"Waterloo in 6mm General de Brigade" Topic

I introduce my attempt at Waterloo in 6mm fought solo. This is probably the largest game I will ever play with over 10,000 figures involved including the Prussians. Part 1 is on my blog which covers the rules and figures used, terrain, orbats and photos of the opening positions of the allied and French forces at 11.30am. I will be posting regular updates as this game progresses, which I am anticipating could take several weeks (the beauty of solo wargaming and a wargames room). I include several sample photos here. Hope you enjoy. link

Beautiful.

impressed

Great project. I wish you lots of fun with it.

Uber impressed

Outstanding!

thanks for your kind comments chaps.

Fantastic. Very well done!

Wow! I guess that you have reasons for gaming solo, but I couldn't resist showing off such a table to others.

Beyond spectacular!

WOW!!!!!! That's just awesome!!!!!

Nice thing about solo gaming is that you seldom get in an argument with your opponent…
Great looking game.

Awesome looking game and more than a little envious lol

Something for the rest of us to aspire to – well done.

Love it. You have done good my friend.

Hello Grymauch!

That is just amazing and it's what 6mm is all about. Your use of the figures and terrain is world class. You must be very proud of what you have accomplished. I think everybody would want to play that game.

Oddly enough I took a very similar journey. Started in the 70's with airfix, joined a 25mm club and we played Waterloo a couple of times. Realizing the shortcomings with 25mm we switched to 6mm. Started with H&R, then added Irregulars, Adlers and finally settled on Baccus that today is the majority of my 50,000 figure collection. In 2015 we played Waterloo three times on a 5' x 9' table with some extra space left over as we adopted the 60mm x 30mm basing, which allows us to fight larger battles on a reasonable table, without over cramming.

It seems that perhaps you were unaware at the time but when you use 60mm x 30mm bases that represents an average size unit. Big British Guard units of 1,000 men are spread over two bases.

Although you can use 6mm figures with Grande Armee and General de Brigade they were designed with larger scales in mind. So I can understand why you settled on your own hybrid rules.

It's a shame that you didn't have a close look at Baccus Napoleonic rules when you were using their basing as they are one of the few companies that actually design rules for 6mm figures. We switched over shortly after we started using their basing around the turn of the century and have never looked back.

Anyway certainly looking forward to seeing more of your games. Just wonderful.

Best regards,

Glenn

Thanks for your kind comments Glenn. It was probably a poor example to give as I did double base my Brit Guards, but call it OCD, I just like to see a unit's size closely reflect as much as possible their historical equivalent. Plus of course the ability to change formation etc.

I did play the Polemos system a couple of times although most gaming with 60mm x 30mm bases was using the Grande Armee rules. I can fully understand the rationale behind the larger bases and with both Grande Armee and Polemos it is possible to play Borodino etc without having to acquire huge numbers of figures. And of course you can play the entire battle in an evening in many cases.

I have far too many rulebooks on my shelves than is healthy including many of those produced over recent years. I just tend to find myself slipping back to more 'old school' style wargames on each occasion I try a new ruleset. I decided last year that I would stop buying rules and just concentrate on those I enjoy playing. I have almost achieved that!

Thanks again for your comments Glenn. It is much appreciated. I have seen some of your work which is outstanding. 50,000! I have just topped 20,000 but you have put me to shame!

All the best
Jon

Hello Jon!

Your more then welcome, your pictures say it all. World class!

Its a shame you didn't contact Baccus or myself before you through in the towel (or in your case made fields of it) on the 60x30 base. Those like yourself who enjoy changing formation do so in two different ways. One is they simply use two 60x30 bases and the other is they use the main base 60x30 with two 30x30 that are used to reflect the flanking companies.

Anyway there is nothing wrong with "old school gaming". Play what you enjoy and it looks like you are. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Best regards,

Glenn

great looking game

Wonderful stuff

Has Deadhead seen your comment I wonder

"I often wonder what it would be like made today. No doubt masses of CGI! Was an awe inspiring film in its day. A friend of mine actually got to see the full 4 hour version including the Battle of Ligny before it was cut and went on general release."

And love that you have gone for GdeB and small bases at a 1:20 scale. A great visual feast.

Marc

No I had not seen the comment nor the incredible display above.

Follow the link and press on through countless images, but do see Hougomont and especially the street scene in Plancenoit right at the end.

The full length Waterloo remains so elusive. I have posted stills suggesting some scenes that were surely lost on the cutting floor. Even the theatre trailer shows an aerial view of the attack on Hougomont, but typical of Sergei B it is a moving camera, on a panoramic scale. Minor changes eg introducing the soldier wandering from the square or taking out scenes of obvious cruelty to horses were the most we ever got.

A minor treasure is Frederick E Smith's "Waterloo", which is the book based on the film and does use many of the celluloid characters to greater effect .

Film companies do not tend to keep what is cut out. Films like Blade Runner were the exception. Even Saving Private Ryan has never shown the extended version.

Part 2 of the Battle of Waterloo is now on my blog. The initial assaults on Hougoumont and the formation of the Grand Battery.
link

Very, very impressive! Well Done!….that is the way to do Napoleonics!

