Altenburg update: the optional rules

The combat of Altenburg was a small affaire involving some pulks of Russian Cossacks, irregular cavalry as per Lasalle, as well as the defense and assault of a defile, the bridge at Schelditz. The scenario needs some optional rules to cover both aspects, since Lasalle is best suited to open-field combats involving regular units. The following rules will be used:

Assault of defiles
Lasalle does not allow march columns to fight, so the assaults on defiles, such as bridges, fortified gates, field fortifications, etc. can not be played on the table in a convincing way. There were some friendly discussions in the Lasalle Forum regarding this topic. At last, I have used the Scruf's proposal:
1) A march column can assault a defile like a bridge, a fortified gate, a fort, etc. It represents not only true march columns, but also all those formations with a much reduced front.
2) It fights halved dice and with no previous shooting, adding a -2 for "bad terrain" as they will be fighting in cramped quarters.
3) The defending enemy may use the "cover" or "higher elevation" modifiers when applicable.
3) However the small front, the enemy never halves their dice

Optional rule for charging Cossacks
(1) Irregular cavalry units may charge enemy units standing in 'march column' formation.
(2) Irregular cavalry units must to pass a 'Discipline' test to initiate the charge.
(3) If routed in 'decisive combat' the irregular cavalry unit is immediately broken.

These rules have been used in previous scenarios so they are well tested. Watch and see!

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Surrender! An optional rule for Lasalle

Lasalle is a very vicious ruleset and no chances are given to units wishing surrender to the enemy. 
Evidently, as pointed out by Mycenius in the Lasalle Forum, "...surrender is part of the existing combat mechanic - it's just abstracted into the results so when a unit is eliminated it isn't necessarily wiped out to a man, it's simply no longer combat effective... Some or all may be dead or wounded, some deserted, some or all have surrendered, and the rest, if any, suffering from failed morale or will to fight... ". I agree but, there are situations in which an explicit call to surrender would be more feasible than the habitual fight. 
A such situation arisen during the play of Dresden: A Russian Jager battalion (see the accompanying picture) was left isolated and behind the French front line, when garrisoning a built-up area. The batallion was only one point away for break and it was surrounded by enemy units. A call for terms would be adequate. 
My home-rule (first approach) is to add 'Surrender!' as another allowed reaction to be taken during the Reaction phase.

REACTION: Surrender! 
WHEN/IF: An enemy unit charged your unit, is now in contact and you are surrounded by enemy units, so fall back is not posible. 
DISCIPLINE TEST REQUIRED: If a Superior Commander is also surrounded, add the general's vigor. If out of command, automatically add a -1 modifier. 
If it passes the discipline test, and the enemy accepts the surrender, the unit is broken and removed from play as usual, but it loses only ONE-HALF of its morale points (i.e. a normal unit will lose 1 point, a large one 1.5 points and a battery 0.5 points) 

In that way, a surrounded unit would have an incentive to surrender (taking away victory points from the enemy!). The other side, the previsible winner of the combat, will have a chance to avoid own losses and also to be civilized and magnanimous!
Any idea?

 

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The optional rule about wagons is official!

Sam Mustafa, the designer of Lasalle, has included my Optional Rule about wagons as one of the Official Optional Rules, and he has incorporated it in the Version 5 file. Obvioulsy, the wording and style is the Sam's own (I am not so proficient in englsh!)
"This fun optional rule was suggested by Rafa on the Forum:

For historical scenarios, players may create wagons representing baggage trains, for one or both sides. They are a sort of “mobile objective marker” that must start in one location of the board, and either must remain there, or (depending upon the scenario) must be safely escorted to exit off a particular point on the board.
The wagon moves as if it were a foot artillery unit, always limbered.

The wagon neither fires nor can charge the enemy. It has only one formation: limber. It does not block line of sight or fire. It may not be fired upon.

Friendly units may move through it, as they move through a limbered artillery unit.

Any enemy unit - regular or irregular - may charge the wagon, as long as that unit is eligible to charge (it is in a formation that permits it to charge, it is facing the right way, etc.)

In its reaction phase, the wagon may attempt a Fall Back, as if it were a foot artillery limber. It succeeds on a roll of 4+, but if attacked by enemy cavalry, it must re-roll a success, even if within 1BW of friendly infantry.

If it fails to fall back, then the wagon is automatically captured in the ensuing combat. Combat must be “resolved” against it, as if against any other unit, but the resolution consists simply of removing the wagon, advancing the enemy unit(s) that captured it 2BW, and awarding the captured Objective to the enemy.

Any enemy unit that contacted the wagon suffers 1DISR, unless that would break it. (The men are dispersed, plundering the loot.) The unit must then take a discipline test. If it fails, it is marked in some way, showing that it is disordered and still plundering.

A unit that is still plundering is considered “Out of Command” for the entirety of its side’s next turn."
The Optional Rules file can be downloaded here