Colonial Campaigns Club (CCC)

AL,

Thank you for your responses in the other thread. I found them very helpful.

In order to reduce the sheer MAGNITUDE of our comments, I thought I would take the key points of discussion and make a separate thread (or threads).

This is one of them. You stated:

"No. Skirms don't 'soak up fire'. Formed unit commanders usually prohibited their men from shooting. Reference fisrt hand accounts of the battle of Jena."


I believe we are actually saying the same thing, AL.

By "soak up fire" I only mean that a 50 man volley, firing at 15 men, are going to register very few hits.... especially if the skirmishers are using cover - - compared to either a regular LINE or even an EXTENDED ORDER of men (who are not using cover).

This is *why* commanders tell their men not to fire ... because firing at skirmishers, except under extreme conditions, is not an effective use of lead.

Instead of using the term "soaking up" fire, I should use the term "less vulnerable to fire".

I welcome your thoughts.

Regards,

Lieutenant Brooks