Reply To: Sharp Practice Question – Any Help?

[phaidknott 7023xp 2]

I think historically French Dragoon only really fought dismounted in large battles usually due to a lack of mounts (such as in the Spanish Peninsula). Ofc the other more common aspect might have been with “foraging parties” (usually with a cart in tow), where the troopers would have been dismounted to conduct a search.

Classification of how well cav fought is also largely due to the condition of their mounts (French Dragoon were pretty low on the pecking order for obtaining these mounts for some reason).

So I’d put them below the typical line cav units.

Other Nations Dragoons tended to fight mounted and just didn’t take to the field if no mounts were available. But again Dragoon Regts were low down on the pecking order in obtaining mounts (so if they got them they usually weren’t of the best quality). Light or Heavy Cav was usually classed by the size of the horses (rather than the equipment the troopers wore), I don’t think you had “medium” cav (it’s more a wargamers term). Things like a Cuirassier regt were definitely an “impact” cav, but then so were Lancer Regts (who are usually classified as light cav).

 

For ACW cav there’s also the mounted infantry regts (although this was more out in the west around Kansas etc), so these mounted infantry never fought mounted (yet make up the bulk of “mounted troops in that campaign). There was very few cav regts trained to charge as “impact” cav (instead they usually fought dismounted as a rule), however as the situation arose they did fight mounted (usually if they had an overwhelming advantage chasing down fleeing troops etc).