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Saturday, June 29, 2024

Project Waterloo: Troop Deployment

 

I set out all the troops for the game last night and this morning.


Map of the terrain; each big square i12" by 12", so contains 4 boxes. 


Hougoumont and LeHaye Sainte are garrisoned by Allied troops.


Long view of the table and troops.


Deployment Map.


View from the British side; Mont St Jean is in the foreground.


The British Left flank.


And another long view from the opposite end of the battlefield. 


Gaming items added. Litko Dials for casualties, color coded by command., color linked D6 sets, and the Chance Card decks. 

Monday, June 24, 2024

Project Waterloo: The Table terrain set up... and the rules!

 





Hougoumont is in the mid foreground.

Pappelotte Farm is in the foreground. 

View from behind the Allied ridge position. 

Based upon Martin Rapier's variant of Neil Thomas' One Hour Wargames:

One Hour Napoleonic (MR 02.01.24) 

from https://tgamesweplay.blogspot.com/p/one-hour-wargames-rules-and-scenarios.html



Turn sequence. 1) Draw Chance Card 2) Shoot 3) Move, Resolve cavalry charges 


Unit 

Move

Combat 

Notes 

Cavalry

3

3D6

charge only; 2x dice flank attack or vs

Light Infantry, or Artillery not in cover;

2D6 v Heavy Cavalry 

Heavy Cavalry

3

3D6

charge only; 2 x dice flank attack, or vs

Light Infantry or Artillery not in cover.

Artillery

1 .5

1 box range: 3D6 

2-4 box range: 2D6

5-8 box range: 1 D6 

2 x dice vs flanks of infantry or cavalry,

or vs Squares

Ignores all cover except fortifications.

Line Infantry

1.5

1 box range: 3D6

2 box range 1 D6

May pivot to face a charge 

Light Infantry

2

2 box range:  1 D6

Attacks ignore cover. No flanks. Take half hits

from infantry/artillery fire but double hits from

cavalry. Rifles increase range to 3 boxes (still 1 D6).



Shooting requires LOS, may fire overhead from a higher elevation. Arc of fire +/- 45 degrees, 360

from an occupied SP/Town. Artillery may not fire from town. Units move OR shoot. Roll specified

number of dice. 3+ to hit. Half effect 5+. Quarter effect 6. Reduce morale 1 for each hit. 

Cavalry do NOT shoot! Targets that suffer 3 (or more) hits from shooting from a single source = 

retreat 1 box directly away from source. Steadfast troops ignore this effect.  

Conscripts retreat one box as above when suffering 2 (or more) hits from a single shooter.

Rout Units rout when their morale is reduced to 0. Attached Leader +1. If a unit is routed by

Line Infantry musketry (1 box range), the firer may advance into the empty box. 

Movement Units face a box side; no diagonals!. May pivot at the start and end of their move only,

otherwise move forward, plus or minus 45 degrees; moves on the diagonal cost 1.5. Standard move

rates are for units deployed for combat. 

Reluctant units- must roll a D6 and score less than their remaining remaining hits to advance

 or charge.

Interpenetration Light Infantry may pass through and be passed through by any troops from any angle.

Other troops may temporarily overstack if they are facing in the same direction at the start of the turn, but

must end the turn unstacked, (so units may swap places or pass through). 

Cavalry ChargesCavalry must have LOS to target to charge (so no charging over ridges or through friendly units).

Cavalry may not pivot before charging and must have enough movement to enter the target box.

Cavalry can charge over bridges or into towns or a wood via a road but at half effect due to

narrow frontage. This is in addition to any cover bonuses the target may have. If the charge routs

the enemy, occupy the target box, otherwise cavalry remains next to the target unit. Units with

Shock charging units without same gain an extra D6 in melee. Only the unit that charges inflicts

casualties! Note that Infantry and Artillery may NOT engage in melee! Only one unit may attack

a single target.

Impetuous units that charge MUST continue to charge on subsequent turns as long as there are any

valid targets!

Square Infantry units may go into or out of square at the beginning of their movement phase.

Units in Square may not move or shoot, but also may NOT be charged by cavalry while in Square.

