Cavalry speculation

[Modern Major-General]

I assume next week we will get to see Cavalry units. So, let's start speculating the stats now.

Speed 2
Defense ?
--Since they will be on a horse (c'mon you know that is what the mini will be) they could be easier to hit and only have 3 defense.
Attacks ?
--Same as riflemen or maybe a bit better.

Special Abilities (The real question)
Charge! - This unit has speed 2 during your assault phase.
Hand to Hand 12 (Or something similar to say it would be good against Soldiers at close range.)

[Der Leiter]

Charge! - This unit has speed 2 during your assault phase.

I think you mean something like: 'Charge' as Banzai Charge but without the +1 attack, as yours already has speed 2 during the assault phase.

I speed 2 sure. Could see possibly a 3.

Defence... well if a Flamethrower has 4 then I'm not so sure Calvalry will be a 3.

Strike and Fade X; would be interesting, but doubt it would be combined with any ability that lets you charge.

[Dr.Cornelius]

Ever tried firing a rifle from a moving horse? Contrary to cowboy movies, a cavalry charge against a similarly sized force of riflemen in good order is suicidal. The infantry on the ground are much more accurate and will drop the cavalry long before the horses shock value becomes an issue.

[Richter von Manthofen]

Even in Napoleonic times they had the "Square" tactic against horsemen. A experienced unit will weather a Cavalry charge with ease. I said it elsewhere Cavalry should be used to depoly faster but fight on foot.

[Raphael]

Polish cavalry units almost never fought on horseback but merely used their mounts to travel around before and after battle. The horses didn't need gasoline and didn't suffer mechanical failures. They were actually fairly mobile! From what I understand Polish cavalry didn't charge German tanks, which I've read was Nazi propaganda. On several occasions, the Poles did charge and successfully overrun some German infantry units while on horseback though.

[henrym203]

Maybe they have long pointy sticks with which to stab bad guys with? Hopefully they dont screw it up like the paratroopers.

[Autarch]

I'd classify them as soldier--cavalry and give them a speed of 3 but otherwise give them infantry stats and maybe an Overrun SA.

[Ricky]

You mean mounted infantry then.

True cavalry were used in WW2 (like the Cossaks) and on occaision made very successful charges.

But not often, and only when circumstances were very favourable.


I see no problem with a low defense rating - big target and less accuracy in returning fire unless stationary.

[fifleche]

Well, mounted infantry is what I would like. Give them regular 3-pts infantry stats (you get the idea; I don't want to type it all...), and give them "Vanguard X" so they could move before the battle actually starts. Just like AH gave the Crusader II tank, except this would make much more sense!

[Richter von Manthofen]

Oui!
Vanguard!

[Dr.Cornelius]

Here's a template:

Basic Infantry Stats with Speed 2
Vanguard 2
Strike & Fade 1
Vehicles get defensive fire against Cavalry
5 Points

This unit is similar to the Japanese paratrooper, but with S&F. 5 points may seem low, but remember that basic 3-point infantry is near useless against elites like SS-Panzergrenadiers and Screaming Eagles. Frankly, there is no reason for the Germans to ever use Mausers over SS-PG, other than to fill in 3 points. And with the coming of the Rhino, the US/UK forces have even less reason to field any infantry at all...

[JuKaBaLa]

Everyone knows how much the traditional cavalary are significant to the WWII? I thing no much, I guess the mechanized cavalary is much more expresive, perhaps may I be wrong...

[]´s

[fifleche]

Here's a template:

Basic Infantry Stats with Speed 2
Vanguard 2
Strike & Fade 1
Vehicles get defensive fire against Cavalry
5 PointsHere's my take:

Basic infantry stats w/Speed 1
Vanguard 5
4 Pts

[Modern Major-General]

Originally posted by Dr. Cornelius
Ever tried firing a rifle from a moving horse? Contrary to cowboy movies, a cavalry charge against a similarly sized force of riflemen in good order is suicidal. The infantry on the ground are much more accurate and will drop the cavalry long before the horses shock value becomes an issue.

