How to play British: Part 1 - Cavalry

This week we look at the units that were 'the noblest cavalry in Europe, but the worst led!' The British cavalry!
If you want a cavalry arm that, while while not as spectacular or varied as other nations, can bring the pain train, these are the horsey bois for you!
Join us on Wednesday as we look at the other side, how to deal with them!
Don't forget we are affiliated! Use this link to get up to 20% off and support the channel at no extra cost! www.the-outpost.co.uk/aff/93/

[@felixgoodhew7723]

To all who are not in Britain I have something of a Nap news to share. Warlord games has stopped charging extra duties after shipping is paid to all of the world making their range much more affordable to anyone like me who is not in the UK. They also now offer a free box of your choosing for orders over 50 pounds. Basically warlord has become one of the most affordable companies to non UK buyers

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

That's a great bit of news! I'll pin this comment

[@Rusty_Gold85]

But you have to buy more than 50 pounds for them to send anything to you . Which when you check AUD to GBP is not good thinking

[@danielnilsson9745]

Well, I do not know if I agree. At least in Sweden (so EU) the prices on their webpage is through the roof. Would guess around 30-40% up compared to before end of year. No change recently either.

[@rangerminiaturesandgaming3647]

Great to know

[@sokol4673]

You should definitely do more 'How to Play' series, they are definitely useful.

[@sdporres]

Yeah, I'm getting all sorts of insights into BP, it's been rally fun. Play once a year maybe.

[@nickhindley4295]

Excellent British cavalry episode. I think the tactical level of analysis looking at each type of cavalry is brilliant. Keep up this great approach.

[@raymadi1122]

Yes please definitely do more 'How to Play' series, they are definitely useful, maybe add how to counter different unit types

[@WanderingCelts]

Great videos. Always enjoy the breakdowns.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Thanks man!

[@historypunkwargames4760]

Thanks for the video the effort is appreciated

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Tha ks for your continued support!

[@davidoxley8855]

Great video - really useful and like the unit by unit approach.

[@gkspain1]

This is very interesting, all the best, Garry

[@sebastianwozniak5130]

More!! 🤩 Please

[@greenguff]

Great video fella

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Thanks man!

[@geebards]

Always good. Probably a tall order but some diagrams or a photo play-through for your examples would be excellent. Keep 'em coming.

[@dupeesfashionconsultant4204]

I definitely am into the detailed deep dive, most definitely. You managed to drag my army building and painting from a kindergarten level all the way up to highschool level, which is a higher skill level than I ever should've had to be sure but you pulled me up lol....now my tactical level is that of the toddler screaming and crying on his first day of day care....so yea I need all the help I can get haha

[@christopherhorner7570]

Nice! Your father's cavalry are awesome.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

I made the mistake of telling him you said that 😂😂😂

[@kmorton54]

What was the quote about the British Calvary in the movie Waterloo "Those are the noblest Calvary in Europe, but the worse led"

[@theairsoftpro2014]

That may be... That may be... But we'll match them with our lancers.

[@andreaspersson5639]

A bit above my level right now (then again, I'm at the level of "Rules?"), but enjoyable, and will most likely be quite useful once I'm actually ready to get games in.

[@BrushQuill]

Interesting video, coming at it from the rules side rather than the historical side. I did a video on the Cav at Assaye in 1803, and the Brit Light Cav there was rather interesting too. Seems that they were just as bad at scouting as they were in Spain lol.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Ha. Yeah, none of that boring soldiering stuff for them!

[@UlsterAndy]

Gallop at all doesn't apply to the light cavalry in 100 days. As they say that by the time of Waterloo they had learnt from Spain.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Ah, I hadn't noticed that! As I said, it's an absolutely nothing rule anway

[@MattVarnish1103]

So you're telling me that a british author working for a british wargames company writing for a book called ALBION TRIUMPHANT made a british cavalry unit superb? shocking /s

[@TwisstedSage]

Haven’t gotten to use my British cavalry because they’re still in the box. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the lesson on how to use them when I finally get them painted up. Honestly, I’ve been thinking more about how to convert the light dragoons into Spanish dragoons since you get enough body parts to get 2 cavalry units for the price of just the extra horses (which I unknowingly ordered the British bobtailed rather than the French). This’ll be a fairly easy kit bash, especially if you’re using the shakoes. I’ll be wanting both units in the tarleton helmets so a bit of sculpting will be in order. As to the presentation, I got a bit confused by all the rules providing the power to these different units with the dice rolls and probabilities and what not, it was a bit overwhelming. I think, despite there being fewer types of units, there’s plenty of material here for two videos, at a slightly slower pace with situations illustrated on the tabletop, much as you did in the video of the battle report of a game of Vemiero,I think, on how to use cavalry to jam infantry into square. I learned so much and it only took a very few minutes to do so. But focusing on the specific units was really good. However, between the previous video that awarded “The Blues “ as the deadliest unit in the game and this video that gave the impression, to me anyway, that their cost might supersede their value if faced with ciurassier, I was really wishing you could slowdown and illustrate the circumstance on the table, since I’m bound to face it sooner than later. Wish I could spend the weekend with you watching history in the moment, enjoy.

[@pfcsantiago8852]

Like it !

