“Nous Marchons Vers Londres” – and other sad songs

Just a very quick update with more photos. The gist of the game really was that the first few turns were marked by the way the French under the revised Initiative system were able to mass for an attack much more quickly than heretofore and how the British reaction was all that kept them in the game. Once battle was joined the natural friction generated by the combat results was enough to slow down the French for a couple of turns but then the cumulative effect of attrition and the vagaries of chance made it a quite stunning victory for the French.

These rules are coming along nicely now, they’re certainly fast play even with 5 players involved and there’s little chance of people sitting around waiting for their turn because of the interactive phasing of movement.

Marching On the Goal 

My rightmost brigade advances on the not as valuable as thought objective (a fruit burst lolly). This unit was one that did some serious destruction, causing the elimination of one brigade through a flanking attack and demoralising another so effectively that it scattered upon receiving some long range but effective cannonades.

 

My Division prepares to take the Onslaught 

The Portuguese have formed square (too early as it turns out) and the centre gapes open covered by the highlanders and Heavy Cavalry – while the Foreign Rubbish of Croatian Corpse-Molesters  and Dull as Ditchwater Swiss prepare to fall on my right in a thunderclap (although with the Croatians, I think it’s more that they intend to pass on the clap)

 

Elsewhere on the British Left… 

The corresponding situation faced by Kelly – his Rifle Brigade (out of picture to the left) have already besmirched their reputation and routed after a less than convincing attempt to give some Frenchies what for.

 

Just a final note on my commentary – because we were playtesting, there was more discussion on fine-tuning stuff and seeing what the mechanics allowed and rewarded than considered gameplay. Also we’re a fairly social bunch so the conversation was very much less than serious. It’s always good to catch up with these guys over a game like this.

It’s striking that I’ve played more playtest games of Napoleonics now almost than I have of Flames of War in it’s published form – not an indictment of the rules, I very much find them to my taste, but more a reflection that I prefer to take my time with FoW and also I’ve primarily limited myself to playing at the NZGT,  Panzerschreck VI and VII in the last three years.

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