Wednesday 18 June 2014

Waterloo 199th!

 
This Sunday, a few days short of the 199th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, a dozen members of the Waterloo 200 project met at the Hall of Heroes for one of our regular practice games. 
  
 
The main purpose of this game was to trial our concept of playing our mega game next year, to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of this epic and iconic battle, playing up and down, rather than across, the planned five 12x6 tables. 
 
 
This game swung the focus to the West of the action, in the area around Hougomont and the Westernmost two tables of the five we envisage using. But it was also exciting as it was the first time that Philip was able to unveil what will undoubtedly be the focus of the western most table, his gorgeous model of the Chateau itself.
 
 
Unfortunately, because some lazy bugger* had neglected to prepare a proper orbat or scenario for the forces confined to the Western 2/5ths of the armies involved, we took quite some time decanting our armies and deciding who would deploy where.
 

This was complicated by the fact that we are only at the half way point of this two year project, and so much of the armies remain to be painted...In particular there was a major shortage of commander figures, which with Black Powder rules, can be awkward...
 
'Well there was a General there somewhere...'
 
Another aspect of playing up and down the tables was the mental challenge of translating firing and movement from one table to another. Unfortunately for my poor old brain I was the French player with the command that straddled the two tables. Fortunately my gallant opponent, young Austin is a law student with a brain the size of a planet, so all was well, and after a bit of creaking my brain was able to adjust.
 
 
I think we were all impressed by the Hougomont model, and it took some time to sink in that the area we were playing over represented less than half the total area we will be playing over in a year's time...
 
 
Dividing the chateau up into discrete garrisons to ease the pain of working out FIBUA also seemed to work well.
 
Photo courtesy of Buckeroo Banzai

  And a series of coordinated attacks did allow the French to gain a fleeting foothold. 
 
 
 
 
 But it struck us that, as well as labelling our unit movement trays, we will need to develop some sort of 'Corps Card' system to keep track of units and formations over the 360 square feet of terrain we will be fighting over! 
 
 
One thing that struck me was that, on the French side alone, we deployed an entire Heavy Cavalry division on each table! This thing is going to be huge! 
 

* Erm, that would be me, actually....

21 comments:

  1. I am always curious about terrain Sparker.

    Is this the Hovels model? If it is, I was curious as it looks like 15mm building with 28 mm walls.

    Also what were your FIBUA rules?

    Great project.

    John

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi John,

      I don't think it is the Hovels model, no, but I will ask my mate Philip where he got it...It is 28mm/1/56th scale though...

      For FIBUA we simply used the Black Powder rules, but divided the chateau into 4 discreet sections, each with its own garrison, able to fire and fight 2 d6 from each face, with a combat modifier of +3 in lieu of supports, and a +2 to the saving throw. It actually worked out quite well. The tiny 'barricade' markers you see dotted around are there to remind us if the garrison still has the +2 save, ie the assaulters have not yet 'broken in'.

      Delete
    2. Hi John,

      Philip has kindly advised that yes, actually it is the Hovels model, and therefore is 25mm in scale. My bad! Personally I still think it fits just right!

      Delete
  2. It looks marvelous; IIRC, you are doing this 1:10 figure ratio, am I correct?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Mate - the figures within a unit scale is 1:20; the aim is to have model units for 75% of the historical orbat, by arm and nationality.

    ReplyDelete
  4. "Here I am, brain the size of a planet and they ask me to take you down to the bridge. Call that job satisfaction? 'Cos I don't."

    ReplyDelete
  5. It all looks quite wonderful. Hougomont looks great.It will be quite the spectacle in a year's time. I trust that there will be plenty of room for the Prussian interventionists! 8O)

    I don't think that you did too bad despite the self applied "lazy bugger" tag.

    Salute
    von Peter himself

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks your Vonship, most kind. Fear not, we will be modelling the Prussians coming to save the day, with Plancenoit on the 5th table which will probably be placed at right angles to the rest to allow them to (attempt to) force the French flank....Hence our Ligny game before hand. The question is what to do with the Prussian team on Day 1 of the 2 day game!

      Delete
    2. "The question is what to do with the Prussian team on Day 1 of the 2 day game!"

      Three words - Schnapps, sauerkraut & pumpernickel!

      Or you could just let them on early!! 8O)

      Salute
      von Peter himself

      8O)

      Delete
    3. Lol! Personally I think we should send them on a 20km route march through thick mud so that they enter into the spirit of things when they arrive!

      Delete
  6. Another grand display! I am suitably jealous of your local Napoleonics following.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Looks splendid and most impressive!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks gents! Yes I'm very lucky to have such enthusiastic and tolerant mates.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Looks very impressive! Great idea to trial all this out :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. That is some Hougoumont! Looking forward to further updates.

    ReplyDelete
  11. If you're going to wargame, that's the way to do it! Wow. Great how everyone has a couple of Ferdinands tucked away isn't it?
    Cheers
    Latto

    ReplyDelete
  12. I don't understand why you gives 4° King's own regiment of foot's color to 23°Royal Welsh Fusiliers regiment?

    ReplyDelete
  13. I don't understand why you gives 4° King's own regiment of foot's color to 23°Royal Welsh Fusiliers regiment?

    ReplyDelete