How dare you use logic and reason! This is A&A Minis! As history has proven over and over (this week and last week) is that troop types will not be subject to real-life!

As everyone knows, cavalry always charge foot soldiers and tear thru them like a combine thru a wheat field. This is proven by watching any movie with cavalry in it.

;)

So, obviously the cavalry units will have a charge ability.

Originally posted by Der Leiter
I think you mean something like: 'Charge' as Banzai Charge but without the +1 attack, as yours already has speed 2 during the assault phase.

Yes, I meant that.

Also, I have to agree that a 3 defense would mean no one would use them. A 4 for soldiers seems to be a bare minimum for survivability.

My revised take
Speed 2
Def 4/4
Same attacks as infantry

Charge - can move and attack during assault phase.
Hand to Hand 12 (Because everyone knows cavalry use those cool swords.)

Cost 9 if they have another special ability (Like a bonus to attack dice during a charge) or 7 for something like the above.

[NEVjr]

half a league, half a league, half a league onward, all in the valley of death rode the six hundred

mounted charges were still a somewhat effective tactic in ww1, but by ww2, they were not of any use unless your facing conscripts.

[PatrickWR]

If Cav units are simply infantry with a boosted movement and maybe a couple fun Special Abilities, they will probably become very advantageous for tourney games...what with the ability to move twice as fast as a normal infantryman, for example. Sure, you'll pay a couple points more, but you'll get to the objective much faster than the other player.

[Sergeant Rock]

I like the idea of a Vanguard SA for Cavalry. From what I've been
reading the Russian Cavalry had SMG's not rifles. They would come
in on the attack mounted. The opposing German Cavalry fought
dismounted -primarily using the horses for mobility and then set
up defensive positions close to towns or woods.

The author noted that when the inevitable Russian artillery assault
blasted their positions , the German horses were not spooked at all.
He wondered if the horses were deaf from being in so many battles.
I don't know why it stuck in my mind, but he noted the German Major
insisted the horses were watered first in the evening before the men
could get a drink! They probably got to drink horse slobber out of the
exact same water trough.
By 'insisted' he probably meant he was waving a loaded
Luger at them absent-mindedly, barking orders. He did note it was not
unusal for the officers to be pointing a pistol at your nose for the slightest
infraction of 'rules'.

The account was from 1944, so Germans were still using cavalry
in a battle role.

[Ricky]

mounted charges were still a somewhat effective tactic in ww1,
WW1 was the death of true cavalry.

[Frogslayer]

If it would be mounted infantry, take the basic infantry and just add the ability "vanguard 4" and increase the cost by 1 pt.

If it would be true cavalry, I would suggest:
Speed 3
Defence 3
attacks vs soldiers 6/4/-, armor 2/-/-.
Charge 3: this unit may move up to 3 hex and then attack duríng the assault phase (kind of an reversed strike and fade)
Hand to hand 12
cost 4 pt

As Dr. cornelius stated, accuracy should suffer. Defence should also be low; these guys were in effect on a suicide mission. Their strength should be to move fast to where they are needed, before making a kamikaze attack on an AT-gun, sniper or the like.

[XAos]

WW1 was the death of true cavalry.
Along most of the eastern front troop/firepower densities were a lot lower than those in the WW.I trenches. And the Pripet marshes were particularly favourable for cavelry, since they could avoid german motorised units by evading through the marsh. So the russians managed cavelry charges against transport columns around the fringes of the pripet marshes.
Giving cavelry "Vanguard" would be a good way to represent how they functioned on the eastern front.

[Dr.Cornelius]

So the russians managed cavalry charges against transport columns around the fringes of the pripet marshes.Now you are getting to the actual uses of cavalry. Cav was most effectively employed not in attacking at the front, but in harassing an opponent's rear areas- attacking supply columns and cutting communications.

Cavalry was also useful in scouting, screening and rearguard actions; and especially as mentioned above- in difficult terrain.

Speed 2 or 3 represents the cavalry's mobility, especially in rough terrain.

Vanguard represents the scouting / screening function.

Strike & Fade represents the guerilla tactics.