What does a Cavalry Sabre do in LotOW?

[admiraldick]

this is probably a pretty frivolous thread, but i've just picked up a Cavalry posse for LotOW and now that i've put them together i've realised i can't find any reference to that a Cavalry Sabre does!

is it just a hand weapon that is affected by the Swordsman skill? or is there more to it than that?

[Hammers]

this is probably a pretty frivolous thread, but i've just picked up a Cavalry posse for LotOW and now that i've put them together i've realised i can't find any reference to that a Cavalry Sabre does!

is it just a hand weapon that is affected by the Swordsman skill? or is there more to it than that?

Without looking things up I recall the following:

It is generally heavier and longer than an infantry sabre. The rider needs longer reach as he/she attacks a 'pedestrian'. It is heavier so that it can take benefit from and absorb the force of a charging horse (without breaking).

The curved sabre is better for slashing (you get a longer cut with a curved blade swung in a pendulous movement) and was popular in the orient and with light western cavalry, like hussars.

The straight sabre seems to have been associated with heavy cavalry like dragoons, cuirassieres... and is obviously better for sticking into chaps in a lancelike and likewise unpleasant way (probably had something to do with in which formation you fought).

[matakishi]

Do you mean what does it do in the LotOW? I have no idea. What did it do in real life? Not much. For the Little Big Horn campaign they were left behind. Hindsight shows that actually they would have been useful there as a decent counter against lances but usually they were a hindrance. US cavalry on the plains fought as mounted infantry not cavalry.

During the Civil War they saw more use as cavalry charges occasionally did take place.

[admiraldick]

er... thanks guys, but i was really meaning what does a Cavalry Sabre do in LotOW?

the first reference i can find for it is in the US Cavalry posse weapon options, but i can't find any reference to it in any of the 'weapons locker' sections in any of the books. does anyone know what the rules for a Cavalry Sabre are?

[Hammers]

Silly me.

[Johnno]

LOTOW pg44 - A cavalry sabre is listed as a hand weapon.

LOTOW Alamo pg 39 - rules differ from posse based game vs massed battles
Posse - see above
Massed - Fighters w/ Swordsman skill can re-roll 1's when rolling to hit enemy in combat.

Although classed as a hand weapon, if your cavalry did not have hand weapons (sabres), any Hand to Hand combat would be classed as unarmed which has -1 modifiers on who wins AND rolling to wound.

I could not find any other references in LOTOW, Alamo, Frontier or Showdown...

Hope that helps.

[admiraldick]

excellent. thank you Johnno, that was the missing link that i couldn't find.

i assumed that that was the case, but i couldn't find the exact reference. turns out its because there isn't a clear reference. its just weird that the Texas Ranger heroes have the choice and the US Infantry have to pay such a premium for a sabre, considering that it has effectively no additional bonus.

[Johnno]

its just weird that the Texas Ranger heroes have the choice and the US Infantry have to pay such a premium for a sabre, considering that it has effectively no additional bonus.

Well, there is a slight bonus (not fighting with bare knuckles) but I do agree that it is expensive considering what the bonuses are.