We've been talking about doing a simple one on one campaign for a while, and on thinking about it, it seemed to me that one borrowing some of the ideas in Sam Mustafa's "Longstreet" might be a fun way to go. The end result, though, owes perhaps at least as much to the old SSI "Five Star General" series of Computer games!
The idea is that we would each start as an aspiring officer in our respective armies – say a Major (Chef de Battalion) or Colonel, thrust into a position of higher command by influence and/or the incapacity of those senior to us. We would thus start in command of an augmented brigade of troops. After each battle, there would be the opportunity to gain in professional ability and/or subordinate commander(s), for the quality of our troops to improve (or decline), and for units to be added (and sometimes, detached from) our commands. The idea is that over time our command would increase to the size of a Corps with supporting troops. We will be using Russia and France for our two armies.
Time Frame
During the years of the later Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, France and Russia were at war with one another in the following years:
1799 (Suvarov in Italy)
1805 (Pre Austerlitz)
1806 (Post Jena – will probably set as more early 1807. i.e, circa Eylau)
1807 (Pre Freidland)
1812 (Pre Borodino)
1813 (endless scope!)
1814 (pre abdication)
(1815) N/A
I think one game per "year" would be realistic. The actual battles will be generated using the system in Field of Battle, 2nd edition. I was thinking of having the starting forces, troop and leader ratings, reinforcement types and amounts vary by both year and nationality, but upon due consideration I decided KISS definitely applied if we are ever to get this thing running. It also eliminates bias, conscious or otherwise. Still, it could be fun to try for a different twist! It is my intent that all the units and Generals in the campaign be named for added color, thus the 12th Ligne might have the nickname "Magnifique" or more whimsical identifiers might be used.
The actual rules as elaborated are specific to Field of Battle by Brent Oman, but they could be very easily adapted to many Napoleonic (or other) rules sets.
link
Hope you find it interesting!
Peter
looks at some new terrain products, which use space age technology!
