BP WATERLOO 2013 REFIGHT UNITS STATS

Here are the unit stats that we used for the Waterloo refight in June. 

You will see that we used the Levy rule from Hail Caesar for poor quality troops and the Gallop rule from the Waterloo Supplement for British heavy cavalry.  Infantry units in Wellington's army could not form attack columns.  We did not use the deep cavalry and deep British infantry formations suggested in the Waterloo supplement to keep the game simple.

For our next refight I would increase the range of horse artillery shown here to the same as foot as all the horse artillery were 6pdrs as were most foot guns in the Prussian and French armies.  The ranges are 66% of normal as we used the 66%  movement and range scale in the game.

Grateful if someone could tell me if it is possible in blogspot to link to the word documents themselves?  If not I will add these stats as a specific page in the future.   I will post the specific house rules we used for the game this weekend.

BRITISH	Weapon	Type	H_H	Shooting	Morale	Stamina	Special
Guard Infantry	Musket	Infantry	7	3	3	4	Reliable, Elite 4+, First Fire
Veteran Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	4	First Fire
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3	First Fire
Rifles Sk   (Small)	Rifle	Infantry	4	2	4	3	Reliable, Skirmishers
Hanover Line Inf	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3
Hanover Landwehr	Musket	Infantry	5	3	5	3	Unreliable, Levy 4+
Household Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	9		4	3	Heavy Cavalry +D3, Gallop, Reliable
Dragoons/Dragoon Guards	Sabre	Cavalry	8		4	3	Heavy Cavalry +1, Gallop
KGL Light Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	6		4	3	Marauders, Ferocious
British & Hanover Light Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	6		4	3	Marauders
Hanover Light Cavalry Inferior	Sabre	Cavalry	5		5	3	Marauders, Levy 4+, Unreliable
Horse Artillery	Light artillery	24”	1	3-2-1	4	1	Marauders
Foot Artillery	Artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	2

All Infantry have “must form square” rule.  Other small units reduce Hand to Hand by 2, Shooting by 1 and Stamina by 1.

Elite X+            Rally of Disorder at start of turn by roll of X+

Ferocious         Reroll hand to hand misses when charging/countercharging
First Fire           Add extra shooting dice on first shot.
Gallop              Ferocious charge and must always make a sweeping advance
Heavy Cav +X   Add X to combat result
Levy X+            Need to roll to rally of disorder at end of their turn by rolling X+
Marauders         Ignore distance modifiers for command tests
Reliable            Add 1 to Command tests
Skirmish           Can adopt skirmish formation
Unreliable          Do not move on an equal command roll.  This counts a command pass.

NETHERLANDS	Weapon	Type	H_H	Shooting	Morale	Stamina	Special
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3
Militia	Musket	Infantry	5	3	5	3	Unreliable, Levy 4+
Carabiniers	Sabre	Cavalry	8		4	3	Heavy Cavalry +1
Light Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	6		4	3	Marauders
Light Cavalry Inferior	Sabre	Cavalry	5		5	3	Marauders, Unreliable, Levy 4+
Horse Artillery	Light artillery	24”	1	3-2-1	4	1	Marauders
Foot Artillery	Artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	2

All Infantry have “must form square” rule.  Other small units reduce Hand to Hand by 2, Shooting by 1 and Stamina by 1.

Heavy Cav +X   Add X to combat result

Levy X+            Need to roll to rally of disorder at end of their turn by rolling X+
Marauders         Ignore distance modifiers for command tests
Unreliable          Do not move on an equal command roll.  This counts a command pass.

 

FRENCH	Weapon	Type	H_H	Shooting	Morale	Stamina	Special
Old/Middle Guard Infantry	Musket	Infantry	7	3	3	4	Reliable, Elite 4+
Veteran Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	4
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3
Light Infantry Sk  (Small)	Musket	Infantry	4	2	4	2	Skirmishers
Guard Heavy Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	9		4	3	Heavy Cavalry +D3, Reliable
Cuirassiers	Sabre	Cavalry	9		3	3	Heavy Cavalry +D3, Reliable
Guard Lancers	Sabre	Cavalry	8		4	3	Marauders; Lancers, Reliable
Dragoons	Sabre	Cavalry	8		4	3	Heavy Cavalry +1
Guard Light Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	7		4	3	Marauders, Reliable
Lancers	Lance	Cavalry	7		4	3	Marauders; Lancers
Light Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	6		4	3	Marauders
Guard Horse Artillery	Light artillery	24”	1	3-2-1	4	1	Marauders, Reliable
Guard Foot Artillery	Artillery	40”	1	3-2-1	4	2	Reliable
Horse Artillery	Light artillery	24”	1	3-2-1	4	1	Marauders
Foot Artillery	Artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	2

