Project Waterloo: Netherlands Command

 

At left is Wilhelm (William), Prince of Orange and Nassau, accompanied by his ADC. The single figure is General Chasse, who commanded the 3rd Netherlands Division. His nickname was "General Bayonet", and had fought in the French Army in Spain and then in France in 1814. These are Perry Miniatures once again.

Prince William had to flee the Netherlands with his Father, when he was only 2 years old. He grew up thereafter in Berlin (Frederick Wilhelm II,. King of Prussia, was his maternal Grandfather). He received a military education, and joined the Prussian army. 

He later joined the British army, and, at age 19, became an Aide de Camp to Wellington in the Peninsula. In November 1813, with the liberation of the Netherlands from French control, he returned there, and in December was made a Major General in the British army; by the end of May 1814, he was a full General in the British army - at age 21!  His courage and good nature made him well liked by the British, who nicknamed him "Slender Billy"!

In 1815, he was the senior Allied commander in the Netherlands when Napoleon returned to France. He commanded the 1st Allied Corps at Quatre Bras and Waterloo. British accounts depict him as brave but tactically unskilled, although there may be more than a little bias in those accounts.  He was blackmailed at least once over alleged bisexuality. He became King of the Netherlands upon his father's abdication in 1840, and died suddenly in 1849.

Project Waterloo: Belgian Militia

 

OK, I made somewhat of a goof with these guys; they were really supposed to be *Dutch*militia, some of which had orange facings.

After reading through the Ospreys on The Dutch, Belgian, and Nassau forces, it seemed logical to me that the Belgians would have the more French appearing, Bell top style shakes, and the Duct the headgear more like the British. Indeed, the Belgian Chasseurs (light infantry) and cavalry did.

WRONG; they don't call it the "Belgic" shako for nothing (even if it really inspired by the earlier Portuguese shakos!). 

Anyway, not a big deal, especially as both armies were seriously short of everytghing, and the regulations were perhas more followed in the breech! 

So, these follows by rights should have had white collars and cuffs instead of orange. These are more Perry figures. Once again, I forgot to trim the flagstaffs (already done). 

Everything else is correct. I won't tell if you don't!  :-) 

Besides, I like the look of the orange facings!

Project Waterloo: Movie Quotes and Game Results!

 With the theme for 2024 being "Historicon goes to the Movies", part of the idea for the game is to use quotes from the film to make chance cards. I thought of all sorts of creative ideas, but in the end decided to just go with the ideas Neil Thomas set forth himself in One Hour Wargames, slightly modified. The result was one deck of 15 chance cards for each side. 

#	French Quote	French Effect
1	[Observing the advance of the Gordon Highlanders] Napoleon: Has Wellington nothing to offer me but these Amazons?	None
2	Mulholland: Brave Frenchmen! You have done all that the honor of war demands; His Grace, the Duke of Wellington, invites you to save your lives! Will you surrender? Cambronne: MERDE!	None
3	Napoleon: Those men on grey horses are terrifying. Marshal Soult: They are the noblest cavalry in Europe; and the worst led. Napoleon: That may be; that may be, but we will match them with our lancers.	None
4	Napoleon [in pain from piles] My body is dying, but my mind is still good!	None
5	Napoleon: The only enemy I fear is nature.	None
6	Napoleon: Never interrupt your enemy while he's making a mistake. That's bad manners.	Enemy Panic! One enemy unit acquires 1-3 hits!
7	Napoleon: What's he doing? What's Ney doing? Can't I leave the field for a minute? How can a man go forward with the cavalry without infantry support?	Confusion 1-3 French units of one command may not move this turn
8	Napoleon: Let's not have any disagreement. Any disagreement only leads to disaster.	Confusion 1-3 French  units of one command may not move this turn
9	Napoleon: This Wellington wages war in a new way. He fights, sitting on his ass. Well, we'll have to move him off it.	Low Ammo 1-3 French units of one command may not fire this turn
10	Napoleon: Battles are lost and won in a quarter of an hour.	Low Ammo 1-3 French units of one command may not fire this turn
11	Napoleon: If I die, it will be here, in the field, with my men!	Demoralization A single French unit acquires 1-3 hits
12	Wellington: On the field of battle his hat is worth fifty thousand men; but he is not a gentleman.	Initiative A single French unit is chosen to either move twice, move then shoot, or shoot twice.
13	Wellington: [on Napoleon's maneuver that split the English and Prussian armies] By God, that man does war honor.	Initiative A single French unit is chosen to either move twice, move then shoot, or shoot twice.
14	Napoleon: I've been in this position before, at the battle of Marengo. I lost the battle at 5:00, but I won it back again at 7!	Rally! 1-3 French units are chosen to remove 1-2 hits each
15	Napoleon: Let me tell you something. The most precious quality in life is loyalty. Loyalty!	Rally! 1-3 French units are chosen to remove 1-2 hits each

#	British Quote	British effect
1	Wellington: Next to a battle lost, the saddest thing  is a battle won.	None
2	Lord Uxbridge: As I am second-in-command and in case anything should happen to you, what are your plans? Wellington: To beat the French.	None
3	Wellington: Dramatic fellows, these French. Music and banners. Quite beautiful. You're a lucky fellow, aren't you, Hay, to see such a wonder in your first battle.	None
4	Lord Gordon: Good beans, Wellington! Wellington: If there is anything in this world about which I  know positively nothing, it is agriculture.	None
5	[before the battle starts, the British troops are singing a mocking song about Napoleon] William De Lancey: Shall I shut them up, Sir? Wellington: No, no, indulge it . Anything that wastes time is good. Indulge it. Normally I don't like cheering, but there's always a time to cut cards with the Devil.	None
6	Mulholland: We're doing murder, your grace. Wellington: I hope to God... that I've fought my last battle.	Enemy Panic! One enemy unit acquires  1-3 hits!
7	Lord Uxbridge: By God, Sir. I've lost my leg. Wellington: By God, Sir. So you have.	Confusion 1-3 Allied units of one   command may not move  this turn
8	Wellington: If Blucher doesn't show up here soon,  they'll break every bone in my body!	Confusion 1-3 Allied units of one  command may not move this turn
9	Wellington: Brotherly business, isn't it, De Lancey... killing.	Low Ammo 1-3 Allied units of one  command may not fire  this turn
10	Wellington: Commanders of armies have something better to do than to fire at each other.	Low Ammo 1-3 Allied units of one  command may not fire  this turn
11	Wellington: It appears, Uxbridge, we're losing the battle. Give me night, or give me Blucher!	Demoralization A single Allied unit  acquires 1-3 hits
12	Sarah: General Picton doesn't know how to walk in a ballroom. Wellington: But he is very good when he is dancing with  the French.	Initiative A single Allied unit may be chosen to either move twice, move then shoot,  or shoot twice.
13	Wellington: The whole line will advance. Lord Uxbridge: In which direction, your grace? Wellington: Why, straight ahead to be sure.	Initiative A single Allied unit may be  chosen to either move twice, move then shoot, or shoot twice.
14	Wellington: [referring to his army] I don't know what they'll do  to the enemy; but, by God, they frighten me.	Rally! 1-3 Allied units are chosen to remove  1-2 hits each
15	Wellington: They're coming on in the same old style. Picton: Well, then we shall have to meet them in the  same old style.	Rally! 1-3 Allied units are chosen to remove  1-2 hits each