Part 4 of The Battle of Waterloo in 6mm is now on my blog. It covers the period 2.00pm – 3.00pm. French 1st Corps in trouble, the Union Brigade goes mental, La Haye Sainte catches fire, developments in Hougoumont, and von Estorff in line for a court martial! link

Grand Napoleonic gaming at its visual best !!

Hi Jon,

To say that is an exceptional table doesn't do it justice. Thank you for choosing TBM for the buildings. The terrain and mass of figures really set them off. That is exactly how we wanted them used when we produced the masters. It must be an absolute pleasure to play a game which really has the feel of a massive battle. That's the advantage of 6mm.

Regards
Pete

Many thanks for your comments Pete. Your buildings were a joy to paint and it is a great idea reducing the footprint but leaving the buildings still recogniseable as those they represent. I agree about 6mm. They still look good even in smaller battles but they do come into their own when placed out in numbers.

Brilliant.

Fantastic table.

Chalfant

Part 5 of The Battle of Waterloo is now on my blog. 3.00pm to 4.00pm. The tide turns with the allied flanks struggling to hold the line. Papelotte falls, Carabiniers prove deadly, the ride of the 6th Cuirassiers and Hougoumont ion the edge.
link

The desperate British ask, "Where are the Prussians?"

Great stuff! Every bit of it…
Really enjoy it. Thank you.

Patrick

Thanks for your comments mwindsorfw and Patrick. Part 6 of The Battle of Waterloo in 6mm now on my blog. This covers the period 4.00pm – 5.00pm. Pressure continues to build along the whole of the allied line. Jamin loses his temper much to the amusement of the Grenadier Guards and the Prussians arrive, Hurrah! link

Just – wow! Really inspiring! Thanks for sharing your labor of love!

Part 7 of The Battle of Waterloo in 6mm is now on my blog. This covers the period 5.00pm – 6.00pm. Wellington's allies teetering on the brink and only heroic actions by individual units hold the line, the Middle Guard make their presence felt and Prussians pile on the pressure.
grymauch.blogspot.co.uk

Hi,

Just wanted to say that your layout is fantastic, I wanted to know what you used to make the corn/wheat fields from?

Thanks Michael

Hi Michael. It is an old earth brown coloured bath towel cut up and repeatedly drybrushed in various yellows.

Following a delay of a couple of weeks I am now back playing out Waterloo in 6mm. Part 8, 6.00pm – 7.00pm, is now on my blog. The Allied army is in a desperately poor state, the Prussians forge on and the French are running low on fresh troops.
grymauch.blogspot.co.uk

Part 9 of The Battle of Waterloo in 6mm is now on my blog. This covers the period 7.00pm to 8.00pm.
grymauch.blogspot.co.uk

A white knuckle ride, compelling and brilliantly told. You have managed to keep the tension high over 9 installments, a remarkable achievement.

The narrative could almost be published as a book. "New eyewitness accounts unearthed. Read what all prior historians have missed"…

Thank you for taking the trouble to share this unfolding saga.

Please do Leipzig next!

Hi Jon,

Just a note to say BRAVO! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading these posts. Well done indeed!

I also concur with LPWCossacks. Pls do Leipzig or another equally epic contest next.

Cheers,
Beeker

Whoa! That looks very good indeed! Well done!

Thanks for all your comments. Really appreciated. Leipzig! I honestly don't think I would live long enough to paint the figures needed and I would need to move house to one with a cavernous wargames room! Nice thought though and it would be great fun to do.

Once Waterloo is finished I will be updating the blog with current projects underway and what I hope to do next. For Napoleonics that will pretty much concentrate on my fictional campaign and the Peninsular War. Oporto will be up next for the Peninsular.

A few notes on how you made the terrain and how you painted the figures would be useful to a newbie like myself (to Napoleonics anyway).

Mister Muppet… When I have completed the battle (almost there now) I will be doing a conclusion and I will also add a posting to the blog on figure painting and terrain.

Excellent, I look forward to reading that.

Jon,

Just a thought if it ends in a French victory.

Perhaps a mini-campaign where Wellington and Blucher try again to unite NE of Brussels? Setting the stage for a second grand battle with a few fresh corps? :)

Cheers,
Beeker

Nice thought Beeker. It would be tempting but my problem is that like many wargamers, I have too many interests than is healthy. Napoleonics will always be one of my main periods and this is something I may well visit in the future, but after Waterloo I have several other projects waiting for attention. All those figures will though be seeing action in my fictional Nap campaign.

Final part of my Battle of Waterloo in 6mm is now on my blog. I will be adding separate postings covering a review of how the game went and as a result of several requests, details of my figure painting and terrain used in the game.
grymauch.blogspot.co.uk

What a finale. I particularly liked the Emperor surveying his troops.

Look forward to your 'how to' posts. I am sure there will be gems for other scales, including 10mm, a recent interest for me.

Still think you should consider Leipzig. You know you want to…

Many thanks again for sharing this epic.