Cavalry Charge bonus...

[cjsiam]

Thinking more about these "Men on horses"....
They get a +1 bonus on assault if they charge into the Assault hex....

I can see it in many terrain types but...

+1 to charge into a Town/City?
+1 to charge into Woods?

Light woods/Orchard--open enough I could see it...but closed terrain like Town/City/Woods/Jungle?...
Thoughts?

[treadasaurusrex]

Mon Ami,

I would say that the charge bonus would not apply against target units in these terrain types:
1) Town Hexes,
2) Woods, Light Woods, Orchards,
3) Jungle,
4) Entrenchments,
5) Barbed Wire,
6) Wadi & Gully, 
7) Dug In, or
8) Minefields.

[plloyd1010]

There is nothing in the rules or on the chart that gives any terrain qualifiers for the +1 in a cavalry charge. Thus you would get the +1  if "Attacking units are charging cavalry (15.31)".

The 3rd Ed rules said, "+1 Charging cavalry". Implying that the assaulting side need only include charging cavalry in the attack. After some debate, that became the consensus position. The 4th Ed rules imply that all units must be charging cavalry to get the +1 bonus.

[treadasaurusrex]

Oh, and don't forget anti-tank ditches, sandy beaches, swamps and sand dunes . . .

[cjsiam]

Cavalry, men on horses....they're complicated....
They can operate as the old "dragoons"---running out to locations and setting up a small defensive force---BUT...
If you stay on your horses, you're at a +1 column shift to taking fire...so you really can't "dismount"....
If you could---that might be worth it...as it is, with reduced firepower generally---and increased vulnerability...not so much

Can't set up a defense line with them against any DF or BF...sitting on horses crushes you...you're a target...

You can Assault with them...and you can Charge---and the +1 with ANY Charging cavalry reflects the Shock/fear of 1000lbs of
fast moving horseflesh, with a Sabre...it focuses the attention, I would guess....So providing that benefit to any Assault on the turn
which involves a Charging Cavalry is in spirit of the rules, is supported by the mechanic, and reflects impact of the Cavalry charge...

Charging into Terrain which is closed/reduces foot movement rates should NOT provide that benefit (though you can cover the 
two hexes to get INTO the Assault, just don't get a Charge bonus...)....I think ANY Terrain that impacts Infantry Foot Movement
should negate ability to get a charge bonus...As well as any with significant Cover....  

Personally---I don't think Light woods/Orchards would negate charging---where Woods/Jungle/Town would do so.
Also, I think Units that are Dug-In should be subject to Charge +1---Entrenchments no, different animal...Dug in you're in the
open, you get first fire, but the Horses are amounst you--unlike Entrenchments---horses don't operate well in Trenches...me thinks.

Don't get Charge bonus:
1) Town Hexes, (obstructions)
2) Woods, Hvy Woods, Jungle (obstructions/mvmt)
3) Entrenchments, Anti-Tank Ditches (obstructions)
4) Barbed Wire,  (mvmt)
5) Wadi & Gully, (should you be able to attack ALONG the Wadi/Gully (me thinks) but not INTO or OUT OF??) (mvmt)
6) Swamps (mvmt)
7) Across a Minor River---if the enemy is on the opposite shore....on the same side--it's not across.... (mvmt)
8) Sandy Beaches?? is there a mvmt penalty? if not---I'm not sure this belongs in this category...
9) Sand Dunes --- Horses No(mvmt)---CAMELS should get it...it's what they do....

Do get Charge bonus:
1) Open Terrain,
2) Orchard, Light Woods -- Horses can move through at speed
3) Dug In -- you get first fire, but the Horses are able to get at you...(they have pistols if you lay down...)
4) up/down a hill 

So in future versions....this is in keeping with the mechanic, and it allows the Cavalry to have a role it
played--but with restrictions that are also consistent.

And objections (other then it's not 4th Ed RAW...)??

[plloyd1010]

You and Jen wanting to add restrictions seems to be the first complication. I don't see why such restrictions are need, as most of the terrain you listed already gives a favorable modifier to the defender. I only see a cavalry charge as getting the attacking cavalry in amongst the defenders quicker than usual. The old style charge of running down the peasants went out with the ACW, though some officers wouldn't figure that out for another 50 years.