 

All Infantry have “must form square” rule and are Reliable in Attack columns.  Other small units reduce Hand to Hand by 2, Shooting by 1 and Stamina by 1.

Elite X+              Rally of Disorder at start of turn by roll of X+

Heavy Cav +X   Add X to combat result
Lancers             Opponent has -1 cav -2 inf saving throw when lancers charge/countercharge
Levy X+            Need to roll to rally of disorder at end of their turn by rolling X+
Marauders         Ignore distance modifiers for command tests
Reliable            Add 1 to Command tests
Skirmish           Can adopt skirmish formation

 

PRUSSIAN	Weapon	Type	H_H	Shooting	Morale	Stamina	Special
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3
Landwehr	Musket	Infantry	5	3	5	3	Unreliable, Levy 4+
Jaegers Sk  (Small)	Rifle	Infantry	4	2	4	2	Skirmishers, Reliable
Dragoons	Sabre	Cavalry	8		4	3	Heavy Cavalry +1
Lancers	Lance	Cavalry	7		4	3	Marauders; Lancers
Light Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	6		4	3	Marauders
Landwehr Cavalry	Lance	Cavalry	5		5	3	Marauders; Lancers, Unreliable, Levy 4+
Hvy Foot Artillery	Artillery	40”	1	3-2-1	4	2
Horse Artillery	Light artillery	24”	1	3-2-1	4	1	Marauders
Foot Artillery	Artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	2

All Infantry have “must form square” rule.  Other small units reduce Hand to Hand by 2, Shooting by 1 and Stamina by 1.

Heavy Cav +X   Add X to combat result

Lancers             Opponent has -1 cav -2 inf saving throw when lancers charge/countercharge
Levy X+            Need to roll to rally of disorder at end of their turn by rolling X+
Marauders         Ignore distance modifiers for command tests
Reliable            Add 1 to Command tests
Skirmish           Can adopt skirmish formation
Unreliable          Do not move on an equal command roll.  This counts a command pass.

 

28mm WATERLOO REFIGHT PART 2

Day 2 - In 7 hours today with another short bar break we played 7 more moves in the game getting us to about 5:00PM in game time.  
The long struggle for Hougomont continued until turn 13 when the last of its  3 Built Up Areas fell to the French.  The allied troops massed north of the chateau did not launch any attacks to recover it.  The action west of Hougomont continued  in a desultory style but was certainly enlivened by a disordered British square managing to cause the rout of 2 French cavalry regiments.

Allied centre right before the French cavalry attacks west of La Haye Saint

 

Once Hougomont had fallen the French launched a series of cavalry attacks up the ridge between the chateau and La Haye Saint.  This forced the British infantry into square, routed a battalion and overran some artillery.  An attempt by the other half of Lobua’s corps to exploit the cavalry’s success was broken up by accurate British fire.

D'Erlon's attack was not making headway at the sunken road.  So the French commanders withdrew to the valley floor to reorganise, mass their artillery and await the arrival of reinforcements from Lobau’s corps before once again risking an attack on the ridge.

On the allied left a continuing series of cavalry melees ended with some victories for the French but they too withdrew to support the planned attack on the ridge.

Casualties of war - no Larey ambulance for these British heroes

The middle guard and the old guard finally took position near La Belle Alliance whilst I threw the Young Guard into Plancenoit just as the first brigades of Prussians arrived on the eastern edge of the table.  The Guard Light cavalry charged and drove the vanguard Prussian cavalry brigade of the field.  Given that the Prussians had arrived before the planned second  attack on the ridge could be launched by D’Erlon it was clear that the French could not win and the game ended at this point.  The game was declared to be a marginal allied victory as the French had taken Hougomont and still had effective troops in the field.

