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The new edition attempts to retain the original period feel of the original rules, while making the rules more suitable for tournament play. A points system allows balanced scenarios to be designed. Each chapter is color-coded for convenience. The 15-step sequence of play interweaves charges with other battle action, and forces morale checks at key moments. Orders must be designated in certain circumstances, but not in the general case. Formations allowed are column of attack, column of march, line, and square; troops may be in open order, close order, or unformed. Infantry are divided into guards, elite, veterans, line, 2nd class line, militia, and grenz (Austrian only); cavalry is composed of light, cossack/krakus, lancers, heavy, or cuirassiers; artillery is foot, horse, or regimental. Rules cover skirmishers, ammunition types for artillery, rallying, melees, and combat in built-up areas. Optional rules include weather, flank marches, prisoners, victory points, and ammunition supply for infantry and cavalry. A 4-page appendix provides sample unit organizations for Austria, Britain/KGL/Portugal, France, Prussia, Russia, Bavaria, Saxony, and Wurttemburg. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Period | Napoleonic Wars | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scale | One infantry or cavalry figure represents 20 men; one gun casting represents 2 actual guns. One game turn represents 30 minutes. The ground scale for 25mm scale is 6" = 100 yards. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basing |
 "Strict adherence to these base sizes is not absolutely essential as base sizes do not have a significant part to play in these rules." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Contents |
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| Designer | Peter Gilder (edited with amendments by the Reigate Wargames Group) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publisher | Second edition published 1994 by Reigate Wargames Group. Available from Connoisseur Figures. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Matt Pavone (mpavone@banet.net) |
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I can speak from only limited experience as I have only started using them a few months ago. On the whole, I like the ruleset. It captures the essence of the period and is an extremely aestetically pleasing game with the large units (at 1:20, French battalions list at 36 figures). Its greatest strengths are the look and its ability to enable large numbers of units to be used. The system is primarily based on morale, and units take heavy losses before breaking. There are no national distinctions, as units are rated in different grades (ie. line, veteran, elite, etc.), with Guard units being particularly nasty. Its single biggest weakness (besides its lack of popularity in the US) is the complete lack of any command and control. Battalions and even individual squadrons are pretty much free to roam as they will from turn to turn. This is easily remedied, however, by implementing command and control rules from other sets. (I use Shako or General De Brigade, depending on the size of the action.) Though I have only used the set for a short time I have already tinkered with it quite a bit by adding rules from Fire and Steel and General de Brigade. I think this says something about the set itself. It provides a nice core set of rules but can use some tweaking to "update" it a bit. Bottom line with this set is that if you would like to fight battles that are aesthetically pleasing with large units and lots of them, this is the set for you. You need a lot of figures and large tables, but this is what it was designed for. If you are into a simulation style game that is historically accurate, steer clear as red flags are going up all over the place. |
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| Last Updates | |
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| 21 October 1998 | Manx house rules link |
| 31 July 1998 | comments by Matt |
| 20 November 1997 | expanded |
| 29 November 1996 | reformatted |
| 19 June 1996 | reorganized |
| Comments or corrections? | |
