Suggested tactics for dealing with larger cavalry divisons

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Corbon-Jon Nathan Loughnan

Having to fight against more-and-better Cavalry is a tough ask, especially if the Cav have good fire support, as both you and Brett have noted.

 

Squares (equals slow the game down here, while you win elsewhere), or a solid line of overwhelming firepower (equals try and win where he is also trying to win, which is higher risk and higher reward, and relies on his accepting the challenge) are still the only answer, which means... you really have to do something else as well to keep the Artillery off the squares.

 

First, know that hindsight and risk-taking alternate options are easy. None of this is a criticism. But there are a couple of options that might... might, help.

 

1. As you noted, more terrain, not less. Smaller and higher quality armies can generally maneuver better, and having many obstructions can create narrow lanes where the quality matters more and the numbers less.

 

Note that this is predicated on a comparison between your army and his - you didn't know his, but you did know yours was particularly small and elite.

 

I would say your first conclusion was excellent, and a good lesson learned.

 

2. Attacking aggressively. Having first turn and double moves free of interference can really allow you to define the shape of the battle, who fights where and first. This is particularly true of smaller armies who really want to pick their fights against a larger army and not allow the larger army the initiative to bring their mass to bear. Its also true of infantry armies (and by corollary, armies that aren't infantry dominant but are out-cavalry-ed). My all-but-Cavalry-less US army almost always chooses a 6 option despite the disadvantages, because squeezing the enemy's table space is worth more than the considerable disadvantages to that option plus the advantages of the other options.

 

Do you think that your two infantry divisions could have smashed his left division and turned into his centre pretty easily? I do. The question then is how to keep the rest of his army off your back while your elite Infantry crush his conscripts. The challenge is losing the rest of the battle slowly enough while winning that battle fast enough. And its not necessarily easy, but better than willingly setting up the fight he wants. 

 

I do note that having chosen a probe, with 2 divisions starting off table, you were basically unable to do this. I am definitely aware that the enemy blocking certain options also contributes to choices made!

IMO I think your second conclusion is probably wrong, though adding a redoubt definitely helps. 

 

Sitting on defense will give him the initiative and time, and allows him to use his Artillery to maximum effect on your small army and attack only with the troops he wants to in the places he wants to.

Defense has a place, but generally it needs an aggressive follow up - absorb his blows SO THAT you can counterattack with these fast reserves in this manner after, etc etc. 

 

One question must always be asked. How am I going to break the enemy army? If you don't have an answer/plan to/for that, then what are you there for? Go grab a beer, or equivalent, instead.

Given the terrain and posture setup, I would have deployed between the towns anyway, with Lights in reserve and the Cav reinforcing. So I think your third conclusion is right, even though the second is, IMO, wrong.

The other conclusions are predicated on defense, so I'll just reiterate that allowing him to chose between options just gives him the best option, and time to do it the best way. 

 

Brett Preston-Thomas 

Love the Hoth picture narrative! It is always tricky taking on an enemy who has cavalry superiority. 

 

When I was reading that you were moving your LC across to take on his heavies, I winced though. That is what Django would have wanted, easy kill LC units coming to him. The LC should have been getting well away from the HC, or at least circling it wide to threaten flanks and force the Prussian division to break up. 

 

 The answer to a Panzer division (ie shock cav division) is a square. If the enemy cav has good shooting support (like Django did), then as you pointed out, squares can get into trouble.

 

The best response then to a panzer division is a solid line of good infantry with artillery attachments. Advance to 6MU slightly offset and try to concentrate medium range fire on those small cav units. Yu should be able to get 4 dice against 1 unit. See if you can get a disorder. You will force the enemy to assault, or start trying to CMT back out of 6MU. Once he his HC is spent, then maybe you can being your LC out to play