Colonial Campaigns Club (CCC)
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Skirmishers - Resistant to fire, but not to melee
https://wargame.ch/board/cc/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5912
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Author:  927 [ Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:17 am ]
Post subject:  Skirmishers - Resistant to fire, but not to melee

I have been reviewing the various comments about skirmishers and Extended line formations.

From what I gather, a good group of skirmishers does the following:

1) inflicts significant damage to men assembled in a line;

2) can receive volleys of fire (cannon or infantry) without incurring as many casualties as other formations;

3) is completely unable to receive melee (by infantry or cavalry), and should be overrun if not able to retreat quickly enough.

This last point should not be confused by such battles as Cowpens. In Cowpens, the skirmishers had rifles, and did not defend against melee, but were able to shoot enough attacking cavalry that the horse didn't get a chance to melee.

So, using the CCC engine, what would make all these features possible?

A] Reducing the numbers per counter reduces the ability of a unit to resist melee. So putting 1 man per counter/unit would certainly reduce this to the absolute minimum.

B] Placing 6 or 8 1-man counters into a single hex makes it possible for the hex to receive several volleys before the hex has been attrited.

C] Arming these specialized 1-man CCC units with a hypothetical .pdt weapon (or one of the unused types), with dramatically increased firepower at each range conventionally used for muskets.

SUMMARY:
In this way, 6 or 8 1-man counters can inflict significant damage to infantry or cavalry .... can soak up a significant amount of fire power (like true skirmishers do) .... but are virtually helpless in defending themselves against Cavalry or Infantry in melee contact.

I'll give this idea a few tests to see what might be a reasonable firepower to assign these 1-man skirmish units.

I could use some input!
How many casualties do you think 10 skirmishers (in one hex) should inflict against 50 Non-Extended Infantry (in another hex) in one side of a 5-minute turn in the CCC engine?

It has always been my impression that the "volley" that a unit fires per 5 minute turn is a "proxy" for perhaps 2 or more volleys. But if my impression is wrong, then it should be even easier to calibrate the damage effectiveness of 10 skirmishers.

Regards,

Lieutenant Brooks

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