The big event in July, between holidays was the first trial of my Command & Discipline Napoleonic system. This had a play test with my Beckenham friends. I am pondering a new version.
We played a scenario that I had devised for Plancenoit – the advance of Prussia’s IV Corps onto the battlefield of Waterloo. This included my first use of Incarnate software to produce a battle map. As I forgot to take pictures of the game itself, this will be my only picture this month:
In the scenario the French initially deployed forward, but are able to bring on reinforcements from the Guard as the Prussians approach the western table edge later in the game. Allowing 15 minutes a turn, I set the scenario length at 20 turns. I am intrigued as to how well the French did historically, given the overwhelming strength of the Prussians, especially when the latter deployed their second two brigades. In four hours of playing time we barely managed half the game length, but the French were still holding on to their initial positions, requiring the second two Prussian brigades to change the balance. So the French were doing better than historically. I was generous with the French quality ratings, though, and harsh on the Prussians – though in the latter case I think that was justified.
With one unit per 1,000 men, this was big game even for four players, using up all my Prussian landwehr and reserve infantry figures. I could adapt it for Général d’Armée 2, but it looks too big – certainly for the usual 2 player game.
How did the rules do? I was very hopeful at the start that I would get a fast-paced and free-flowing game. It turned out to be a bit of a slog. The turn structure was I go-U go with a very functional-based phase structure (command, rally, firing, movement, melee); I think players find it easier to pick a command and complete all actions on that command before moving to the next. The command system was clumsy too. You first had to decide whether to attach or move leaders, and depending on that throw a D6 to see whether the brigade was active or passive. Neither side engaged with the options available for the Commander in Chief, and it was hard to monitor the activation rules strictly.
There were other issues, which can be addressed via tweaks. But the command system needs a rethink. The “Command” part the name of the rules is meant to demonstrate that command decisions (e.g. what to do with your leaders) are important – more important than in the Valour & Fortitude system on which it is largely based.
In this month’s Miniature Wargames there is an article advocating the use of dice strings to drive command processes (and the magazine offers a download of some Napoleonic rules using them). I was unclear as to how the system was supposed to work in a multiplayer format (which the author insists it does) – and was none the wiser on reading the rules download. Still it’s providing me with some food for thought. Another idea is using styled orders (Attack, Defend, etc). Or both together…
So a bit of hard thinking ahead.
There was pretty much no other hobby activity. The 10mm Austrians have not advanced. On Sunday, I am dusting off my Great Northern War rules, Carolus Rex, for a scenario with my 6mm armies at the club. I had been planning to rewrite these to work better for multiplayer games, and in line with my other rules developments. But this will be a two-player game, and as my struggles with Command and discipline show, I am still struggling with my other rules.