How do you stop a heavy cavalry division?

Moderators: philqw78, terrys, hammy, Blathergut, Slitherine Core

Post Reply
MCorbett
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2013 5:57 pm

How do you stop a heavy cavalry division?

Post by MCorbett »

In a game yesterday I took a heavy cavalry division for the first time.

Cuirassiers: small superior drilled shock cavalry, both with artillery attachments. Plus one attached officer.
Dragoons: two average drilled heavy cavalry (one unit from winning the initiative roll by 3).
Charismatic competent commander

The two cuirassiers charged a large line infantry and the two dragoons a small line infantry. The cavalry crushed the infantry with relative ease. I was just wondering what I would do to counter such a force... and I'm stuck! Any ideas?
KeefM
Staff Sergeant - StuG IIIF
Staff Sergeant - StuG IIIF
Posts: 274
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:08 am

Re: How do you stop a heavy cavalry division?

Post by KeefM »

Brett has some good tips here: http://www.slitherine.co.uk/forum/viewt ... 69&t=49546

And pinging them with artillery is also quite effective :-).

Also, a small Shock HC SD unit w officer and gun is 90pts. For just 6 extra points 3 small LD AD units will break the SD Shock HC on impact :-).
MCorbett
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2013 5:57 pm

Re: How do you stop a heavy cavalry division?

Post by MCorbett »

Thanks for this. I haven't tried a LC horde as a counter but I will once I've painted up a few more units. In our game last night, my opponent had just one cavalry unit - superior LC. He also had no artillery on the flank where my HC were attacking.
Blathergut
Field Marshal - Elefant
Field Marshal - Elefant
Posts: 5875
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:44 am
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada

Re: How do you stop a heavy cavalry division?

Post by Blathergut »

Infantry + artillery attachment with a unit of artillery beside is a great deterrent. I.e., lots of firepower will make cavalry think twice. When my early French are outclassed by the Austrian cavalry, I load up on artillery attachments for the infantry, keep them in large units if cost-feasible, and keep artillery tucked in between.
pugsville
Sergeant - 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
Sergeant - 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
Posts: 223
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 5:42 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: How do you stop a heavy cavalry division?

Post by pugsville »

Steady large infantry v two units of shock you still need 7 hits to destroy the infantry, with 10 dice, (4 + 1 for art attach) not likely. unsupported cavalry isnt that big a threat, as infantry can form square early.

Dont let cavalry pick on a isolated unit. Fight in lines. Art attachments make it much harder to close.
viperofmilan
Sergeant - Panzer IIC
Sergeant - Panzer IIC
Posts: 192
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 12:26 am

Re: How do you stop a heavy cavalry division?

Post by viperofmilan »

Don't know what list you were running, but most lists limit artillery attachments to 1 per division.
pugsville
Sergeant - 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
Sergeant - 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
Posts: 223
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 5:42 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: How do you stop a heavy cavalry division?

Post by pugsville »

Russians. A unit without a artillery attachment looks naked.

Steady infantry is rough similar numbers are not likely to just rolled over, In this example it was two on to one. Steady squares will not be destroyed one on one very often. Unsupported cavalry are not a huge threat in most cases.
MCorbett
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2013 5:57 pm

Re: How do you stop a heavy cavalry division?

Post by MCorbett »

viperofmilan wrote:Don't know what list you were running, but most lists limit artillery attachments to 1 per division.

It was the 1805 French Army of Italy...two arty attachments are allowed in a cavalry division if no horse arty is taken.
MCorbett
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2013 5:57 pm

Re: How do you stop a heavy cavalry division?

Post by MCorbett »

pugsville wrote:Russians. A unit without a artillery attachment looks naked.

Steady infantry is rough similar numbers are not likely to just rolled over, In this example it was two on to one. Steady squares will not be destroyed one on one very often. Unsupported cavalry are not a huge threat in most cases.

Yes, good point. Although there is a risk that cavalry could still focus their charges.
BrettPT
Lieutenant Colonel - Panther D
Lieutenant Colonel - Panther D
Posts: 1266
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2009 8:52 am
Location: Auckland, NZ

Re: How do you stop a heavy cavalry division?

Post by BrettPT »

[quote="MCorbett]Yes, good point. Although there is a risk that cavalry could still focus their charges.[/quote]

If you make sure your units keep in line and have flank support, you should be able to mitigate any 2:1 gang-ups by cavalry.
A solid line of foot doesn't really have much to fear from unsupported cavalry. Isolated infantry units can find themselves in trouble however...
deadtorius
General - Carrier
General - Carrier
Posts: 4956
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 12:41 am

Re: How do you stop a heavy cavalry division?

Post by deadtorius »

I agree with Brett. Makes the end of your line a bit chancy as enemy cav can isolate a single unit and kill it.
Of course lucky shooting can keep those cavalry dudes at bay. Had one game where a unit in a building and an adjacent unit kept shooting at some cuirassier, would knock them down to wavering, they would withdraw and rally, come back, get knocked down again... Went on for the whole game like that, they did absolutely nothing. 2 units of cuirassier nullified by shooting.
Post Reply

Return to “Army Design”