"Inspiration for skirmish games?" Topic

Hey all. So I'll admit I know very little about the military actions of the Napoleonic era. However I do know I like the lovely new plastics that are out, and I'm enjoying Warlord's sprue sale on at the moment. The colours and pageantry all seem very fun to play around with.

So with that in mind:

a) what are some good articles/books/websites to read about inspiration for small-scale skirmishing in the era? Sharpe and Hornblower obviously spring to mind, but what about some other characters? Any chance of tales with Austrian or French protagonists, or even folks from smaller statelets?

b) what's a good number of figures to have if skirmish games are feasible? Like, 20-40, or 5-10? Following on from that, how best to divide them up between different types of troops? I'd guess rifles, voltigeurs and jäger types are more advisable, but I'm also talking games like raiding a couple farms for some chickens and the like.

c) Any recommendations for an overview of the whole period in a sort of grand scale? I'm familiar enough with broad the political and economic history of the time, but I have no idea what the distinctions are between Young and Old Guards, or what separates the KGL from Hannoverians, etc. Who are the Brunswickers, what does Lippe-Detmold have to do with anything, etc, etc.

Thanks!

PS
Also, is South America maybe a better place to look? I know there's an Osprey book on it, but anything else?

If you are looking for a great detailed account of the 1809 (Austria vs. French) campaign I would recommend the "Thunder on the Danube" series by John Gill. It has numerous accounts of skirmishes. There are orders of battle for several small battles as well as all the larger ones. The detailed accounts of battle should provide tons of skirmish scenario ideas.

For a) I would suggest Patrick Rambaud's novels "The Battle", "The Retreat", and "Napoleon's Exile". "The Battle" in particular may give me some ideas on how even a massive slugfest like Aspern-Essling could be setting for some skirmish games.

Also check out Delderfield's "Seven Men of Gascony".

For b) it depends on the rules used. "Song of Drums and Shakos" works fine with 5-10 men per side and you could probably get up to 15-20 before it got too clunky. Sharp Practice works well with about 30-60 figures per player, IMO.

I know absolutely nothing about the goings on in South America, but I recently read Hibbert's book on Garibaldi and I confess it did have me thinking about the gaming potential of his adventures down there.

you can start reading this sire for an in depth overview ( yes I know)
napoleonic-literature.com

then skirmish games, suffer from the lack of dismount red cavalry figures, then if using cavalry lack of space.

Do use many more figures, it looks better and allows for freak dice results that won't kill the game, especially if you have several players.

Use Sharp practice from the 2fatlardies, with house rules to fit your game.

No, if you have two patrols / small groups, unless a band of deserters ( as in one of the Sharpes) they will 99% of the time be from the same outfit/company; this is not hollywood.

patrols:
for reconnaissance; capturing prisoners for questioning; infiltration / Getting in a secret agent.

very common; missions for foraging. One side or both; could even be three competing armies ( allies?)

You can blur the picture if you have several players with assigning different objectives (secretly or not) even personal disliking between leaders…

White knight and dark bad guys, on same side? one normal mission and some in the outfit or another band on loot and rape. Probably very common too.

securing a bridge.

ambush /petite guerre on wagons. again if there is a box of cash….

raids and landings. destroying depots./ fortification /bridge.

Lasalle going behind Austrian "lines" to spend the night with one of his conquest. He speaks German and makes her believe he is Austrian ally. (authentic)Things get a bit edgy next day to come back, meeting real Austrians with escort and other help…

Prisoners escape.

In houses/ houses block fighting in Saragossa.

Sieges; night sorties on trenches/batteries.

Jcfrog, that domain doesn't seem to result in anything except: "Index…cgi-bin"

yes I (bleep) it when looking at my links, this one is helas dead. The one I meant is there;

link

link

same or similar. brilliant site.

I just remembered that the recent Osprey on Napoleonic light cavalry tactics had some good ideas also.

De Brack's "Cavalry Outpost Duties" was meant as a textbook for officers, but it has some practical examples that could serve as almost ready-made gaming scenarios. You can download it for free (it is in the public domain) here: link

I would recommend reading books of memoirs/diaries/letters etc written by the men who took part in the wars. They often have stories of small scale incidents that would make a good skirmish game.

One in particular that I remember comes from "Seven Years Campaigning in the Peninsula" by Sir Richard Henegan. He describes watching a French supply convoy being escorted by a squadron of Hussars as they were attacked by guerillas. Could have been written with skirmish wargaming in mind!

Great, thanks a ton. These are some great ideas and inspiration, and exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.

The Gun and Death to the French, both by C.S. Forester……. Both classics IMO…….