12 Infantry Formations

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Learning Attack
the Game Line Column Square March
Concepts

or
or
or

or

Most Infantry units are “Small” and thus have four bases.
Some Infantry units are “Large” and have six bases.

What Do Infantry Units Represent?

Anyone who has spent any time looking at orders of battle for the Napoleonic Wars will notice the great divergence in unit strengths,
particularly among infantry battalions. The official “paper” strength of these units often seems at best an approximation of the battlefield
reality. With a theoretical establishment of 720 men, French infantry battalions ranged from the low 300s to the high 800s. Austrian bat-
talions never reached their truly massive theoretical establishments of up to 1500 men, but in several cases did indeed exceed 1,100 in the
ranks, while the battalions in a neighboring brigade might have only 500. British battalions in the Peninsula stretched from fewer than 300
men to nearly 1,000. We see this variation in every army during this period.
Lasalle’s approach to this problem is two-fold. First, the game does not attempt to represent the historical number of companies, nor their
precise size or placement. What matters is that every battalion can deploy into the same formations.
Second, the units we place on the table represent not a precise number of men, but rather an approximate frontage. Miniature figures
glued to a handful of bases can never account for all the possible variables in the posture of a unit. Have the elite companies been
detached and converged elsewhere? Has the divisional commander created a particularly strong skirmish line by taking more men from
the ranks? A battalion of about 600 men, for example, might have about 100 deployed as skirmishers, and thus roughly 500 standing in the
ranks. It is that 500 you see depicted with miniatures.
Consequently, given the wide variance in national differences for theoretical strength, actual battlefield strength, and different tactical op-
tions, Lasalle has two “game-standard” infantry units: Small and Large. Why did I not create a basing system that more closely resembled
the historical sizes and numbers of companies? Four reasons:
1. Doing so would result in half a dozen different base sizes, probably incompatible with most people’s collections.
2. Napoleonic infantry generally deployed, moved, and fired by platoons, not by companies.
3. Nobody wants to deal with the ways in which companies changed sizes and numbers as armies reformed and reorganized during the
war. (Most gamers who base their French infantry in six companies, as per the 1808 reorganizations, simply look the other way when play-
ing battles from 1807 and earlier, when French battalions had a different number of differently-sized companies.)
4. The historical units were rarely at their mandated strengths.
The vast majority of infantry units in Lasalle should be “Small,” four-base units. This represents somewhere between @500-700 men.
In exceptional cases, such as large Austrian units or some elite British battalions, one could play with “Large” infantry units, representing
somewhere between @800-1000 men.
In cases where the historical record indicates vastly understrength battalions, it would be wise to combine them into a single unit. (In
several of the battles of the Spring 1813 campaign, for instance, Russian battalions dropped as low as @250-300 men each. In such cases,
two should be combined and considered one small unit.)
 Cavalry Formations 13
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Learning
March Waves Abreast the Game
Concepts

or
or
or

Cavalry units can be either “Small” (four

bases) or “Large” (six bases).

What Do Cavalry Units Represent?

Without belaboring the point on the previous page, we should mention that the same problems pertain to the depiction of cavalry units.
Any snapshot of a battle will present a bewildering array. The average French cuirassier regiment at Austerlitz, for example, could barely put
250 men in the field; not much more than the paper strength of a single squadron. This is probably to be expected after several weeks of
hard marching in a difficult campaign fought in unfriendly weather. On the other hand, at the outset of the 1809 campaign, with units still
fresh, we find French cuirassier regiments with 700-800 men, and sometimes more. There is no guarantee that a cavalry regiment has all its
squadrons present at any given battle, or that those squadrons are at or near regulation strength (the latter is almost certainly not so.)
Several writers have estimated that the average cavalry squadron during the Napoleonic Wars was realistically somewhere in the vicinity
of 160 men. Given a standard two rank line, that renders a unit with a frontage of approximately 65 yards. It makes sense, therefore, to
create an arbitrary cavalry “unit,” in which four bases represents @ 300-500 men. That unit might represent a single, understrength cavalry
regiment. Or we might use two such units to represent a large or full-strength regiment. (Some of the big Austrian Hussar regiments, for
example, or some of the French Guard cavalry, might best be represented by two small units.)
A Large (six base) unit represents @500-700 men. This would most likely be a single, full-strength regiment at the start of a campaign, or in
a theatre more conducive to large cavalry forces, but in any event before detachments and/or attrition.
One final word is in order here with regard to cavalry formations. The words “Abreast” and “Waves” are arbitrary and game-standard terms
to cover the variety of formations and adopted by the cavalry of different armies, and the several names they used for those formations.
“Abreast” is our way of indicating that the cavalry unit has maximized its frontage, at the expense of depth. This might include an attack
en echelon, if the arrival of the subsequent squadrons occurred in sequence along the full length of the regiment. “Waves” indicates that
the unit has adopted a formation with some squadrons held in reserve, or at least not in the front ranks, most likely to conform to difficult
terrain.
And yes, I know that the names are not “historically accurate.” If that bothers you, then feel free to call them something else.

