Tackling Massed French Columns
A feature of our recent games has been the inability of British Line to be able to withstand an concentrated attack by more than one French battalion in column. Whilst the result has often been aided by poor dice throws, once the British battalion falters and starts to retreat, the defence in depth also starts to become unformed. Have been considering placing cavalry to the rear to try and force the French into square and therefore slow them down enough to allow friendlies to reform, reorganise. However, I wondered if any of you out there had any tactical suggestions. OB

Not sound idea to place troops behind troops that might get a 'rout' reaction. Best to get as many factors on your side - cover etc. Remember, very few lines would stand an attack by two columns irrespective of nationality. Failing that - practice throwing dice. Ceara

Get a couple of horse batteries up, one either side of your main line and spray the front of the column with canister (worked for Smola). Make sure your howitzers are doing the same, although the occasional shell adds interest. The key is to halt the forward momentum.

Ah! Ask yourself this question. Would you attack a British Line supported with artillery on both flanks with two columns? Very few would. The point here is that by giving a solution, more questions/difficulties occur - thats what makes our game so great. Ceara

What lines gain in firepower they lose on manoeuvrability. If the flanks are left floating they are potentially vulnerable. Dave H is right with his artillery, but a small cavalry regiment could do the same, just the threat, rather than use of the cavalry will cause the attacking column to think twice (which is remarkable as they are just lumps of lead! :? ). I haven't played with Brits much, and early on struggled to know of an effective way to support infantry in general. I think keeping some cavalry in reserve is essential, to protect retreating troops as well as to exploit an opening. This isn't easy, but acheivable with columns, I am uncertain how to do this with lines without leaving potentially dangerous gaps between the lines. Perhaps keeping artillery in reserve until you know where you want to place it could also be an option. To date I haven't done well with supporting line with a line to the rear - this has ended up with a retreating formation crashing into the one behind. I suppose this may well reflect the historical problems faced by Prussian school/linear armies, and why the French triumphed so often in the early years of the Empire. I hope this rambling is of some use. Perhaps the more experienced players need to start a "Useful Tips" thread. I am certainly open to any advice as all my gaming collegues have played for years so have the edge in experience. Ants

CC, Ensure you keep a proper deployment distance between each line when defending in depth. Retreating troops will unform units for the first half of their retreat move but from then on flow around. Thus a well placed second line has to option to close up and volley in the following move or, if in columns, potentially charge a still unformed attacker. DB

Somehow, well thought out gaps between lines end up being closer than one first thought. :?

I usually find that a combination of skirmishers, artillery and a "Wellingtonian" deployment (otherwise known as "hiding") is enough to stop my French columns every time. I keep trying to convince myself that one day I will break a British line with a column attack.

It can be difficult. Mind you, last game I played, British Line, supported by skirmishers and artillery and column in reserve, got trounced by French in column supported by artillery. It made me weep.

An alternative might be to follow the Austrians at Wagram. The Masses were drawn up en echequier with the first line about 100 paces back from the edge of the Wagram ridge - that way, you get the ideal musketry range as the French come over the ridge and then the formations get broken up as some hit the first line masses while the rest move into the gaps where they are blasted by the second line.

Gents Lets not assume that the preferred method of attack was the column. 'Les grandes querelles' as the debate between attacking lines V columns was termed, never decided which was best/effective rather individual decisions based on moral seemed to be the deciding factor. Where the defended has no artlllery and my troops are of fair moral, I attack in Line en echelon. Where the defended has artillery I used order mixed. Ceara

A very good point Ceara. However, I am rather unconvinced by mixed order as its historical usage seems to be extremely limited to say the least. I try to go for the classic "advance in column and deploy into line" routine but tend to find that it does not work well when facing a British force with its heavy skirmish component, especially when the main British fighting line is concealed in a Wellingtonian position.

Attacking in 'order mixed' against artillery has the advantage of have any cannister casualties spread over a wider frontage and the large number of troops makes a Brigade failing a moral test unlikely. Try it out, you will be surprised. Ceara

Ceara, I agree that it can be a very useful deployment; my problem with mixed order is that it is extremely rare to find mention of it actually being used. I suspect that it may be one of the great wargaming "myths". Colin

I think you are right! Ceara