Failed square – can unit shoot in closing fire

[arcole]

Hi All,

I know that if infantry form square as a charge respone then they are unable to perform closing fire as their reaction is used up. However, what happens if they fail to form square (roll of 2). It happened in yesterdays game. In the end, as we could find nothing to the contrary we permitted them to perform cloing fire but wqas this correct?

Regards

A.

[Mike]

I think you can shoot… disordered.  I assume this since the unit is taking the charge at “the halt”.

[Nat]

No, because your charge response is to form square not perform closing fire.

The same as if you tell a unit to perform 3 moves then fail the order roll.  You’ve made the response of form square, just the guys have blundered and not managed to do so before the enemy cavalry hit home.

[Garry Wills]

Interesting discussion. You can argue it both ways, i.e. the troops opened a disordered fire thus preventing the formation of square or as Nat says the unit’s officers spent all their time trying and failing to form square. As written the rules on page 89, don’t preclude the infantry firing disordered. However, I think this is due to loose wording, I say this because if the infantry is allowed to fire disordered the cavalry may then face a break test and be beaten off, without fighting, which is extremely unlikely historically speaking. That last paragraph would be clear if it said ‘A unit that attempts to form square…’ .

[arcole]

Having given it some thought along with the above comments I am coming to favour the idea that the infantry use their reaction to “form square”. Closing Fire is a specific charge reaction, so cannot be used if they fail to form square. Indeed, why should a unit is such disorder be able to fire when another unit which formed a perfect square cannot?

Regards

A.

[Author]

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