Tactical Problems

[kzucker]

Problem #1. Use of Vedettes

The theme of this problem is the Use of Vedettes as a Screen for a defensive position.

Here is a hypothetical III Corps (hidden forces) set up:

Davout, St. Hil - Pfakofen, 4716
Morand - 4916
Friant - 4516
Gudin - Eckmühl, 4415

Vedettes -
1 Chas, 4316
11 Chas, 4417
2 Chas, 4617
5-7 Hus, 4817
8 Hus, 5017

That would obviously be a tremendously strong position in any configuration, and is unlikely because of the delay in III Corps Divisions' arrivals.

Assuming two Austrian Corps arriving via road in Allkofen and Buchhausen that have to make a frontal attack, which is the best course of action?

1) Use vedettes and cavalry to "drive in" the French Hussars and Chas.;
2) Try to Repulse by main forces (bearing in mind hidden forces); or
3) Some other tactic (specify).

[cmoeller]

Wow, that's an interesting idea. Has it been proposed by someone who's played it like that?

I have to admit that I'm still occupied with the broader maneuver stages of the game. I haven't come to grips with how to optimally wage "the fight".

Chris

[kzucker]

I was re-reading the "Highlights page" and there is a discussion about vedettes in italic at the middle where it says, "The vedettes will approach to within sight of the enemy vedettes, or, if they successfully elude the latter, somewhat beyond toward the piquet line of enemy light infantry."

This got me to thinking: How do your vedettes successfully "screen" against probing enemy vedettes?

Successfully screening enemy vedettes would mean your force winning a vedette-vs-vedette combat. Or, if the enemy didn't have vedettes, and didn't dare attempt repulse (attacking the vedette in the Combat Phase), that would also rate as a successful screening action.

If you employed the 'vedettes forward' tactic too consistently, your oponent would quickly realize that he could always repulse the forward units.

In order to employ this tactic, you would have to avoid losing too many vedettes in combat. So you might want to keep some stronger cavalry units mixed in among the forward vedettes.