Friday 20 September 2013

Guest Blogger (3): Battle of Waterloo 18th June 1815


This is the third post from our guest blogger, Phil from York, UK.

Click on the names of the battles to see his previous posts about his games of Lützen and Salamanca.

Here's Phil.
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In this game I deliberately tried to play it differently (from the French side anyway) but the result was the same.

I think I made squares too strong. There are no rules for them in Volley &Bayonet as the smallest unit is a division but I felt you couldn't do Waterloo without them and had liked how they were handled in Shako. Unfortunately, my bodge didn't really work (or maybe it did - French cavalry bogged down amongst the allied squares - attack failed - historic result !).

Here are some photos of the game - I apologise as they are of rather poor quality as I had the camera on the wrong setting but they give you an impression.

Overview of the battlefield with French to the right and Anglo-Allied on the left; Hougoumont in the foreground, La Haye Sainte at centre-left.

The ground rumbles as the French cavalry thunders past!

Reille's corps attacks Hougoumont.

Close-up of the attack.

French guard artillery makes the ground shake.

Kempt’s 8th Brigade supports the Anglo-Allied left.

The clash in the centre.

French heavy cavalry move to attack.

French Young Guard moves towards the left flank...

supported by cavalry.

Artillery duel in the centre.

Close-up of French guard artillery.

The French left flank.


15 comments:

  1. Very nice, great looking units!

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  2. Superb stuff - but where are the Prussians?

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  3. Thanks folks. This game was a couple of years ago and I had only just got into the idea of recording them so there weren't many pictures. The Prussians arrived late and effectively ended the game.There may be some more pictures somewhere.

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  4. Looks great! Waterloo is in our sights for 2015.... along with Quatre Bras and Ligny!

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    1. There will be a few of them, won't there? Are you planning a 're-match' Phil?

      Hopefully we might get players/groups around the world to 'link' up in some way in June 2015?!

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  5. James, I may try something a bit different for the 200th anniversary. I am considering a campaign game covering the whole thing. Another alternative is concentrating on the Prussian experience a "Hofschroer" battle if you like. I am also considering a 54mm recreation of the assault on Hougoumont and a straight refight of Murat's catastrophe at Tolentino which some might argue ensured the result of campaign was decided before Napoleon entered Belgium ! Obviously this will all depend on time available and this time I'll take more pictures.

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    1. They all sound like great ideas Phil. Especially Tolentino; that's not one that is played often!

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    2. Does mean I'd have to paint a whole Neapolitan army !

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    3. Even 'betterer'! You won't look back, they are a really colourful army (if you have not seen them, take a look at the plates on Empire Histofig). All uniforms designed personally by Murat(?); the Yves Saint Laurent of the age; ha, ha!!!

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    4. I'd better buy some pink paint !

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  7. Very impressive and I do like the Tolentino idea.

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  8. That is absolutely outstanding. Thank you for sharing this massive effort.

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