First combat/engagement of the humungous company/squadron level Waterloo Campaign 1815. ( 15th June - Frasnes scenario ).
Game Turn 1 .6.00pm
The 1st Squadron of the Garde Lanciers debouch from an orchard on the east side of the buildings of Frasnes. They form up quickly into line and advance at a trot for 50 metres, and then spur their horses forward to a gallop. Their lances are dropped with the ease of repetition and experience; their target a formation of enemy infantry deployed in a furrowed field before them.
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The Garde Lanciers move one hex from an orchard into clear terrain and then change facing to the west, ( Cost 1 MP ). They then initiate a charge against a company of Nassau infantry who are deployed within a field before them. The Garde lanciers only have to traverse one more hex to make contact withn the enemy. ( Cost - 1 MP ). In line - they have 8MPs.
The Garde Lanciers gain a +1 impetus marker for the one hex charge distance. ( It is possible to get up to +3 impetus in a charge ).
The Nassau infantry company roll to see if they stand before this charge. They roll a 2 which means that they lose 1 Level of Order. They go from 5 to 4.
This simulates their readiness and discipline level....which has now been reduced a bit.
The Nassau infantry cannot form square in a field - I am not 100% happy with this rule; and I might change it in future, once I have guaged it's overall effect. It may just be a case of rolling a 50/50 to account for fields that are less problematic than others.
Since the Nassau infantry have stood; they now have a defensive fire attempt. In line ; they have a firepower of 6 and a die roll of 3 is made. Their fire is innefective. They fire somewhat wildly and have managed some minor wounds on the horses and men riding them. No casualties.
The 1st squadron of Garde Lanciers press home their attack. The combat strength of the lanciers , ( as printed on the top of the counter is 15, they get a +1 for the charge impetus marker and a +3 because the enemy infantry are not in square which gives a total of 19 ).
The Nassau infantry company have a combat strength of 5 which is their initial level of order, but they have it reduced to 4 by the lancer charge effect. So ; the combat ratio rounding down is 4 : 1. A die roll of 7 is made which gives a result of, 1/r2.
This means that the lancers have lost 1 Level of Order ( They go from 7 to 6 ), and the Nassau infantry company have lost 2 and are forced to retreat 3 hexes. They now have only 2 Levels of Order left.
At the end of the turn phase ; the Nassau infantry can regain 1 Level of Order while the Garde Lanciers can regain up to 3.
Losses will be more determinate at the end of the hour phase......when actual eliminations are forever taken and the degree of return to fighting effectiveness of combatants is assessed. Losses to both sides are for the moment minimal and not worthy of strength point chitting.
So, ..............let's say, that the Nassau infantry company is fired at by a French unit and loses another 2 levels of order....it would be eliminated from play , and here is the interesting part - it may at the end of the hour, be returned to play. It'slevel of order ad loss has made it no longer combat effective but it may regroup stragglers, wounded, lost to a certain extent, with variable other factors involved.
It does take a bit of mind space to get round the level of order/ attrition model - you are in fact taking losses but these are cumulative and dependent on various mitigating factors, which allow for more variance in attributes and combat potential of a unit above and beyond it's incremental loss as portrayed in step or number chit loss gameplay.
Added to this is the variable strength tables, ( which I am not using at the moment ), for different units, which simulates the fact that sometimes weak units can out-perform or elite units can under-perform on a intermittent basis...........which nicely precludes counter game baboonites who will mathematically inspect every assault ratio with forensic precision to appease their dummy sucking mentality.........war has never been a case of precise numbered ratios. Hmmmm !.
This system definitely lends itself to solo play as announced on the back of the box, as there are a lot of variables, ( which I have not gone into ), beyond the usual , how many strength points does that unit show and what is the quick odds ratio done automatically in my head. The choice to make an attack is immediate, whereas here , you are presented with a degree of unknowing which is always the case in real life combat.....which you could say , simulates things better.
So , the first combat was successful for the Garde Lanciers but could have been better or slightly worse, dependent on die roll.
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Points to Note - You can move cavalry and initiate a charge whenever you please in your moving of the unit counter on the map; and even change facing, which in a lot of other games is prohibited, as well as starting a charge at a specific hex. Opens up a larger vista of possibility.
As described in the game
Designer Notes - a single company can form square ,as it is regarded as a small huddled mass of soldiers in a ring rather than a formal straight-sided square. Since the Nassau company and it's sister Voltiguers company are a long way from the other units of it's battalion; this is acceptable but if units of the same formation are in close proximity to each other they all have to go into squarte if one chooses to do so, barring disqualifying terrain. That is how I am going to do it.
Yes ; I did notice that I could have moved the 1st Squadron of Garde Lanciers immediately to the right and then changed facing and got a +2 impetus marker to the two hex charge; or even two hexes for a +3.
The squadron commander was too hot -headed and eager to engage the enemy............ I will have a word with him after the day's events,........... at dinner.
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General Colbert hearing the clatter of musketry fire due north of his position, makes the decision to send the 4th Squadron of Garde Lanciers to support the Ist Garde Lanciers. Scouts have already assuaged the position of a group of enemy voltiguers a hundred metres north-west of his main position. The 2nd and 3rd Squadrons are dispatched to engage them. The 5th Squadron has moved to the left.
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Two Squadrons of Garde Lanciers move one hex forward. Their target is a group of 80-90 voltiguers in general order formation. The voltiguers make a defensive fire. Firepower is 9. Their die - roll is 7. Die roll modifier is -1, as the cavalry is in partial orchard cover and +2 as the cavalry is in column formation which gives a result of 8. The Garde Lanciers lose 2 LoO ( Levels of Order, which reduces them from 7 to 5 ).
