Let me begin by identifying myself, Sam, as an admirer of your earlier efforts in Grande Armee and Might & Reason. With LaSalle, you have taken your demonstrated strengths as a rules writer to a new level with a state of the art presentation. I am busily rebasing my long-unused Napoleonic armies and look forward to a succession of Honour system products that will make for years of terrific gaming!
Now, down to business. I played my first game of LaSalle solo over the weekend (where are you, Twin Cities Napoleonic enthusiasts?) and generated the following questions:
1. Defender’s Choice during Set Up: The terrain placement rules state, “You may not place a terrain feature in your opponent’s setup zone, unless he gives his permission.” But when did that setup zone become the opponent’s? The final language in the Setting Up the Board section states that “The defender decides whether he wants to pick his preferred long board-edge and set up first; or whether he wants to give the attacker the choice of the long board-edge and make the attacker set up first.” I presume that the when the defender makes this choice he is surveying the table with all the possible extra terrain pieces added. However, my presumption runs counter to the prohibition quoted above on placing a terrain piece “in your opponent’s setup zone. Please clarify.
2. Unlimbering and Moving: The rules on page 26 state, “A limbered artillery unit that changes formation to unlimbered may not move any more in the Activity Phase.” Does this mean “may not otherwise move in the Activity Phase”; or does it conceivably mean “may take a full normal move, then unlimber, but then move no further”?
3. Obstructed fire for Roundshot: I was surprised to find that hills are not listed as obstructing terrain for Roundshot in the page 51 “Fire (Obstructions for Roundshot)” section. In my game the Austrian foot battery targeted a French attack column three quarters of which was screened by an intervening hill. In such a situation shouldn’t the hill trigger the use of the “Reduced Long” range bracket and provide cover to the French column? If it provides cover, then hard cover?
4. Artillery Units’ Discipline: I had a situation in which a horse battery wanted to Fall Back from a cavalry charge as a reaction. Per page 37, a discipline check is required for artillery to Fall Back. And, per page 19, “All units are rated for two basic qualities: Esprit and Discipline”; however, I cannot find for any nation the discipline classification of artillery (I am aware of the errata regarding Esprit and artillery). Please direct me to the discipline number(s) for artillery.
5. Musketry Dice: I see no modifier to number of infantry fire dice for current disruptions. Thus, it appears that an exhausted infantry unit (e.g., 3 disruptions for a small unit or 5 disruptions for a large unit) would fire with the same effectiveness as a fresh unit, assuming both have the same number of stands in the front rank. I expected to see a minus one modifier for each disruption, as for Combat resolution. Please explain.
6. Size of town squares: the 3 BW wide Town Base mandated by page 68 seems more than large enough to hold even a big infantry unit. It also seems very large relative to the tiny Town Base squares depicted in the set up maps and in the scenarios. Why are Town Bases so big?/why are they so small in the set up maps and scenarios?
Thanks again, Sam, for producing such an intriguing and enjoyable set of rules and rekindling my enthusiasm for the Napoleonic period!
Van