiers while you are trying to stick to a more historical Orbat. Anthony

Hi Ants & Chippie We do pretty much the same for our naps games. We play 500pts Commanders are free. You may have 1 x Guard/Elite unit. The rest must be line or lower. Max 3 x Bttns per brigade.(usually 2 brigades) 1 x Btty per player (must attach to a brigade at start of game) Armies that can have independent skirmishers, may have 3 per bttn (british rifles) otherwise must detach the light element (usually French). We also have a victory points scenario for most games. We have been playing like this for years now and it seems to work very well. As for initial deployment, defenders set up first so attackers can plan the attack. If a meeting engagement, we dice for it loser deploys first..