Skirmish rules - Part 1 - Scale; Troop types, organization and deployement

Scale

My rules are designed for 1:32-scale (54mm) toy soldiers, but should work equally well for figures in the 25-30mm range. 

One figure represents one man. Each figure is individually mounted on a card base of standard dimensions.

Figures mounted on standard card bases:
standing infantry 3x3cm; kneeling infantry 3x4cm; cavalry 4x8.5cm

Players take alternate turns.  One turn represents a short period of time, typically 5 to 10 seconds of real-life. In a given turn, the Active Player’s figures may perform positive actions (move; fire; reload), while those of the Passive Player just take casualties if hit by enemy fire, or react if engaged in hand-to-hand combat.

Things the Active Player may do in a turn:
stand still (left); move (right)

Things the Active Player may do in a turn:
reload (left); fire (right)

Distances are not to scale, 1cm representing one pace (in the 1:32-scale it should be about 2.5cm to one pace). The dimensions of terrain pieces, such as trees, woods, rivers, buildings, roads, etc., are also compressed to suit the limited tabletop space.

While my toy soldiers are strictly in the 1:32 scale, buildings and other terrain pieces are not made to any exact scale, their dimensions being compressed to suit the limited tabletop space
(note in particular the diminutive size of the barn's doors) 

A detachment of French hussars patrolling the edge of a small wood .
Standing about 30-35cm tall, the trees would be just 10m tall in real-life, that is about half the actual dimension of most fullly grown trees

Troop types, organization, and deployment 

Reflecting 18th-Century military practice, troops are divided in two classes: regulars and irregulars. Each class in turn comprises various troop types with distinctive characteristics and combat skills.

Albeit based individually, figures are grouped together to form tactical units, typically representing 18th-Century piquets, small detachments of various size and composition specially put together for small-scale military operations. 

Each unit is led by a set of command figures (regular troops by Officers and NCOs; irregulars by Band-leaders and their Seconds-in-command). 

A small unit of regular infantry deployed in line on one rank, including:
1 Sergeant (right, with halberd); 1 Lance Corporal (left, shoulder knot not visible); 5 privates

A medium unit of regular infantry deployed in line two-ranks deep, including:
1 Officer (right); 1 Sergeant (left); 2 Lance Corporals; 10 privates

A large unit of regular infantry deployed in line three-ranks deep, including:
1 Officer (right); 2 Sergeants (left); 3 Lance Corporals; 15 privates

Regular troops are normally deployed in close-order formations: marching column; attack column; line; square. 

The figures belonging to a given unit must all do the same thing during a turn (stand; move; or fire/reload). 

French national line infantry unit deployed in line on one rank.
All the figures move together at the same speed and cover the same distance.
(see future post for a detailed description of movement options)

French foreign line infantry unit (Swiss) deployed in line two-ranks deep.
The first rank delivers a volley at the charging British unit, rolling one d20 for each man in the rank.
The second rank (here shrunk to three men) attempts to reload, rolling one d8 for the whole rank.
(see future post for a detailed description of the fire/reload mechanics)

Regulars may also be deployed in open order, however in that case their command/discipline skill coefficient is downgraded (except for Light infantry and Light cavalry, who deploy in open order with no penalty).

Irregulars can be deployed exclusively in open order. Each figure of a unit acts individually, albeit in accordance with the tactical objectives assigned to the unit.

A band of West-Indies Maroon Negroes, consisting in 1 Leader, 1 Second-in-command, and 5 men.
Each man must at any time remain within running distance from the headman or the sub-leader (red+white+black segments on the movement stick)