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 |
The chance cards will be a lot of fun, especially combined with the quotes.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Peter. They should be enough to add some variation without being overwhelming.
DeleteGreat idea Peter. These will work well.
ReplyDeleteThanks,. Lawrence. I plan to make up the actual cards in the next week.
DeleteI'm impressed that so many quotes were collected, well done, and like this idea much.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mark; the power of Mr. Google at work! :-)
DeleteClever use of those famous quotes but… “Sire the Prussians are in the woods, Blucher is in the woods!” Napoleon, “If I made one mistake in my life, I should have burned Berlin.”
ReplyDeleteI saw both of those, and were the Prussians included in the game, I would have used them both! :-)
DeleteIts a very quotable movie to be sure :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, so that seems like it will work very well for this idea!
DeleteReference Strykers suggested quote, I recall the first occasion I saw the film (aged around ten) and repeated that quote to my mum, who lived through WW2, and she said something like "Napoleon was right!"
ReplyDeleteThere is a fair amount of historical speculation as to how events might have played out had Napoleon remained on the throne of France in 1815 rather than being replaced by the Bourbons again. Most of it focuses on its impact upon the subsequent military and political development of Prussia. But of course, who really knows?
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