A group of us rather distant wargaming friends - two countries, five cities, 500kms between - and this
before COVID - have been working on an all-cavalry Napoleonic rules. Up to this point as we were still developing these rules and as among friends we 'winged it' and did not get very picky about distances and angles and such; " yeah, close enough". Thus we have had not the need of such devices. However should we find the odd participant who might well force the issue, I decided we need to determine charge angles and directions so a template is required. I finally thought about this and came up with this example:
(rather fuzzy photo to start things...)
 |
| Photo 1 |
Photo 1: the template is the width of a full strength French Cuirassier unit with the angles at 45 degrees
 |
| Photo 2 |
Photo 2: This shows the start of the player wheeling his unit to the right at the maximum 45 degrees for further movement. Each successive horsemen will be deploy beside.
 |
| Photo 3 |
Photo 3: shows the unit now fully deployed. The distance is considered to be 6 inches thus far (...close enough) should any further forward movement be required. One inch can be subtracted from the distance moved for each figure less in the unit.
 |
| Photo 4 |
Photo 4: the template now deployed in the front-center of the formation providing the check of the angle of movement allowed by the Cuirassiers to attack the British Light Dragoons in the background indicated by the left side of the white strip and continuing along the template. Obviously move it to the other side for a left hand turn!
The templates are made from thin plastic sheets and I have made extras for all the lads (when we next meet..)
You might have noted the poor dead French infantryman on the template. He is there merely for decoration! I had a few left over from the Perry Dragoon Box. I used the British ones as 'rough ground' for the game, so thought to be fair about it....
