GHQ Models Forums

Just finished reading the Jul-Aug TAC NEWS and the fascinating article on using horse cavalry in micro armor scenarios. Ok GHQ, you made mention of the US Cavalry doctrine in the pre-war period. Im putting in for you to come up with a US Cavalry pack on this next new release for 2012-2013. Think of the possibilities.......
1) 26TH Cavalry in the Philippines
2) 2nd Cavalry Division (Mounted) on patrol in North Africa (what if)
3)1st Cavalry Division (Mounted) on patrol along the Rio Grande to repel a Mexican/Nazi invasion from the south(1941-1942) (what if)
4) US mounted cavalry vs German mounted cavalry in Yugoslavia (1943) (What if)
5) Provided they would be casted with the "Smokey the Bear" campaign hats, the Pancho Villa expedition of 1916 could even be done.

Just food for thought guys.

Wargaming rule sets often overlook one of the great advantages of cavalry -- their ability to cross difficult terrain.

Rocky ground or thick forests are often impassable to tanks and wheeled vehicles, but horse-troops can transit through at reasonable speeds. So also fresh snow or mud is less of an obstical to horse troops than to vehicles or even foot soldiers.

Perhaps the most important missing issue in most rule sets is that horses can swim. Not particularly well -- they don't swim fast, nor for great distances. But they can in fact swim. Horse troops, particularly on the eastern front, were quite valuable for their ability to cross the minor rivers that are so abundant in the region.

If you have a good battle board with lots of woods and streams, and few roads and bridges, a defending infantry force with a few AT guns and minefields can hold off a lot of armor. But add a squadron of cavalry to the attacker's side, and things get interesting REAL fast.