Cavalry on the defense

[FM WarB]

With any elevation rises, cavalry in defensive postions cannot be close enough to charge frontline positions without risking being routed over by infanty and disordering. How do players like to use cav on defense? I'm setting up my defense for upcoming Mother of all Waterloo battles, and needless to say, I find the Duke's historical dispositions impracticable in this game.

[trauth116]

In my case, I just don't use cavalry in defensive situation - what I mean is - not in a position where they will have to stand and defend.

The threat of counter-charge, is what I base my cavalry's defensive deployment. In thinking on it a little though, I imagine that the answer to this question could well lie in what position one's army is in - in my case I am currently playing as the French in a version of the Waterloo "Nivelles" scenario - this is basically, your typical big meeting engagement type battle. Now granted, while the French are on the offensive in the Nivelles scenarios - the field is big enough where the French player has to consider defense, particularly since the Prussians enter the map area from the SE while the French might be engaged around the Quatre Bras area.

IOW -something has to stall the Prussians; in my case - I chose to use cavalry -at least as a "first responder" so to speak.

I guess what I am getting at - that in my so far limited experience with some bigger battles, that cavalry's primary defensive value is to make the opponent think twice about getting within range of a cavalry charge if there is any possibility of not being able to form a square. I found that a long line of squares only works if every formation makes its formation change check. In my case, they didn't.

Right now I believe I am at turn 18 or 19 and have fulfilled the Decisive Victory condition - but the game lasts 60 turns, so I am having to hold on to the VP areas that I have captured. I am gathering material so that I might come up with a replay write up.