2nd Test Battle Questions and Battle Report

[George]

Hello,

I fought a 2nd battle this week. The report can be found on my blog at:

https://thetinsoldierguy.blogspot.com/2021/03/black-powder-rules-battle-report-1.html

I called my battle “The Battle of Many Mistakes” because I sure made a lot of them. Not upset though. These are test games to learn. I plan to take my game to school this week to play as an after school club with my students. It may be a way to get more people into the hobby in the DFW area.

Questions:

1. Enfilading Fire: Are dice rolls doubled or are misses simply re-rolled? According to the BP 2nd Ed rules it says a re-roll but then the chart in the back of the book still lists double dice rolls. I’m thinking the chart is not updated correctly as the example in the book shows a unit taking 3 shots with re-rolls. Unless I’m corrected otherwise, that is how I intend to play in the future.

2. Can infantry in a building give enfilading fire? An enemy marched its flank right beside the building. There is a command figure and it is in line with the unit’s flank. However. infantry in buildings seem as though they are more like skirmishers to me and that the fire power is divided between sides makes this doubtful to me. However, the rules say nothing against it. Again, If I’m not corrected otherwise I plan to not allow enfilading from a building.

 

[Mike]

I think they forgot to update the QRS for the change in the enfilading rule… so re-roll misses.

Regarding units in buildings… page 97 says units in buildings have “no formation as such”.  The rule for enfilade fire is clear that skirmishers do not get it, but I can’t find where it definitively says one thing or the other regarding units in “no formation” and if they are not in a formation, then where is the “center”.

Clearly, the individuals firing out of a built up area would have an even better chance of hitting a target presenting its flank as it passed by… But Black Powder is pretty generous allowing up to 2 shots per face, since depending on the building or even built up area, unless prepared in advance to have enough places for people to fire from, it is unlikely that up to two thirds of a battalion could issue fire out of one side of it.  So giving them an enfilade bonus might be to much.

Administratively, it is a bit tricky, since you are supposed to measure from the center of the unit (where the leader is suppose to be positioned), but does a unit with no formation have a center.  And since a leader is a single figure does that mean only one side of a town could issue “enfilading fire” and the others could not.   That does not make sense.

So I would lean toward not giving the unit enfilade fire out of a building unless the specific scenario calls for a “special scenario” rule.    An example of this would be built up area fully prepared with loopholes allowing many more than normal troops to fire out of one side.  Then instead of measuring from the center of the unit, I would use the center of the “built up area” as the reference point.  Doing so would discourage the other player from simply by passing a building capable of firing virtual volleys on his flank, which seems right.

 

[George]

Thanks Mike,

I like your clarifications.

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