Melee is initiated - two squadrons have an attacking combat strength of ( 2x15 = 30 ). This is adjusted to 28 as they have lost 2 LoO. The defender combat strength is 9 ,so the odds ratio is 3:1. A die-roll of 10 is made and the result is 1r2. ( Attacker loses another LoO reducing it to 5 and the defender retreats 3 hexes and loses 2 LoO making it a 3 LoO ).
Basically, the same result as the 1st Squadron Garde Lanciers charge attack except 3 LoO have been lost by the lancers.
After the Allied turn, ( End of GT.1 ), both sides will recover LoO ( combat effectiveness ). The enemy infantry will recover only 1 LoO and the Garde Lanciers will recover 3 LoO ; however the 1st Squadron Garde Lanciers will only recover 1 LoO as they have charged and their horses are blown.
End of French 6.00pm turn.
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Major Normann can readily hear the sound of firing coming from the northern outskirts of Frasnes. Not long after; he can view streams of his own men running at pace towards his line. A bugle call is made to recall all the soldiers from Frasnes. This is closely followed by the sight of a formation of horsemen with lance penants appearing on the left side of Frasnes. He quickly orders his remaining four companies to double up while a section of Bijeveld's horse artillery battery is hurriedly ordered to limber up and remove itself to a secondary position at the Delsot farm.
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Major Normann can readily hear the sound of firing coming from the northern outskirts of Frasnes. Not long after; he can view streams of his own men running at pace towards his line. A bugle call is made to recall all the soldiers from Frasnes. This is closely followed by the sight of a formation of horsemen with lance penants appearing on the left side of Frasnes. He quickly orders his remaining four companies to double up while a section of Bijeveld's horse artillery battery is hurriedly ordered to limber up and remove itself to a secondary position at the Delsot farm.
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The Allied Turn has comprised solely of movement; namely the fleeing of two companies to their main line. The voltiguers company has just about made it to the gun line and have recovered 1 LoO as have the Nassau company who have used the main road to move further back.
There would have been an attempted artillery fire at the 5th Garde Lanciers which would have given a low probability of effect and so was not a chosen option.; the guns moving away.
The 1st Garde Lanciers will also gain 1 LoO of recovery at turns end. The 2nd and 3rd 3 LoO to raise from 5 to 7 although the counter is showing 5.
Points to Note - the 4th Garde Lanciers Squadron is now within charge distance of the enemy.......the voltiguers company had to go up a slope after immediately exiting Frasnes and just about made it back to their own lines but is facing in the wrong direction.
Frasnes is clear of the enemy.......... " Vive L'Empereur !".
End of Game Turn !. ( 10 minutes ).
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So - if you were playing the engagement at Frasnes with La Bataille de Quatre-Bras. You would have one counter representing the Garde Lanciers and one counter representing the 2/28ON Dutch-Belgian battalion and one counter representing Bijleveld's horse battery of six guns and possibly one detached company. The company facing a regiment of lancers would be wiped out immediately and the Dutch- Belgian battalion would not last long.; the choice of whether to stick it into square formation is a no-brainer- a one dimensional chipmunk brainer
choice and reality............ ...tactical nuance/replayability is minimal; losses will always be too heavy, which is not realistic or historical and the map interface is chronically simplistic...................
.I will not , NOT , NOT be a chipmunk brainer
anymore.............I have moved on and gained Napoleonic enlightenment
..........................................................I am at peace with the universe..............La !
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Game Turn 2 - 6.10pm.
Heavy cloud cover is forming and daylight is starting to diminish at a faster rate.
The 1st and 4th Squadrons of Garde Lanciers have moved forward and joined together in line formation. The 2nd and 3rd Garde Lanciers also move ahead to a position behind the ferme La Roux. The 5th Squadron aligns with their front behind the hamlet of Le Telqedue. General Colbert sends his adjutants left and right with further orders.
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French turn is primarily moviement.
Ooops ! I made a mistake with the cavalry melee attack by the 2nd/3rd Lanciers against the enemy voltiguers company. Cavalry strength is halved when not charging. So; the melee strength should have been 15 not 30, and the odds ratio, only 1.5/1. The result , interestingly enough is still the same, (1r2 ) but it could have been different , so I have increased the LoO of the voltiguers company from 4 to 5 as recompense - so it is back to full combat readiness.
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The retreat from Frasnes, evening of 15th June 1815............................................................................................................................................
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The first section of Bijleveld's horse battery along with the demoralized Nassau company have arrived at the Delsot farm. Major Normann has sent the second section in the same direction. His nerves are fraught and he can only hope that the French lancers afford him more time to withdraw. Captain Muller commands the voltiguers who are stationed on the right with the remaining gun section. An impromptu small square deploys to the right.
The last two guns of Bijleveld's battery let off a defiant booming salvo which then turns into an uneasy silence.
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A bigger square could have ben formed with 4 companies but that would have left a smaller defensive area coverage and to all intents and purposes, pinned the greater part of Major Normann's defensive capability; even allowing the lancers to sweep past and harass the escaping guns, and cut off the road to the rear.
End of Game Turn 2.
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. Aspern-Essling will do.............?
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Schubert / Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, D. 485 
. Never mind - you will not catch me buying anything which is not in this designated time frame parameter.
has slept and liberally pee-eed on them for a number of decades.
