I’ll not deal with the details: I assume we all know that!
I’m just looking to point out some aspects, possibly to help a future improvement of the Battle Resolution engine in NCP and some Cavalry related issues in the Campaign game.
Cavalry roles
Light Cavalry: recon/scouting; troops movements screening; enemy pursuit after battles.
Medium-Heavy Cavalry: shook troops; enemy pursuit after battles;
The Campaign
Friendly troops movements screening & recon/scouting duties are already represented in NCP by Detection and Hide values.
[color="Red"]As a way to improve Athena, AI should detach Light Cavalry units from Corps and use then to scout adjacent enemy controlled region in advance for own movements.[/color]
THE BATTLE
The side with Light Cavalry advantage should get some bonus at battle start: that will simulate knowledge of enemy deployment/position gathered by recon and the obstacle to enemy columns movements in the phases that prepare the battle.
Opposing sides Cavalry were employed to engage each other to gain the cavalry superiority on the field: We should have Cavalry vs Cavalry engagements in the first rounds of battle.
Winner side getting the Cavalry advantage should gain some bonus for next battle turns.
Cavalry was used to outflank enemy batteries, without infantry protection. Nailing enemy guns was a common practice when gunners under menace of enemy cavalry charge were fleeing for safety within infantry squares. This should be already present in NCP after its update to WiA standard!
Heavy Cavalry was trained to charge infantry lines and columns to breach enemy frontline and havoc them. Cavalry was used to menace, hamper, slow down enemy infantry movements on the field. In game term this could be represented as an obstacle to opponent forces closing up during the battle.
Cavalry forced enemy infantry to enter Square formations bud did not charge square. Kept in squares by unopposed enemy cavalry, infantry was very vulnerable to musket and artillery fire and to assault/melee from enemy infantry columns. In game term infantry entering square should be protected by enemy cavalry but very vulnerable to ranged fire attacks. Cavalry should not receive damage from enemy squares: major losses to cavalry came from ranged fire, (artillery and muskets) and by melee with enemy cavalry.
Major losses in Napoleonic Age came from pursuit after battle: that highly increased loser side casualties: guess that should be already represented in NCP game: may be worth to check and rework it. The Battle report has not a field for pursuit losses AFAIK.
Having to thank Pocus and AGEod in general for all effort aimed to improve NCP in the past, hope enlisted points will help future improvements, whenever it could be.
