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A Firebell in the Night
"But this momentous question, like a firebell in the night, awakened and filled me with terror. I considered it at once as the knell of the Union. It is hushed, indeed, for the moment. But this is a reprieve only, not a final sentence. A geographical line, coinciding with a marked principle, moral and political, once conceived and held up to the angry passions of men, will never be obliterated; and every new irritation will mark it deeper and deeper. I can say, with conscious truth, that there is not a man on earth who would sacrifice more than I would to relieve us from this heavy reproach, in any practicable way." -Thomas Jefferson @ Monticello Apr. 22, 1820. Regarding the Missouri Compromise, 'State Rights' and the future sound of the war bells ringing.
A Firebell in the Night 
Is this the place to pose rules questions?
Greetings Mark,
Fire away and I will try to help you out, Regards, John Simmons in Michigan
hanks so much John. I’m really enjoying your ruleset! Here are the questions:
1. My first question is about movement. The way I’m interpreting page 15, if a brigade in line is moving straight ahead (Approach Move), the brigade can move the full movement allowance; any other movement would constitute a Redeployment Move and restrict movement to 1/2 move with the brigade allowed to change facing or formation. If a brigade is moving directly backwards without changing facing or formation would that still be considered a Redeployment move and therefore restricted to a half move?
2. The next question is about combat e-factors – does the 1 point for firing line combat as stated in 5E of the play aid on page 36 also apply to double line formation? My thought was that, in this sense, both firing line and double line would be included.
3. The next question concerns assaults – page 30 discusses multiple unit assaults from the perspective of a unit being assaulted by more than one unit, but what if an assaulting brigade, as a result of making contact with an enemy unit, also makes contact with another enemy unit adjacent to it? My sense is that it can only target one unit of the two but if it also contacts another unit wouldn’t it also have to engage that unit? The rules don’t address this directly but make reference to supporting units on page 17 – would that fit the situation I describe?
4. As far as infantry fire is concerned, the rules don’t address fire against more than one target or target priorities for non-skirmisher fire. My understanding is that one unit can fire at only one target – no splitting of fire, and that the brigade can target any unit in it’s arc of fire. Am I correct on both counts? ,
5. The rules state that an artillery unit can limber OR unlimber in a move. I’m assuming a unlimbered piece cannot limber, move and unlimber in the same movement phase, correct? If so can it still fire in the artillery fire phase? .
Thanks in advance for the rules clarifications!
Mark,
Greetings from John Simmons, you had posted a question on the rules Firebell in the night.
After a long delay to due many things, looking at the blog page and wondering…
Did you get your answers?
Sorry for the issues, regards, John