Rules: Infantry Movement

Infantry movement in the Civil War was, put simply, a logistical nightmare. Moving regiments cohesively around a training green was aggravating; moving regiments cohesively around a battlefield was Herculean.

The best officers knew just how far to push their men. In Then Holler, regiments take Fatigue Points for movement and receiving fire alike, so difficult maneuver will directly affect how quickly your regiments take casualties and rout.

Infantry regiments--with very few exceptions--may move up to 6 inches in a turn. Even if the regiment doesn't actually "move" or cover any ground, it can still change formation and facing as it pleases. Over the course of its movement a regiment can take Fatigue Points for terrain, formation, shooting, and a few other things.

Figure 1 shows the 7th Virginia in column. Right now the regiment is said to have a "Frontage of 1," because one company is at the head.

Figure 2 shows the 7th Virginia not moving anywhere, but deploying into a firing line. Note that the lead company stays in place. Any time a regiment is ordered, you may move the lead company to a different place within the formation for free.

Also note that the 7th Virginia now has a Frontage of 5. Regiments take a number of Fatigue Points equal to their final Frontage, minus 1. This change of formation has cost the 7th 4 Fatigue Points.

Figure 3 shows the 7th moving into double line. Their final Frontage is 3, minus 1 is 2 Fatigue Points. Note that the distance of movement is measured from the lead company to where the lead company ends up. Also keep in mind that a Frontage of 3 means that the regiment has a Combat Grade of 3, and can put out 3 Fatigue Points worth of firepower if they so choose.

Figure 4 is the same movement as Figure 3, but through Light Woods. This isn't the Wilderness or anything, so moving through these particular trees only costs 1 Fatigue Point per 3 inches of movement within it. This does not affect the 6 inch maximum, but you must ask yourself if your troops can take the added strain of difficult terrain.

We'll assume that the 7th spends 6 inches in the Light Woods, which means it would take 2 Fatigue Points. It would also take 2 for its final Frontage (3-1=2), for a total of 4 Fatigue Points.

There are a few other things that cost Fatigue Points (charging and shooting, in particular) and a few more terrain rules (houses, hills, streams, and fords) for the 9:30 AM scenario) left to cover. And also expect an quick reference chart--which will cover the Fatigue Point costs of various terrain, an overview of movement, procedures of fire combat, turn sequence, etc.--to be released alongside the scenario.