La Bataille de Berlin 1813

Premier Rules for La Bataille ME (July 2021)

Cavalry Tirailleurs/skirmishers (20)

Certain types of light cavalry may perform as mounted skirmishers. Any light cavalry unit with a skirmish factor may act as cavalry tirailleurs/skirmishers.

Cavalry in tirailleur order is inverted and deployed in two hexes regardless of the number of increments in the unit.

Cavalry tirailleurs/skirmishers affect the movement of infantry or artillery as follows: entering or exiting a cavalry tirailleurs/skirmishers zone of influence will cost three additional movement points if the hex is adjacent to the Cavalry tirailleurs/skirmishers. All hexes two hexes away will cost the infantry or artillery two additional movement points to enter or exit.

When an enemy combat formation moves adjacent to cavalry tirailleurs/skirmishers, the tirailleur may fire and retreat before offensive fire if:

 The enemy unit is not an unlimbering artillery unit or a cavalry tirailleur. This retreat occurs after defensive fire by the tirailleurs, but before the offensive fire of the phasing player. If the enemy moving adjacent unit is unlimbering enemy artillery, the Cavalry tirailleurs/skirmishers may fire before the artillery unit unlimbers ( opportunity fire ) and then remain to give defensive fire on the unlimbered artillery, then retreat one hex, but must face offensive fire due to the nature of artillery range. The effects described (movement or retreat before combat) in the rule above are canceled by moving any enemy light cavalry formation, not necessarily in cavalry tirailleurs/skirmishers order, next to the enemy cavalry tirailleurs/skirmishers. Cavalry tirailleurs may fire their total skirmish factor at all adjacent combat formations. Example : Three enemy units occupy hexes adjacent to cavalry tirailleurs/skirmishers; two are in column in one hex each, while the third is deployed in two hexes in line. Four hexes are, therefore, occupied by enemy units. The cavalry tirailleurs/skirmishers formation may make three fire attacks. One each upon the units deployed in column, and one upon the unit deployed in line. In each fire attack, the cavalry tirailleurs/skirmishers fires its full skirmish fire value as indicated on the specific side. Cavalry acting as cavalry tirailleurs/skirmishers may not charge; melee at half their printed value; and may only retreat before combat if there is a printed movement differential of two or more in their favor.

Combat a’ la Feu (21)

Though the climax of battle in the Age of Napoleon was often during assault by melee, the effects of fire combat still went a long way in the final determination of the outcome. Fire combat, from either musket or cannon, was often the preliminary of the offensive assault, while defensive fire was used to blunt the attacking forces.

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