Thoughts on Muskets and Marshals 6.1: The Rules Revisited

Thoughts on Muskets and Marshals 6.1:  The Rules Revisited

 

This is a rewrite of a prior post, now that I have more information about the rule sets involved and have been able to ask the author of Muskets and Marshals some questions regarding the rules.  I have also re-run the numbers, now that the ground scale and figure scale is known:

I have been looking at a variety of rules sets and have decided to use Muskets and Marshals for my Hinton Hunt project.  I have not yet played with these rules, so my comments are based only on several readings of the rules, including the most recent version of the rules, Muskets and Marshals v. 6.1.  Let's first look at the game scales.

Game Scale: 

The game scale is not mentioned in the rules, but I have determined a scale from:

(1) reviewing the rules set it is loosely based upon (London Wargaming Society Napoleonic Rules of 1968), 

(2) interviewing the author, and

(3) the implications that can be gleaned from the rules. 

In Muskets and Marshals, a unit of infantry is 24 figures, a unit of cavalry is 12 figures, an artillery battery is a gun model and 4 crew figures and a unit of skirmishers is 6 figures.

Reading through London Wargaming Society Napoleonic Rules of 1968, and looking at "The Napoleonic Wargame" by G.W. Jeffrey, "Napoleonic Wargaming," by Charles Grant, and using the distances in the LWS rules and those in Mr. Jeffrey's book, where he mentions frontages for the various arms and formations, I interpret the game scale for the above units to be as follows:

1 Infantry figure = 33 infantry

Infantry units are battalions of 792 Men (24 figures x 33 = 792)

1 Cavalry figure = 33 cavalry

Cavalry units are regiments of 396 men, composed of two 198 man squadrons (6 figures x 33 = 198)

1 model gun figure represents 4 to 6 guns

1 Artillery crew figure = 33 crew 

A six-gun battery and 132 crew is represented by 1 gun model + 4 artillery crew figures (and a limber).  A larger battery of eight guns should be represented by two model guns and 6 crew figures (and two limbers) placed side by side, which represents 8 guns and 198 crew.

These unit strengths (as well as the LWS Napoleonic rules) indicate that the ground scale is 1mm = 1 yard.

Cavalry

For instance, one stand of cavalry (two figures) represents the standard 2 lines of cavalry (two lines of 66 men and horses, one behind the other).  Mr. Jeffrey says that each horse and rider takes up between 3.5 and 4 feet.  Using 3.75 feet as the average, a line of 33 horsemen then takes up 33 x 3.75 feet, which is 123.75 feet, or 41.25 yards.  I will mount my cavalry on 40mm stands, so 40mm =  40 yards (which is approximately 41.25 yards).

The rules of Muskets and Marshals mount cavalry on 30mm stands, which is a bit more aesthetically pleasing (especially with some of the "skinnier" Hinton Hunt figures), but is slightly less "accurate" in terms of distance represented.  Here one must decide between "the look of the thing" and the math involved.  However, my two piece Hinton Hunt recast hussars are a bit crowded on the 30mm x 30mm stand (see this post Basing Dilemma), but I am sure the Prussian lancers (here) will be a bit sparse.  Here, one must make a basing choice and stick with it.  [Note: If I ever make it to England or New Zealand, bring my figures, and play a game with Stryker or Wellington Man, I hope we can come up with a compromise that will allow all cavalry to play on the same 'Field of Honor' despite any basing differences].

Artillery

Artillery Batteries are mounted on 60mm stands. Per the above calculation, 60mm is the equivalent to 60 yards.  An 8-gun battery takes up about 100 yards (allowing  14 to 15 yards between each gun).  That is the equivalent to two gun models and eight crew.  8 x 15 = 120 yards, or 120 mm (60mm + 60mm).  A smaller 6 gun battery (as represented by one stand in the game) would take up about 60 yards with one gun model and 4 crew.  This works out just right at 60mm = 60 yards.

Infantry

Infantry generally deployed in three lines.  In the game, a line of infantry is represented by a double row of 3 figures (so on a 40mm base, we have three figures, with a second 40mm base of three figures directly behind the first) for a total of 6 figures.  198 men deployed in three lines is 66 men per line (198 divided by 3).  Allowing 2 feet per man in line (Mr. Jeffrey allows 2 feet per man in his book) the frontage of the unit works out to 132 feet (66 men at 2 feet per man), which is 44 yards.  This is very close to 40 yards, represented by the 40mm wide stand).

Thus, I am satisfied that mounting the figures as set forth in Muskets and Marshals, with the slight modification for cavalry on a 40mm wide (rather than a 30mm wide) stand will yield appropriately sized units with realistic frontages. 

Skirmishers

I have not analyzed the "skirmisher" formation in the same way, because I am not sure what it represents.  From discussions with the author of Muskets and Marshals, it appears to be part of a battalion deployed as skirmishers.  In a recent post on Hinton Hunt Vintage Wargame Figures Battle of Four Generals  the author has an entire battalion of skirmishers (in this case Jägers) deployed in 6 figure detached "units" that can operate independently.  In a discussion with the author, he indicated that the general (player) must decide before the game whether to deploy the battalion as skirmisher detachments (4 detachments of 6 men each) or deploy the 24 men as a unit, i.e. a 24 man battalion with 8" range (due to the men being equipped with rifles).

Rules

I noted in my former post that:  My only quibble with the formations as given in the rules, is that a cavalry regiment should be allowed to attack as separate squadrons if the player wishes to do so, i.e. not only a 6-figure frontage (with another six figures behind the first six), but also on a 12-figure frontage.  From my reading, cavalry often attacked in the two-line formation, which is represented by a single row of stands.  See General de Brigade, p. 26:  "For purposes of the game cavalry "line" includes any cavalry line formation that is two or more squadrons wide.  This was the standard formation adopted for charging."  Perhaps calling the six stand wide formation the "cavalry line" formation, and the 6-figure frontage (with three more stands of 6 figures directly behind) a "cavalry attack column” would settle the issue.

The Author of Muskets and Marshals commented on a prior post (here) that:  "The cavalry line at 6 figures was adopted purely as a space saver on the table. A 12 figure frontage takes up a lot of table space. Operating in 6 figure squadrons would be difficult to incorporate into the morale rules but may be possible with some modifications."

Get a Copy of Muskets and Marshals v. 6.1

If you would like to read the rules, and get your own free copy of the most recent version of Muskets and Marshals, v 6.1 (which I highly encourage), as well as a PDF of morale markers,  click the following link:  Muskets and Marshals