28mm Napoleonic

It was Mike's turn to be gamesmaster and he revealed the 28mm Napoleonics he has been working on quietly for some time.  He set a scenario based on a Wargames Illustrated scenario of Genape on the road to Waterloo 1815. 

Jim & Chris' French v. Steve & Mark's British

The British rearguard is deployed on & behind a ridge that runs right across the table.  A battalion of riflemen is in the hamlet on the French right.  Niether were told how many troops the other side has.

Initially the British ahd just the infantry in the hamlet, the battery & the riflemen in the far left corner in view of the French.  When the French cavalry advanced on their right, 2 battalions showed themselves on the crest and formed square.  The Trench have ignored the riglemen & advanced as fast as the command dice will let them.

The last of the French have arrived.  Their cavalry are content to pin the squares down and wait fro the artillery.  Their columns are advancing as fast as they are allowed.

The French artillery has deployed to fire on the squares.  The columns have charged the hamlet but are still short of the battery.

 The French second wave is advancing on the British centre.  The British left is still holding on.

The French advance on the centre has come to a halt as 2 regiments of hussars charged over the ridge causing them to form square.  The French suddenly got lucky and took the Hamlet.  One column charged home and broke a gun.  The other, while being pounded are holding their ground.

For the first time the French know how small the British force is.  The battalion that took the hamlet has charged the battery in flank & broken it.  The Cuirassiers are moving up on the hussars.  But the umpire has called time - the French had 10 turns to take the ridge.  They have taken half of it, so the battle was declared a draw making everyone happy.

It was our first go with 28mm Napoleonics.  They certainly look magnificent & was great fun as well.  The French probably could have thrown their cavalry straight through the British centre, but in their heads there was a thin red line with +2 dice for first fire right behind it - lack of knowledge so changes a game.  I'm just very pleased that others have done all the assembly and painting.  Once again Hail Caesar has demonstrated its flexibility.  Mike worked out the basic stats & we modified Hail Caesar on the fly where necessary as we went along - something you can do in a group of over-mature wargamers.