Muskets and Marshals - Take 2

                           Muskets and Marshals Rules; Version 5.5

Stryker mentions in his comment that the original scale was one figure = 33 real men, and one model cannon = 6 guns.

Let's take a look at the figure ratio to ground ratio using the basing presented in the rules:

Infantry 40mm frontage (for 3 figures)
Cavalry 30mm Frontage (for 2 figures)
Artillery 60mm (for one gun and 4 crew)

Going through the ground scale calculations:

These unit strengths indicate that the ground scale should be roughly 30mm = 41.25 yards (or 1mm = 1.375 yards.  Stated another way:  1 yard and 13.5 inches; or just over four feet).

One stand of cavalry (two figures) represents the standard 2 lines of cavalry (two lines of 33 men and horses, one behind the other).  Assuming (per Mr. Jeffery, see prior post regarding Muskets and Marshals below) that each horse and rider takes up between 3.5 and 4 feet.  Using 3.75 feet as the average, a line of 33 horsemen then takes up 33 x 3.75 feet, which is 123.75 feet, or 41.25 yards.  Cavalry are mounted on 30mm stands, so 30mm = 41.25 yards. (Thus for cavalry 1mm = 1.375 yards).

Artillery Batteries are mounted on 60mm stands. Per the above cavalry calculation, 60mm is the equivalent to 82.5 yards (2 x 41.25).  A 6-gun battery takes up about 81 yards (allowing 13.5 yards between each gun x 6 guns).  (Thus for artillery 1mm = 1.35 yards).

Infantry generally deployed in three lines.  In the game, a line of infantry is represented by a double row of 3 figures (so on a 40mm base, we have three figures, with a second 40mm base of three figures directly behind the first) for a total of 6 figures.  198 men deployed in three lines is 66 men per line (198 divided by 3).  Allowing 2.5 feet per man in line (Mr. Jeffrey allows only 2 feet per man, but with the jostling and movement necessary in combat, allowing a little elbow room makes sense to me) the frontage of the unit works out to 165 feet (66 men at 2.5 feet per man), which is 55.0 yards.   (Thus for infantry 1mm = 1.375 yards).

This compares to the cavalry perfectly: 1.375 to 1.375 yards per mm.  It is only slightly more than artillery at 1.37 to 1.35. 

Again, I am satisfied that mounting the figures as set forth in Muskets and Marshals will yield appropriately sized units with realistic frontages.  The units will, however, be bigger than at the 1 to 20 ratio, as follows:

Infantry units are battalions of 792 men (24 figures x 33 = 792)

Cavalry units are regiments of 396 men, composed of two 198 man squadrons (6 figures x 33 = 198)

Artillery units are batteries of 6 guns and  132 crew.  (1 Artillery crew figure = 1.5 guns and 33 crew) 

It appears to me that you can use which ever ratio you choose; either the 1:20 ratio (worked out in the prior posting below) or the 1 to 33 ratio set forth here.  The primary practical difference is that if you use the 1 to 20 ratio, you likely should use 2 model cannon to represent a 6 to 8 gun battery.

Does anyone know what the time scale of the game is (in minutes per turn)?