How many troops does a skirmish screen cover?
Skirmish companies thrown out in front of a brigade will screen the brigade. Any firing on that brigade will result in the Multi-rank target table on page 25 being used. On occasion the brigade could receive fire from a source that clearly is not firing through the screen. So where does the screen end? We always agree that if the cumulative fire is split between facing regiments. If any one of these has a skirmish screen, then the Multi-rank target table is used for the whole casualty calculation. See target priorities on page 36. Therefore a unit firing into the flank from a wood for example, where there are no skirmishers, will not need to use the Multi-rank target table. We have always tried to fire so the skirmish screen does take casualties, forcing them to retire – not the other way round.
