Light Guns

[Moggy]

Working on lists for the next meet and have a query on Light guns.

As far as I can find the only difference between light guns and other is the number of dice used in opportunity fire.  Am I right or is there something else tucked away I can't find?

Derek

[Stewart 46A]

Hi Derek
That's right and rebel guns lose one for wearing Grey

Stewart

[martin goddard]

I recommend you stick with  smoothbore 12pdrs Derek so that you get used to a normal army.
Players often think they can "outsmart" the rules by using light guns.

Although light guns are cheap they lose 1AP whether shooting in opportunity or in normal shooting.

Thus
Any light gun shooting opportunity   -1 for being light gun
Any light gun shooting normally -1 for being light gun

-1 for confederates is not applied to opportunity.


As I said above I recommend a normal army without  looking for free lunches.

Cavalry are also not a good idea for a new player.  However put 7-9 war points on cavalry to prevent any gamey player looking to supercharge his own cavalry.


martin

[John Watson]

If you are Confederate then light guns are something of a waste of space. -1AP for light, -1AP for Confederate. If it is damaged as well, that's another -1AP. The moral of the story is be Unionist!
John

[martin goddard]

Do not forget the update to the rules that we now use


Updates to CWB Rules
From the PP rules site 2019.

Page 113   Victory Points

We have decided to update the victory point numbers a little.  December 2019.
This is the first update in 12 years.

Changes

Defender compensations for being the defender

5D6  becomes 2D6 (E= 18  becomes E=7)
8D6 becomes 3D6  (E=28  becomes E=11)
12D6 becomes 4D6  (E=42 becomes E= 14)

This is aimed at stopping players deliberately  being the defender and claiming a victory due to having lots of compensation D6.

The victory D6 are rolled as one complete handful.
This should even out the scores.
I suggest a re-roll is allowed. But it is group decision on the day.




martin

[sukhe_bator (Neil)]

I can't speak to the rules but in the real world even mid C19 light guns (and the SBML 12pdr now qualifies as this category) could still be devastating. Though their effect compared to the rifled firearms of the period was waning They served the same purpose as the C18 battalion guns - significantly adding to defensive firepower. A ~4" dia. canister could inflict horrendous damage on charging troops at close range stopping a charge in its tracks. Even in usual combat they should be worthwhile lugging around... and shrapnel (round case) shot was still a lethal long range weapon. the psychological effect of artillery fire should not be underestimated as an effect...

[Leman (Andy)]

I'm afraid the above sounds very like playing the rules rather than playing history. The 6lb muzzle loading smoothbore was very common in Confederate armies prior to 1863, and was never fully excised in the western theatre. In the early war even the Union had to use 6lb guns as they were commonly available at that point. This is one reason why I dislike army lists which can result in players compiling a 'winning' competition army rather than having to display generalship by using what was historically available to commanders at the time. I really appreciate that PP actually provides a very nicely modelled 6lb gun, something which many other manufacturers fail to do, especially in the smaller scales.

[Sean Clark]

I think it's good that Peter Pig provide for both types of game. The ACW game days have been some of my favourite over the years and I'm fairly sure no one has come up with an all conquering army yet.

However the changes to defenders compensation is good and make defending not such an attractive proposition.

As they say in america....'give them hell Billy Yank' or alternatively, 'give them hell Jonny Reb'.

[martin goddard]

Yes Sean. John reminded me that the change had been made. Thanks John.
Otherwise it was "tactic" to be  defender in the hope of getting the maximum compensation which averages at 42 points.
As a comparison, wiping out an average brigade gets 7 points.
Last time we used the modified conditions and it made the games better.


martin