Hi Guys,
It has been so long since posting, the Blog software has been updated! Well, the first week in October saw a game take place that had been a long time gestating. Waterloo!!!!!!!!!
It also coincided with the final British Allied figures arriving, the Dutch Belgian Cavalry. The battle of Waterloo is going to stay on the table until at least a couple of games in 2021, hopefully January. I hope to get the next game in during December. Fingers crossed!
Waterloo needs no introduction and I'll just post some nice pics of the action. Being rusty, the Allies especially made a hasty deployment which had a pronounced affect on the outcome. But, as always, a great game.
The pics are in no set order. This shows the church at Plancenoit, the Prussians approaching from the right. The pic below is anopther of the initial action at Plancenoit with two of Bulow's Brigades committed to the attack. The defenders are Lobau.
The action at Plancenoit can be played as a separate game, as the action to either successfully seize or defend Plancenoit is quite protracted. In our first attempt, we didn't get past the first assault. Handbags all round!
Hougoumont is immediately to the left of the pic. Bachelu is middle left climbing up the ridge to their front and left. Duhesme, the Young Guard, is the block of infantry in the central position
At the same time, Foy has crested the first ridge and will soon have to repulse repeated cavalry charges. Immediatley behind Foy is Friant with the Guard Grenadier Division. The cavalry to the left is the Corps of Kellerman. LeFebvre is also present with the Guard Light Cavalry.
A close pic of Foy advancing forward over the first ridge. Artillery is also being brought up in support.
These are Dutch Belgian troops, in square, as French cavalry and infantry crest the ridge. Hougoumont is to the right and foward of the pic.
This shows the Guard advance from the British position astride the Brussels road. La Hay Sainte has been captured. Friant is to the right of La Haye Sainte. Quiot is the left of La Haye Sainte with Morand immediately behind. British battalions await the onslaught!
No write up would be complete without a pic of Hougoumont. The main "Chateau" is to the left of the pic, this shows the extensive size of the gardens and the woods on the approach path taken by the French.
Another pic just to emphasise the size of the Hougoumont feature. Jerome had the task to clear Hougoumont, British Guards supported by various detachments were defending the area. Hougoumont fell on the last turn!
Milhaud's cavalry advancing to the ridge to support the manoeuvre of Morand and Donzelot.
It was an excellent game, the French deployed historically, the Allies not far off. On the French side, Reille took heavy casualties in making the ridge and holding until the Guard, completely fresh, appeared. Jerome, especially, had high casualties amongst the best line Division in the army. Allied losses varied with the Guards taking heavy punishment.
The next few games will also be Waterloo. With the old rule of 6, we were 4 gamers and Anne and the painter and decorator! We'll see what happens next! Keep safe everyone.
Great images of a superb collection. We have played Waterloo several times with all units represented. The French tend to win. I notice in your table set-up that you leave very little room between Hougoumont and the table edge. This is a significant design decision since we find the French often use the left flank as an avenue of attack.
ReplyDeleteA French "left hook" should be discouraged. If you "open" the flank, then the 17,000 men at Hal (if my memory serves) come into play. That's why Napoleon adopted the plan he did. Clear the Brussels road, the Allies retreat, the British to the Ports. Where I could do with more room is with the depth. Depth means time, time means the possibility of greater and greater Prussian intervention. But it's all great fun!!!
ReplyDeleteAgreed. We had about 3 feet of table beyond Hougoumont and it encouraged that left hook. In truth, the effect of this was less to compromise the Anglo-Dutch line directly but to draw of reserves. Do you mandate that the French have to take Hougoumont? Here is another thing that the French tend not to attempt in refights even if the citron conditions encourage it. It seems one has to make the firepower coming out of Hougoumont significant enough to make the French need to take it but this can be over done too....tough battle to get 'right' so that both sides can have a chance at winning. Ultimately, scenario design is quite an art. You don't want to mandate a narrative...not a game. But open things up too much and one loses the spirit of the historical action. "Waterloo" is not just defined by the terrain and OOBs but by circumstances. Very tricky. Thanks for posting the pictures.
