Cavalry charge interactions with infantry special rules

[Tom]

Hi –  a couple of questions we have come across during our Napoleonic games, when cavalry is charging infantry:

• The first is around how Sweeping Advance and charge (SAAC) interacts with Must Form Square. The rules for SAAC (p73) state that infantry cannot shoot or do anything in response. Am I right in assuming the infantry cannot form square, even if they have the Must Form Square special rule? The rules aren’t explicit about this but given there is no time to shoot, there can hardly be time to form square, right?
• Secondly: a cavalry unit charges an infantry unit with the Steady special rule. The Cavalry wins the melee (inflicting three excess casualties on the infantry) thereby forcing the infantry to take a break test. Because the infantry is steady, it automatically scores the maximum possible value, which I take to be 12 minus three (for the excess casualties) giving a final score of nine. This means the infantry holds its ground. What does the cavalry do? Is it treated as a draw, meaning the cavalry would retire one move (assuming it is not shaken)? Presumably it cannot choose to do nothing (i.e. stay in contact). And it cannot to a Sweeping Charge, because the infantry did not retire and are not broken.

[Big Al]

1) Yes you are correct. The cavalry bursting through has caught everyone by surprise and they don’t have time to react in any way. The last paragraph of the section on Sweeping Advance and Charge is very clear – enemy can only hold their ground or turn to face if they are cavalry. Nothing vague there and very explicit!

2) The Combat is not a draw, it was won by the cavalry, so the cavalry can sit there and carry on hacking away. All that happened was the infantry lost and passed the break test and did not have to retire.

The decision on what the cavalry do next is based on the Combat result, not the break test (except for making a Sweeping Advance). Cavalry retire on any result other than victory.

[Tom]

Thanks Big Al – much appreciated. That’s what we thought but good to get an expert view!

[Author]

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