Mixed order in HPS NC

[JasonC]

To fight the French correctly as they actually maneuvered and fought, you first have to edit the default pdt to let columns fire at 1/3 of line firepower, instead of 1/5 or 1/8 or those other ridiculous figures. Also make sure the skirmisher divisor for infantry is set at 6 (which is the default).

That means they are 9 deep formations, which is the standard French "column of divisions", meaning each battalion deployed on a frontage of 2 companies, with each front line company having 2 others ranked behind it, and each company itself in the usual 3 ranks.

Now that a battalion in column actually means a column of divisions, it is easy to recreate "order mixte" in all its glory and flexibility.

First stack 2 battalions in column formation in the same hex.

Now detach the 2 skirmish companies. But *leave them in the hex* with the columns. They represent the 2 companies across the middle of the formation in line formation, 3 deep. The columns represent the "anchored flanks" in column of divisions, 9 deep.

Suppose the original battalions were 450 men. When they detach skirmish companies, each is 1/6 of that or 75 men. The remaining battalions are 375 men each therefore. In fire combat, you shoot with 375/3 = 125 men from each of the columns, and 75 men from each of the skirmishers. A total of 400 men are firing - basically the same firepower you'd get from a single 3 rank line instead. But with twice the melee strength, melee bonuses, column movement, and immediate recover to the intended formation from square, ability to split up to flank and engulf a lone battalion opponent, etc.

When you want to shelter the formation from e.g. enemy infantry lines in good order, the skirmishers can advance one hex each and screen the regimental column instead.

That is the ordinary way to fight French line infantry.

Meanwhile your light battalions should be deployed as singles behind "doubled" skirmishers, 2 detached companies to a hex, with the remainder centered behind them to put a ZOC in their hex, prevent easy cavalry overruns, and to recycle companies to top off ammo or consolidate fatigues. It can be in dead ground and rest to recover fatigues etc.

Fighting in this fashion, the light portion of the army can shoot with 2/3rds of its manpower at any point in time and the line portion of the army with 4/9ths. Add interleaved gun batteries and leave intervals for easier maneuver, to avoid rout contagion, and for cavalry to pass through when required.

This way of fighting is far superior to one battalion in line in each hex, all lined up right next to each other. It is above all less brittle to disorganization by enemy fire. To see it work properly, morale levels and any optionals modifying them have to be reasonable - not the "80% elite" stuff I see all too often in the default OOBs.

The reason lines fail is their high firepower hits skirmish companies in open order and gets quartered, and above all their hits only fatigue or disorder a few companies. Meanwhile the replies disorder whole battalions. Once a third or so of the lines are disordered, the heavier ordre mixte or regimental columns can charge the disordered ones and push into them in melee. With twice the depth and good order vs. disordered and column bonus and held fire before melee and a leader present...

When a tired and melee-beaten disordered line then routs, it spreads its disorder to the surrounding battalions. Disordered lines are basically impossible to maneuver in tight fighting, once overall (division, corps level) integrity has been lost. Those that don't rout can't get into square from disordered, and get ridden down by cavalry, and the remainder get engulfed by advancing infantry columns that hit their flanks.

That's the scheme and it works great. Just don't turn on anything that limits routs, and insist on realistic low morale levels. If everyone is a quality 9 superman, they will stand still forever and shoot each other down to the last man - not what actually happened. When a line is going to disorder in fire combat contact in half an hours, one long line of battalions is an invitation to corps scale rout. The last army to actually fight that way was the Prussians at Jena and it was hopeless. (The Brit use of lines was quite different BTW, and not remotely "all on line firing all the time in 2 rank line").