DeleteWe solved the "firepower" issues some years ago. The big conundrum for the French is to what extent is Hougoumont attacked against what Allied troops this will draw in. It is easy to see who has won a battle, we just stand back and come to a logical conclusion. For Waterloo, the French need to fix the Allied line, get the Guard to the ridge, unengaged or touched, and then break the centre on the Brussels road. The "doing" is the obvious challenge as the Allies are not just going to sit there. It works and tends to be a close run battle.
DeleteWhat is your firepower solution?
DeleteEssentially the terrain and standard rules take care of this. It is difficult to clearly explain without seeing the actual size of the terrain and knowing the rules system we use. Hougoumont has no "offensive" properties. If left alone, the gardens and woods immediately outside allow the Allies to snipe at any advance on the left centre. It squeezes any effort made on La Haye Sainte. It also anchors the whole of the Allied right and right centre. This is why it needs to be engaged. The firepower from Hougoumont only begins to have a effect if attacked. Then although it kills little, it loses even less. In our game, Joseph eventually forced the Allies to retire but at the cost of becoming combat ineffective. Jerome had 13 btns, rotated to engage. The Allies were based on 4 btns of Guards. The engagement lasted over 20 turns. One day I may make a film of a battle and this might show more of how the mechanics work. You never know!
DeleteThanks for the feedback, Ged. We play Shako II (which I suppose is predictable) and have some options to represent the things you mention. Indeed, in our scenario (which includes every unit engaged in the battle but using very small model battalions/regiments) we gave Hougoumont special rules for both defence and projection of firepower. I have your rules and ITGM (played the latter for years) and so have a good sense of the mechanics you are using. Start filming!
DeleteTruly epic. Wonderful to see so many figures on the table- can I ask how many there were in total?
ReplyDeleteIn round numbers, there would have been about 25,000+ figures
ReplyDeleteSpectacular as every Gerry . Hopefully I will down to one of these next year as early retirement is finally looming!
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome anytime Dave. It may even enthuse you to do a vignette or two! Good luck with the early retirement, just make sure who is in charge of the "to do" list just in case you end up NOT in early retirement. I'm one of the lucky ones!
ReplyDeleteWonderful looking game Gerry and as always it’s one which I would love one day go play in. The scope of so many figures on the tables based as they are is truly epic send it must be enormously satisfying and fun to play on. Well done.
ReplyDeleteHi Carlo, we're keen to get going again, we might be lucky before Christmas but it might be the new year with the vaccine arrival. Then I need to plan next year's battles. Bautzen will be one, then things like Dennewitz & Katzbach. All go! I've even written another Companion book, just got to get Caliver interested to help publishing.
ReplyDeleteGood day,
ReplyDeleteThe link “https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Inthegrandestmanner/info” appears to be broken or the website is no longer active. Curious how I might get information on the rules set “In The Grandest Manner”? How to purchase a set? I’m seeking reviews, designers’ notes, summaries, and sample pages. I admire your photos but wish to know more details about the mechanics of the rules (especially rules about cavalry charges, rallies, fatigue, supports, etc.). Thank you and Happy New Year!
Brian
Hi There,
ReplyDeleteI am the Author. I can answer any questions but without a set in front of you that would not be easy. If you want to see the covers, go to Caliver who is the stockist. If he has no stock, I have some myself.
To try and give a flavour, if you have played "standard" in the Grand Manner, then ground scale and overall sequence mechanics will be familiar. After that, the rules rapidly change in detail. Fire away!
I should have added that Yahoo is effectively defunct. The group has moved to the following.
Deletehttps://groups.io/g/Supagames
You'll be welcome there. Any probs then e-mail me direct, gerryjelliott@aol.com