Column Pass Through Fire

[Jgolch]

I have come to the conclusion that the Column Pass Through Fire (CPTF) optional rule is flawed.  If all the battalions in the the Napoleonic Wars were the exact same size it would be fine.  The problem is that in many battles one side has much larger battalions than the other.  For example: At Ligny most of the Prussian battalions average around 700 men.  Some are larger.  The French battalions tend to be smaller.  The French often have to stack three or four battalions just to match up against the Prussians.  Stacks of French battalions in column hit by artillery are going to take higher losses than single Prussian battalions of equal size in column.  Example: three French battalions at 300 men each in column (900 men total) gets hit by artillery.  All three battalions get hit and take losses.  One Prussian battalion at 900 men in column gets hit and only suffers one adverse result.  In both cases its 900 men in column in one hex.  Why do the French suffer more?

Also, lets not conflate this with the Target Density Rule.  That only applies when a hex has 1200 or more men and has nothing to do with formation.