Irregular Cavalry
The huge majority of cavalry encountered on a battlefield is “regular” formed cavalry in close-order. One occasionally finds irregular cavalry,
particularly in the Balkan wars, or in some cases employed by the Habsburgs or the Spaniards. Of course, much “regular” cavalry could also
be deployed in open-order, and often was: scouting and skirmishing and serving as vedettes. Many smaller battles, particularly those in
which cavalry played a prominent role, occurred because opposing screens of open-order cavalry clashed over some piece of ground, pass,
or bridge. But this activity, while important, is not part of the “battle” that Lasalle depicts. Cavalry skirmishing precedes the battle. The
game addresses it only insofar as it accounts for cavalry superiority when setting up the battlefield and choosing one’s ground.
Lasalle is concerned primarily with the fighting of close-order formations. Thus the irregular cavalry depicted in the game is only those units
that would have made an appearance on the battlefield, in the presence of formed units.
 14 Artillery Units and Formations
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Learning Limber Bases
Example: French Foot Battery
the Game
Concepts
Cannon Bases Howitzer Base

Unlimbered Limbered

In Lasalle an artillery unit represents a single company (also Foot or Horse Artillery
known as a “battery” when deployed.) Each base represents two
Artillery units are designated either “Foot” artillery (in which all
historical guns and their crew. Thus, most nations’ artillery units
or most gunners walked), or “Horse” artillery (in which all or
have either three or four bases, sometimes more. The number
most gunners were mounted or rode a vehicle.)
of bases and the types of guns on each base, are explained in
each army list.
Using Limbers
In most cases, an artillery unit has a certain number of cannon
bases, and one howitzer base. When referred to collectively, Depending upon the figure sizes players use, limbers can often
they are both known as “gun” bases. (A French foot battery, for require much deeper bases than the unlimbered gun model with
instance, would have three cannon bases and one howitzer base, for a total crew. Unless using very small figures, it is recommended to use
of four bases.) Howitzer bases differ only in that they have certain one limber base to represent two gun bases. (Thus a battery
special abilities to hit targets in cover. Otherwise, they are identi- with four gun bases would be replaced with two limber bases,
cal to cannon bases. when limbered.) A battery with only three gun bases could be
represented with only a single limber base.
There are two artillery formations: Limbered and Unlimbered.
Unlike infantry and cavalry units, artillery have two different
types of bases, representing their formations. An unlimbered
artillery unit is depicted by placing the gun bases abreast, with a It is not necessary to depict a limbered battery with bases
contiguous frontage. This is the only permissible formation for abreast. The bases may be arranged in any way as long as
unlimbered gun bases. they touch. One could represent the unit (when moving
down a road, for instance) like this.
A limbered unit is depicted by replacing the gun bases with
limber bases. A limbered unit does not have to adhere to any
particular shape or formation, as long as each base touches at
least one other limber base in the unit.
Players who do not have limber bases may adopt some other
method for depicting limbered artillery, as long as it is clear to
their opponents.

What Do Artillery Units Represent?

Although it would be correct to depict the “tail” of an unlimbered battery (the limbers, caissons, wagons, horses, etc.) stretching back more
than 100 yards to the rear, it is not practical in a wargame. It is very difficult for wargame figures to depict historical unit depths correctly.
(An infantry line, for instance, should be about 4BW wide, and about two millimeters deep!) The basing depth of miniatures is already so
distorted, it is nearly impossible for units to deploy as closely as they might have done historically. Spreading an artillery battery across the
front of an infantry line, for instance, would be impossible if we depicted the limbers, simply because we couldn’t “stack” them on top of
infantry bases that shouldn’t be there in the first place because their depth is all wrong.
I have balanced one set of inevitable distortions with another; infantry and cavalry units are much too deep, and artillery units much too
shallow. But it allows us to get closer to something like an historical deployment of the units vis-à-vis each other’s positions.
 Depicting Skirmishers on Infantry Units 15
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It is not necessary to create skirmish bases and depict skirmish- Learning
ers with figures. Players can simply remember which infantry the Game
units have SK values of Zero, One, Two, or Three. But it looks
Concepts
good to have skirmishers on the table, so we recommend it! The
SK bases should be deployed when the infantry unit is in Line
or Attack Column formations.
On the right we see a Russian unit with an SK of 1, with its
single skirmish base in front of its line. In the middle is a French
infantry unit in Attack Column formation, with its two skirmish
bases depicting its SK value of 2. And finally a British infantry
unit in Line formation normally has an SK value of 2, but has
an extra rifle company attached (the green SK base), and thus
now has an SK value of 3.

