Foot Skirmishers

[Spotted Dog]

Do foot skirmishers have the evade Dont appear tpo have the evade characteristic. Does it matter if they are in loose or open?

[marshalney2000]

Can only evade if in skirmish order. Otherwise stand and take it like a man.

[Administrator]

Correct - while in Open Order they can evade.  While Loose - no

[Spotted Dog]

Thanks.

[Spotted Dog]

Correct - while in Open Order they can evade.  While Loose - no

is there such a thing as skirmish order - is it not just open or loose?

[Administrator]

Correct
Skirmisher is a troop type
Skirmish is a evade type
Close/loose / open are troop order

[Hwpf]

Hi Team,

MeG player now dabbling in the Italian Wars w/ ReG.

To confirm WRT Skirmisher:
-Troop type
-Evade type
- Order = close/ loose/ open
- shooting penalty by = only if OOT
- shooting penalty at = only if tgt is OOT
- is OOT only when in Open Order
- movement = depends on order = C/ L/ O
- Arty cannot shoot thru  skirmishers in any order to hit more dense targets behind them e.g. kiel
- no other penalties or benefits from being “skirmisher” formation/type

 E.g. Italian Arquebusier Sk fmn/type in loose order
- have the benefit of loose foot movement,
- do not suffer the “shooting by OOTs” penalty when firing,
- do not incur the “shooting at OOTs . . .” when shooting at OOTs b/c the Arquebus only has a “deadly range”

So what did I miss??

Many thanks.

[marshalney2000]

For starters if in close do not get penalties if hit by mounted in open and also do not suffer shove possibility if fighting close foot.
If in open get certain benefits in combat in difficult terrain that loose might suffer.

[Administrator]

Skirmishers always get a general claim against non- Skirmishers

So, Skirmishers in OOT need to be very careful around heavier foot.

Basically in REG each order has a 'best' terrain to operate in

Close - Open
Loose - Rough
OOT - Difficult

So a OOT in 'difficult' should be better in combat against loose and close

[Hwpf]

Many thanks for the answers above, much appreciated

Another question on foot skirmishers:
Italian Wars army lists - 2024.1 January 2024 - classify italian mercenary crossbows (“IMC”) as “skirmishers” but the available orders for IMC are “Drilled / Close or Loose” and the do not have “evade”

Am I correct in assuming IMC cannot execute a “skirmish” move because they are:
- troops in “skirmisher formation”
- who cannot get into “open order” and therefore
- cannot be an OOT foot TUG and therefore
- cannot skirmish under ME 15.N

Alternatively: have I missed a rule/clarifiction that allows them to “skirmish”

Many thanks as always.

[Administrator]

You are correct - defined as this they cannot skirmish.  Run Away/Skirmish is only for those who qualify ME15.N

Being Formation 'Skirmishers' just means that they have a combat claim against 'non-Skirmishers'