Bayonet ChargeIf a Line Infantry unit routs an enemy with massed (1 box) musketry, it may

advance into the vacant box. 

Column of Route.Line Infantry/Guns +1 box cross country, +2 boxes entirely on road. Cavalry,

Light Infantry +1 box entirely on a road (no bonus x-country). Treat units as flanked for all combat,

may not fight in column of route apart from cavalry. Cavalry may charge in CoR at half effect. To exit

formation, move a normal move next turn.

Roads. Roads may only be used in Column of Route, they allow units to enter/cross otherwise

impassable terrain and impart a movement bonus. 

Infantry charge response vs Cavalry Line Infantry may pivot to face cavalry if charged. 

 

Terrain 

Towns and Strongpoints (SP): Towns fill a whole box, SPs are isolated farm complexes etc. All

unit types can end their move inside towns and SPs; but only infantry can occupy them. Occupied

towns and SPs count all their sides as “front”; they can thus shoot 360° and cannot be charged/shot

“in the flank/rear”. Line and Light infantry attacked at half effect by Line Infantry. Artillery cannot

fire while in a town, but fires at units in them as normal. Cavalry can only charge units inside

towns/SP at half effect vs cavalry/guns (5+) and quarter effect vs Infantry(6). 


Morale Hits reduce morale. When a unit has lost all its hits, it routs and may not be recovered in the

timeframe of the game.

 Leaders

An Army may have one or more leaders allocated to it. Leaders move with units or as cavalry

although they may enter woods. A leader stacked with a unit under their command allows it to take

one extra hit before routing

Leader Risk If a leader is in a box which takes a hit, leader is removed on a 2D6 roll of ‘2’. If the

leader is in a box where the unit routs, or if they are overrun by an enemy unit, they are lost on a

1D6 roll of ‘1’. If they are overrun and survive, the leader retires 1 box. 

Unit types

Leaders

Army and Corps commanders of notable repute 

Line Infantry Conventional infantry formations operating mainly in close order. They are assumed

to have skirmishers screens and attached artillery, accounting for their long range. Represent

6-8000 men, but the size may be adjusted for different battles, but keep the 2:1 ratio with cavalry. 

Light Infantry Infantry with a much thicker skirmish screen, and a limited number of formed

supports. The optimum units for operating in broken or close terrain. They also have attached

artillery. Represent 6-8000 men.

Cavalry

Close order cavalry, very effective against infantry in the flank or against guns and light infantry. 

Heavy Cavalry

More effective against other types of cavalry. Have attached horse batteries. Represent 3-4000 men 

Artillery Corps/Army reserve artillery grand batteries. Most artillery is assumed to be attached

directly to units. Represent 50-60 guns. Units assumed to have around 20-30 guns each. 

Troop quality Excellent units with high morale and cohesion or possibly very strong units - 7 hits.

Good Units with good morale and cohesion - 6 hits. Poor Units with poor training, leadership,

morale, tactics or possibly just weak - 5 hits. French Old Guard Units - 8 hits



WATERLOO Commander effects


Wellington - at the end  of any Allied turn, may move up to 3 boxes and attempt to rally 1 unit.

Picton: +1 D6 for shooting at 1 box range  for any British infantry of his command within 1 box.

Hill: British and infantry within 1 box may re-roll 1 missed die when shooting.

Orange: units of his command within 1 box may force enemy to re roll one successful hit from  
fire or melee.



Napoleon- at the start of any French turn may attempt to rally one French unit.

Ney - any unit he is attached to adds 2D6 in melee; all adjacent French units add 1 D6 in melee.

D’Erlon:  Units within 1 box get an extra D6 in melee

Reille:  
Units within 1 box may force enemy to reroll one successful hit from Fire per turn.

Lobau:  Units within 1 box may reroll one missed die in melee per turn


Rally by C-in-C:  Roll1 D6:
1          No effect
2,3,4    Regain 1 hit
5,6       Regain 2 hits

1st hit cannot be rallied off.

Thursday, June 20, 2024

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.

Monday, June 17, 2024

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!

Friday, June 14, 2024

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