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On Woods Fighting, Disorganization, and Disarray
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In an 1870 game that featured a lot of woods, some circumstances arose that
pointed to the need for additional rule tweaks, and a whole new category of
disorder.
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As originally written, units proceed through woods in good order for one turn
at their normal movement rate, then become "disorganized". To withdraw
from a fight in woods, the unit had to move backwards beyond the 1 inch
visibility/combat zone of their opponent (requiring a MOVE order), then REFORM
for a turn, then return to the fray with another MOVEMENT order. Three
turns! Meanwhile, the unit could only fight with one stand while
disorganized, and could not charge it’s opponent (no matter how insignificant)
because charging while disorganized was permitted only as part of the "second
impulse" of a charge turn. This was too restrictive, and has now been
officially amended.
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There is now a lesser state of disorganization known as disarray, which
is used in 1859/1864 and 1866, and can be retroactively used
in 1870
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- A disarrayed unit can be reorganized back into good order as a mere change
of formation, rather than a requiring a REFORM chit (this is a change to
the 1859/64 practice); once that is accomplished, it can advance in good
order through woods for 5 inches before going into disarray again.
- Units in disarray – unlike disorganized units – may charge enemy units,
and do not suffer the "disorganized" modifier in melees and on the Morale
Table.
- Disarrayed units may shoot with all stands, albeit with the "disorganized"
modifier on the Rifle Table.
- Jägers do not become disarrayed in woods
- Any disorganized unit that blunders into an enemy unit in woods may break
contact (withdraw back 1 inch out of sight) with a REFORM order chit, and
reform itself beyond harm. A disarrayed unit may do the same thing
as part of its reorganization, too.
Further ruling: In the original charge sequence, “If the [non-melee]
assault is successful, both attacker and defender are disorganized at the
end”. This was changed in the 1859/64 rules, allowing the successful
attacker to become disarrayed rather than disorganized. Even this seemed
like too much detail for a grand tactical game, though, so in the definitive
1866 version, a defender who falls back after failing his “fear of charge”
morale check still becomes disorganized, but the attacker stays in good order.
This leaves the victor with a deserved advantage. He can defend his
captured objective more easily, and, if he has enough movement to “second
impulse” into the just-ejected defender, he’ll have an advantage against a
disorganized defender in the melee that follows. There will be an
automatic melee if the defender falls back a lesser distance than the attacker
can pursue.
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