Attack column gives a save of 3+? Ouch, no wonder they were bloody tough.

I'd be tempted to make them MORE vulnerable to shooting, but keep the close combat bonus, and make their shooting so woeful column is still the only attractive option... (given lack of Russian musketry training, knackered rifles and obsession over the "perfect step" and "bayonet as king" despite repeated proof it was just a good way to murder your own men...).

We did try giving the British a more effective short range by increasing it to 12, but that Russians in column 3+ morale roll was so difficult to get past, and even when they took casualties they had the stamina of 4. The Russians seemed a lot tougher than any accounts of the Crimea that I have ever read,

Reduce their morale save to 6+ And that should do it nicely

Those columns *should* take massive casualties on the way in... They were slow, ponderous and suffered hideous hideous casualties... Stamina 4 will let them shrug off a couple of hits then straggle in, maybe Mind I might make them 5+ morale as otherwise they really will get blasted...

Thanks for all your thoughts on this folks. I suppose it proves Rick Priestly's point that Black Powder is very much a framework for each group's opportunity to build its interpretation of history around. I am one of those who prefers this to the DBX approach, but then again, I have always been a social rather than a competition gamer.

I like that approach myself, although it can make it hard to just plink down and play!