Read this with the caveat that this is not a period I have any depth of knowledge or interest in, just some casual reading.
Our group has played a fair few games and I have been involved in a few of those. Some of the outcomes seem strange to me but do seem to model the real battle results overall.
Closing to melee is a very big risk and usually favours the defender – which doesn't seem quite right but I may be expecting the wrong thing there.
All the knowledgeable players seem to play cautiously, waiting for that bit of an advantage that would signal the likely success of a general assault/advance. In a couple of battles this ended up with both sides too much damaged by attrition to force a decision – seemed quite a realistic outcome to me.
They are quite bloody but careful management of units can regain all but one loss by temporary retirement. Means that you have to press any advantage very quickly if it is to be effective.
The Prussians can really shift around the battlefield, other nations have to be much more careful in timing movement in proximity to enemy forces.
If you get stuck with one of the lousy Brigade commanders then expect to be stuck motionless at times. To be honest this was the one part of the rules I found too random for my liking. Units with poor commanders may be stuck unable to do anything for a few moves at the whim of a die whereas those with good command can end up sprinting off toward the enemy in uncontrolled advances.
Overall OK and fun to play, seem to be a fair flavour of the period but the command rules make the outcome far too dependent on good/bad dice at critical times.
paints brigs for the British fleet.