[@SonOfSalop]

RE: the whole Blues and Royals... I'm fairly sure the Horse Guards were called the Blues contemporarily, so if you half the term you'd be right. I think the Blues and Royals title must have come from merging with the 1st (Royal) Dragoon Guards. Not that it really matters which you use, but yes I think 'the Blues' is correct. I think people who go off on one about that are a bit OTT... They obviously know exactly which regiment you mean to start with, for them to go off on one in the first place xD

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Hahaha

[@theairsoftpro2014]

Even then before the merger, they were called "Royal Horse Guards" with blue uniforms, so the modern name still is ironically accurate that they are a Royal Regiment of Horse that wore blue. Though more strange is that before 1820s, Royal Horse Guards we more of an honoree members of the Household Calvary in that they were always brigaded with the 1st or 2nd Life Guards (Yes, there was 2 of them before the UK merged them together. Effectively they look the same with very minor differences to it doesn't matter) when on Campaign, but wasn't officially part of the Household Division. It was largely due to RHG always fighting like Heavy Cavalry and had similar equipment to the Life Guards, just Blue. Not to discredit what was stated here, It's just something interesting to point out that Britain is a rather funny nation sometimes to talk about when it comes to units, especially cavalry around this point and time.

[@spitfireraf8646]

I'm personally a big fan of a longer comprehensive complete overview but I can't speak for everyone maybe a complete overview in parts

[@spitfireraf8646]

Also of course love your channel

[@justanothercaptain6566]

Dear Sir. Big fan of your work. I’m just starting to build up my Napoleonic’s. So i am as new as can be. I am more interested in the history and uniforms of the various Regiments....but one aspect I am not clear on is basing the models. How many cavalry, line infantry or skirmishers go on a base? What size? If you could cover that, I would greatly appreciate it. Cheers 🍻

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

It does vary to be honest! For an infantryman I use a 20mm by 20mm base. Usually I put them 2 by 2 on a 40mm square, or 2 ranks of 3 on a 60mm by 40mm base. That keeps them fairly spread out though. General Andy used the (shall we say more...traditional!) 15mm frontage, so 3 ranks of 2 on a 45x40mm base. This gives a more packed appearance. I think both have their strengths and weaknesses, it's about which look you prefer. For cavalry it's more straightforward, 25mmx50mm for cavalryman, usually 2 on a 50x50. For skirmishers I tend to base individually, though I'm currently thinking 3 minis on a 60x40 base. Hope that helps!

[@justanothercaptain6566]

@@NapoleonicWargaming thank you, Sir! Cheers 🍻

[@greenguff]

Hi. I can't find any reference to "break through move" in the rule book. Anyone point me to the right page?

[@christopherhorner7570]

Yes give me more unit by unit. Now I need more British cavalry.... shheesh it never ends!

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Hahaha, it's a black hole of madness!

[@peterweston189]

Personally I have always played cavalry sweeping advances as a straight ahead move.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Yeah. I mean, if theres a unit nearby I'll drift into that, but certainly it leaves a massive area to exploit

[@TheLordRossy]

I never really know how to use cavalry properly. On any wargaming rules system or even video games. Thanks for your advice.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Yeah, they're not easy. I remember one of Ge eral Dan's first games I gave him a cavalry command as I knew that's his jam, but he spent most of the time sat there disordered! 🤣. I'll try my hand at a cavalry tactics video, but I always feel I never get the most out of mine either

[@aerendil9143]

Individual regiments painting would be better than the general video tutorials.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Ok, that's a good shout. I'll definitely have a think!

[@georgepeterson4708]

Out of the british , prussians and austrians which army has the better heavy cavalry?

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

I replied to this yesterday, but cane see my reply, so sorry about that! I'd say definitely the worst was the Prussian. They rarely beat French cavalry, even if heavier than them, and were limited by being used in direct infantry support roles. The Austrians would be next for me. Again, the struggled with their french counterparts despite being regarded as the best in europe. That said, they did have successes and both in history and in BP there are thousands of them! And quantity has a quality all of it's own! I'd say in BP the Brits are by far the best, and while history bears that out, there are some caveats. In the Peninsular, and I think at Waterloo actually, they never faced French cuirassiers or guard cavalry. Their success was against mainly dragoons and chasseurs, which while no mean feat, it's difficult to see them stand up to a brigade of french heavies. But as it stands, both in history and in game I'd go Brits, Austrians then in a distant third, Prussians

[@georgepeterson4708]

Thanks a lot, I couldnt decide on which army to start.

[@nicofolkersma2535]

Great series. However you keep saying thre were no cuirassiers in Spain, but the 13th were. From 1809 till 1814 theywere fighting in the north of Spain. According to Osprey and Haythornwaite.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Correct, but they didn't wear their cuirass. Effectively they were less useful dragoons.

[@nicofolkersma2535]

@@NapoleonicWargaming I think youre half right. Paintings of the battles of Sabugal and Castalla show them with cuiras. But as they were created from both carabineers and cuirassiers I think it would be fair to say that at least 2 out of 5 men were without cuiras. After all, the carabineers wore their bearskins till 1813 and the armies in Spain didnt get many suplies.

[@nicofolkersma2535]

Just reread Haythornthwaite again and he agrees with you in a lousie little line at the end which I never read. "They did not wear the cuirass."

[@ankerboi]

#wherearemybavarians 😂😂😂

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Right?! 😂

[@CrichtonNo5]

How to play British cavalry - don't

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

But they are super stronk!

[@CrichtonNo5]

I'm being facetious of course, they do have their uses. Just always fun to look down on them as Wellesley did - the Heavies at least haha

[@CrichtonNo5]

I tend to agree on uses. My Light Dragoons make infantry form square, or chase isolated artillery batteries. Heavies shadow enemy cavalry and attack them

[@historypunkwargames4760]

Godbless Prince Philip!