The allied figures all came from the collection of Iain Gale whilst the French came from the collections of Iain, myself, Angus Konstam and Dougie Trail.

All my photos with descriptions at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157634008989879/

A truly great game and a very enjoyable game....Iain plans to replay the game later in the summer.

End position - view from Belle Alliance

End position - Hougomont in French hands - hang out the tricolours

 

28mm WATERLOO REFIGHT

I am busy this weekend at a big refight of Waterloo which Iain Gale author of "Four Days in June" has arranged in Edinburgh.

The terrain is very impressive - it is a labour of love by Iain. We are using Black Powder with some house rule amendments with 10 active players on Saturday and Sunday.  Figure scale is approx 1 to 40.

Iain setting up French left flank

 

Start position - view from the west over Hougomont

In 7 hours on Saturday with a short bar break we played 9 moves in the game getting us to about 2:15PM in game time. Great game....

As Napoleon I decided to play the game relatively historically launching D'Erlon supported by 2 cuirassier brigades against the ridge east of La Haye Saint whilst Reille's corps attacked Hougomont but also manoeuvred to its west.

Poor command rolls held up both attacks especially the manoeuvre west of Hougomont. After a long struggle with losses the French captured 2 of the 3 Built Up Areas that represented Hougomont. The advance west of Hougomont has ground to a halt in the face of a massive move of allied troops to that flank.

D'Erlons attack made headway capturing part of the hedgeline and engaging the troops in the sunken road. His left fank brigade lost heavily to artillery fire and allied cavalry attacks which were driven back by the supporting cuirassiers. Part of Lobau's corps and 2 reserve light cavalry brigades are moving slowly to support D'Erlon's attack which seems to be stalling.

On the allied left a series of cavalry melees largely ended in draws except for a single British hussar unit which broke through the French lines and after blundering to return is well on its way to Plancenoit.

All my photos with descriptions at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157634008989879/

More action tomorrow.

D'Erlon engages the ridge line east of La Haye Saint

Continuing struggle for Hougomont

D'Erlon has got across first hedge line and engages the sunken road

 

VIETNAM 28MM BOLT ACTION BIG GAME

This weekend I was invited to the League of Gentlemen Wargamers big Vietnam bash.

The mighty brown water navy about to depart on operations

The event was held at the base of the Kirriemuir Wargames Club in Kirriemuir Angus.  Peter Nicholson, Colin Jack and others provided the troops and terrain.  On the Saturday we played thru a series of 5 two player mini games that Dave O’Brien had devised to familiarise the 10 players with the Bolt Action rules.  The rules worked well and after the first mini game most of the players were comfortable with the basic rules.  My contribution to the event was to work out the Bolt Action weapon factors for Vietnam and come up with rules for helicopters and the brown water navy warships.  I have posted an excel file with this information on the Bolt Action Yahoo forum.

On the Sunday we played a single massive game on a 30ft by up to 8ft wide table.  Peter Nicholson came up with the scenario.   It proved to be a VC victory with the heavily equipped US side failing to achieve any  of their major objectives.

It was a great event – the terrain and figures were very impressive and everyone enjoyed the gaming.    I really liked the brown water navy and the helicopter fleet.   More photos with descriptions at Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157634161548565/

View down the 30ft long table - at this end firebase with port, then 5 villages, at far end a field hospital and POW camp

US advanced hospital under VC mortar fire

RPG rocket falls short of a Heliship

 

WILD WEST - DEAD MAN'S HAND PLAYTEST

Our game at the SESWC this week was our second test of the Dead Man’s hand rules.  Colin Jack provided the terrain and most of the figures whilst I provided a gang of lawmen.

Given we are just starting with the rules we only managed to play thru two 2 player actions.  In the first my lawmen were defeated by Tim Watson’s desperadoes.    Tim even used the dastardly seize a hostage card!   In the second game Curtis Murff who was visiting Edinburgh from Chicago was defeated by lucky Bart Zynda. 

Good fun – I will have to buy these rules - and not rely on the one set that we have - though I have bought a set of counters.

My lawmen move on the train station – not good gun jammed and 1 hit already

My mad preacher goes for the desperado outside Mr Ray’s emporium – sadly missed with both barrels!

Scantily clad ladies – just what you expect!