How Skirmish Bases Are Deployed

Place SK bases in front of infantry units that are in Line and
Attack Column formations. The bases can be moved out of
the way if space is cramped, or if the unit is in contact with the
enemy, or when the unit is in a formation or terrain that negates
the use of skirmishers.
SK bases are not counted (the unit has no SK value) when:
• It is in Square or March formation.
• It is in hard cover or a Town.
• It is charging or being charged.
When formed units clashed in close combat or close-range
musketry duels, skirmishers were usually recalled, or got out of
the way. We do the same thing in Lasalle with our SK bases. The French Attack Column
charges the Russian Line...

British cavalry charges a French Square. The

SK bases can be moved out of the way (it does
not matter where.) ...and both sides move their SK
bases out of the way temporarily
to resolve the combat.

A Prussian unit in March formation. The SK

bases can tag along behind, or be placed in
front, or on the sides.
 16 Inherent Skirmishers and Enhanced Skirmishers
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Learning All infantry units have an Inherent SK value, even if If a player wishes to break down any of his SK2 or SK3 units
the Game that value is Zero. This inherent value is expressed by into SK bases, he must do so prior to setting up the game. A
large infantry unit breaks down into 6 SK bases, and a small
Concepts placing the correct number of SK bases in front of
it. unit into 4.
Units with an inherent SK value of 2 or 3 may be broken down Although some armies have special rules allowing them to break
entirely into SK bases. These bases may then be added to existing down units partially into SK bases, leaving the rest of the unit
units in the same Force to give them Enhanced Skirmishers. formed, as a general rule: The entire unit must be broken down;
For each SK base added, a unit’s SK value is enhanced by 1. it cannot remove some of its bases, leaving others.
No unit may have its SK value enhanced to more than 3.

The British 95th Rifles (SK=3) breaks down before the game into four SK bases. Each is added to a
different British infantry unit, so that their inherent SK of 2 is enhanced to 3.

In some army lists and historical scenarios, players have extra Jägers and detachments of Schützen that were usually attached
“free” SK bases available to use at their discretion to enhance at the regimental level. Thus a Prussian player could attach the
other infantry units. The Prussians in 1806, for instance, have SK bases to his infantry units at his discretion, enhancing their
Musketeer units that usually have an inherent SK of Zero. But SK ability.
their army also has SK bases representing the companies of

What Do Skirmish Values Represent?

It is very difficult to represent skirmishing, due to the wide diver-
gence of doctrines, changes over time, and variations even within
the same army. A skirmish line might be as close as 70 yards, or
more than 200 yards, from the formed troops. It might be directed
by a brigadier, or it might be organic to a regiment or even a single
battalion. It might draw from every battalion in the brigade, or only
from a few, or one. Lasalle’s solution has been to make the actual
skirmish line “invisible” and to assume that units with an inherent
SK ability will always use it, when the terrain and their posture en-
able them to do so. Above and beyond that, commanders can en-
hance the skirmish line by the use of dedicated, skirmish-capable
troops. In all events, however, the skirmishers are represented by
what effect they have on the performance of the formed combat
units. Thus we mark the infantry units with SK bases, even though
the skirmishers aren’t exactly “there.”

40mm British rifles by Jay Laura

 An Historical Example 17
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You can play Lasalle by creating armies from the Army Builder scenarios, this example provides some guidance for Learning
chapter, and never worry about trying to recreate any particular how orders of battle can be converted to game units. the Game
historical battle. For those players who prefer to create historical
Concepts

Campbell's Division at Salamanca, July 1812

XX
Campbell

X X X
Fermor Wheatley Löwe

Coldstream Guards 42nd Foot 1st KGL

Third Guards 24th & 58th Foot 2nd KGL

5/60th (SK)
79th Foot 5th KGL

5/60th (SK)

Unit strengths (rounded to the nearest ten)

Fermor’s Brigade Campbell commanded a strong division of nine battalions at Salamanca,
1st Coldstream Guards (960) many of which were the elite of the British army.
1st Third Guards (960) Fermor’s brigade comprises two large infantry units, plus a skirmish com-
1 company, 5/60th Foot (60) pany (from the 5th battalion, 60th Foot; the famous “Royal Americans.”)
Wheatley’s Brigade
Wheatley’s brigade comprises a large unit (the 42nd; the Royal Highlanders,
1/42nd Foot (1,100)
often called the “Black Watch”). It also has a small unit (the 79th - the Cam-
2/24th Foot (320)
eron Highlanders). And there is a single small infantry unit made by com-
2/58th Foot (390) bining two very understrength battalions (the 24th and the 58th), which
1/79th Foot (680) together number only about 700 men. The brigade also has a skirmish com-
1 company, 5/60th Foot (50) pany from the 5/60th, available to enhance one of the units.
Löwe’s Brigade
Finally von Löwe’s KGL brigade comprises three small infantry units, with no
1st King’s German Legion (640)
additional skirmishers available to enhance them.
2nd King’s German Legion (630)
5th King’s German Legion (590)