"Early Mullings on Soldiers of Napoleon" Topic

I've been test driving these new rules solo as I learn them and thought it would be handy to share some thoughts on this new product.
The game sets out to allow the player(s) to be the commander of a division (2-5 battalions, say) – often in the middle of a larger battle that is happening all around "off-table". This it does quite well. Random events may happen, higher commanders may come by (perhaps bringing reserves), or off-table artillery may aid your attack.
This is not a game for a player focused only on winning and losing – and wanting predictable gameplay to help achieve a win.
This game is very appealing if you want to feel like a harried commander managing his division, getting some surprises (good and bad) and making a lot of hard choices. Yes, there is card management but I found it worked very well.
What I have really liked so far is some mechanics I have not encountered before and provide fresh and dramatic game experiences. For example, Heavy Cavalry or Lancers can be given an "Intimidate" order – the figures do not move but it is assumed they are sending outriders, or turning, which will force nearby enemy units to take disruption tests. For once cavalry doesn't have to charge home to be a danger…
There is also a similar Harass order for Light Cav, which forces the enemy to withdraw skirmishers.
By the way, the skirmisher rules are logical and elegant too. You simply place a few skirm stands on the table to show they are active – but all measuring is done from the main battalion. It works quite nicely and seems less finicky than many other rules (skirmishers are often the most difficult things to get right in Nappy rules and I think these are pretty smooth).
Also, this is not a game in which every brigade and battalion will advance and be active equally. Activation cards allow you to give orders to several units in a single brigade – mechanics encourage you to keep multiple brigades active (fatigue penalties for consecutive activations in the same brigade), but like a real general you will need to focus on different defensive or attacking pressure points as things evolve. You even have decisions about how to use the cards – as each has 3 potential uses (activate # units, special event or rally options).
As for a con, I suppose I'd like to have seen army unit stats for a broader range of Nappy armies (the later years get the emphasis) instead of some pages devoted to history that most of us know fairly well.
Anyway, I am still getting to grips with SoN but hope these early impressions will be of some use.

Thanks for the review. Sounds interesting since it addresses things that older rules sets ignore.

Thanks, just ordered a copy. Not sure I really need another division level set that only covers 1813 – 1815 but hey, they sound like there's some innovative thinking and that should be rewarded.

Rewarding innovate thinking – my thoughts exactly.

So, how restricted are these rules? If I classify the troops myself, can I use the rest 'as is' for the Peninsular?
Also 2-5 battalions seems pretty low for a division. I'd have expected 6 as a minimum (for a game, if not a division) and expect most Wargames to function around the 12 unit level on average.

Advocate,

The number of battalions are for a brigade within the division.

I'd thought as much. Thanks.

As the OP, my mistake for incorrectly using 2-5 battalions per division instead of 2-5 brigades. Glad this is corrected.

There are theater supplements coming for other coalition wars. When and in what order I have no idea….