Guard cavalry behaviour.

[Hook]

Again, you learn something every day. Hook, can you elaborate on this a little please

Friendly prisoners passing near friendly cavalry, and probably friendly infantry as well, will be freed from prisoner status and change to exit the map status.  The area status screen probably has to show the area completely free from enemy contested ground for this to happen, but I'm not totally sure on this one.

Hook

[Gunner24]

Have you modified the initiative and aggressiveness of the cavalry to see if it helps the situation yet? 

I have checked, it happens with defensive behaviour and low initiative.

It's up to you whether you want to manually pull your cavalry back early or let them try to thin the enemy cavalry a bit.

This is the problem, when these guys do this it proves impossible to over ride the AI orders, they will go off and attack even if you try to pull them back.

[quartermaster]

On the real battlefield, there would usually be some cavalry reserve in the rear that would keep enemy cavalry out of the area.  This doesn't happen often in the game unless the player scatters a few individual cavalry units there intentionally.

I do remember reading at least one account of cavalry getting "trapped" behind enemy lines, but I don't remember where I read it or what battle it was.  In the game, these guys usually end up with lowered morale because they're so far from their commanders or friendly troops, and usually have high fatigue.  Put them on the route your prisoners will take to exit the map and the cavalry will free the prisoners.

If you find yourself with enemy cavalry behind your lines, send a cavalry unit from your reserves in the rear to capture them or chase them off the map or back to their own lines.

Hook

Hook - whilst it would be expected of cavalry to go raiding in the 1861-65 War between the States this is not what is to be expected of regular cavalry in the napoleonic period (with the possible exception of cossacks).

A mass breakthrough the enemy battle line by a corp of cavalry is one thing but an odd regiment losing contact with the rest of the army is another.  Small forces of cavalry behind the enemy line really ought to concentrate on finding their way back to their commander.    They tend instead to go looking for targets and possibly the lop.

Not that I have any problem with leaving reserves to deal with these.   

[Hook]

I have checked, it happens with defensive behaviour and low initiative.

Thanks.

This is the problem, when these guys do this it proves impossible to over ride the AI orders, they will go off and attack even if you try to pull them back.

That's why I specified pulling them back early, that is, before they get into contact and rush off to attack.  I'm well aware that cavalry won't respond to the recall after they've started an attack.  This is not unrealistic, by the way.  You just have to think ahead.

Hook

[Hook]

Hook - whilst it would be expected of cavalry to go raiding in the 1861-65 War between the States this is not what is to be expected of regular cavalry in the Napoleonic period (with the possible exception of cossacks).

A mass breakthrough the enemy battle line by a corp of cavalry is one thing but an odd regiment losing contact with the rest of the army is another.  Small forces of cavalry behind the enemy line really ought to concentrate on finding their way back to their commander.    They tend instead to go looking for targets and possibly the lop.

Not that I have any problem with leaving reserves to deal with these.   

I don't know what the policies and doctrines were on Napoleonic raiding parties, but we're talking about something different here.  You're the leader of a cavalry unit who has found himself behind enemy lines, totally unintentionally.  You look around and find there's no way to get back to your lines without going through masses of enemy, and you aren't going to make it.  What do you do?

From everything I've read about the cavalry mindset of the time, they'd take advantage of the situation.  As their commander in chief, this is what I want them to do.

"A cavalryman despises life..."

"A hussar who lives to age 30 is a jack@$$."

Hook

[Gunner24]

That's why I specified pulling them back early, that is, before they get into contact and rush off to attack

Yes, this does work for a while, but in the end, at one stage or another, they get committed, but I agree, your right, best keep them well back till your READY for them to swing into action.

[quartermaster]

Yes, this does work for a while, but in the end, at one stage or another, they get committed, but I agree, your right, best keep them well back till your READY for them to swing into action.

One practical problem with the strategy of keeping cavalry out of the way until needed is that they suffer fatigue when moving up to the front and seem not to have the opportunity to recover before they go charging off. 

[Count von Csollich]

One practical problem with the strategy of keeping cavalry out of the way until needed is that they suffer fatigue when moving up to the front and seem not to have the opportunity to recover before they go charging off. 

indeed!

[Gunner24]

is that they suffer fatigue when moving up to the front and seem not to have the opportunity to recover before they go charging off

In my last couple of MP games I have kept the Guard Cav not too far behind the front lines and they have behaved well, if you give them a little time, when in place, they do recover fatigue quickly, and then they are ready to......charge !.