Shako II a Seven Years War playtest

Stephen has been making some amendments to Shako II for SYW games and we gave them a bit of play test today.

Used the SYW armies from Shako 1 (but by heck are they huge and not very historical !) and I fielded Prussians against Austrians.

Nothing too radical mainly making supported Formed Infantry better able to stand frontally against Mounted (without recourse to Square) by being able to stop Mounted closing into melee if Staggered by 'closing fire' and with Cavalry reduced by 1 for each class to help achieve this (we both feel 6/2 Cavalry is too good in Shako).

All this worked fine although we ended up changing 'battle' Light Cavalry (eg Prussian Hussars) to count a -1 versus medium or heavy types.

Austrian Croat units fielded as Skirmish stands seemed a bit too Napoleonic so we have decided to field them as single Skirmish stands (rather than 2) but not sure whether to keep them as 1 hit wonders or give them 2 hit defence ?
We also gave them a +1 combat bonus in rough terrain such as woods.

One thing we could not really fathom (despite reference to numerous text books) is whether SYW Artillery was the equal of later Napoleonic types (is a SYW 6pdr equal to a 6pdr from 30 or so years later ?) or just less numerous and less mobile ?
We went with only allowing them 'bounce through' to a second rank as opposed to standard Shako limit by range, but not sure if correct ?
Not sure artillery could dominate in SYW the way it could later ?
Artillery in Shako can move (in lieu of firing) as far as Infantry so maybe just having SYW types immobile once they deploy would limit their use sufficiently (which is what I do in FOB), hard to know best approach within Shako system.

We did not use Shako orders system for simplicity but discussed that if a Brigade was entirely made up of Light Cavalry it could have an 'Engage' order allowing them to use Evades.

More play testing required I expect to flesh out some stat interactions as reduction/increases in Combat stats also effect Rally/Stagger outcomes, but otherwise the basis seems sound.

Quite fun discussing the various changes and interactions, consequences and our historical outlooks, especially for two eternal rules tinkers like ourselves :-)

Stephen also got to use a new 'fleece'mat he acquired and with which I was impressed enough to order from Amazon (a green fleecy blanket thinner and less 'shaggy' than the one I have) for under £20 for 150cm x 200 cm.
Having 2 will aid us for club games.