DBAWI Change: Firing Factors

I was playing with some numbers the other day, looking at the relative effects I would like each unit type to have other the other, both in firing and in close combat. Here is what I came up with:

Relative Firing Strengths

FIRING
		TARGET
		CO	LO	OO	Rifle	Indian	LO Cav	OO Cav	Lt Art	Med Art	Hvy Art
	CO	+0	-1	-1	-2	+0	+2	+1	+1	+0	-1
F	LO	+1	+0	+0	-1	+1	+2	+1	+2	+1	+0
I	OO	+1	+0	+0	-1	+1	-1	-2	+2	+1	+0
R	Rifle	+2	+1	+1	+0	+2	-1	-2	+1	+0	+0
E	Indian	+0	-1	-1	-2	+0	-2	-3	+0	+0	+0
R	Lt Art	-1	-2	-2	-3	-1	+0	-1	+0	-1	-2
	Med Art	+0	-1	-1	-2	+0	+1	+0	+1	+0	-1
	Hvy Art	+1	+0	+0	-1	+1	+2	+1	+2	+1	+0

This table shows the relative difference between two units in Fire Combat.
For example, in a firefight between CO infantry you would find the CO
row, move to the CO column and find a +0, indicating neither will
have an advantage (all other factors being equal). On the other hand, LO
infantry firing at CO infantry would be +1. (Note that the CO row
and the LO column indicates -1. This does not mean that the LO is
+1 to the roll and the CO is -1, resulting in a difference of 2. This table
represents the difference between the two unit types, so if the firer is +, the
target will always be - the same amount and vice versa.)

Studying this table should give you some insight into my thoughts on the
relative merits of one troop type versus another in firing. However, several
other factors are required to reveal the full picture:

• The Firing Results tables - those tables that show what drawing, beating, and doubling do to a unit - produce less decisive results than the Close Combat Results tables.
• Quality is not taken into account. Elites troops will change the factors by +1 while Militia/Reluctant troops will change it by -1.
• Artillery factors represent shooting round shot, not canister. (I'll work on canister later.)
• Cover is not taken into account. This plays a big role in why the Indian factors look so grim. They should be in cover, not in the open.

What picture does come out of the table is:

• CO infantry is not considered a superior firing formation. Its density allows it to receive more casualties, which its density of fire just ensures a greater percentage of shots miss against dispersed targets.

So, if you take the following numbers as the base firing factors:

Base Firing Factors

UNIT TYPE	FIRING FACTOR
CO Inf	+4
LO Inf	+4
OO Inf	+3
Rifle	+4
Indian	+2
LO Cav	+2
OO Cav	+3
Lt Art	+2
Med Art	+3
Hvy Art	+4

In order to make the base factors work, while achieving the relative
differences between units listed in the Relative Firing Strengths table,
the following modifiers must be used:

Firing Modifiers

MODIFIER	DESCRIPTION	NOTES
+1	Firing at CO infantry	This solves the factor differences for LO shooting at CO. It partially solves the problem for OO shooting.
-1	Firing at OO infantry, unless the firer is also OO infantry	This solves the factor differences for LO and CO shooting at OO. Note that Rifles and Indians are also OO.
-2	OO infantry in open, firing at cavalry	This solves the factor differences for OO firing at cavalry.
-1	Rifle in open, firing at cavalry [1]	Rifles have an additional minus for lack of close combat weapons, making them even more skittish.

1. This modifier is cumulative with the modifier OO infantry in open,
firing at cavalry.

The system needs more work, but I wanted to see what comments this drew. I
have to playtest it. If I get a chance, I'll try it out this week.