Interestingly Knotel shows a member of the French 15th Line Infantry Regiment wearing the earlier white uniform, and states that they wore that uniform into Spain in 1808 "and for several years thereafter". That's good enough for me! Next French battalions painted will represent the 15th in white uniforms. Should present a nice contrast with all of the blue.
The game.
Played a few more moves of the game, with the French now taking form control and attacking in force in the centre, across the stream. Two British battalions have routed, both as a result of heavy fire and a determined advance under 'La Grande Manoeuvre' card, which allows a huge 4 hex move (but no combat that move), an excellent card for getting to close quarters fast. On the British right the positioning of 2 French batteries on the hill has hampered attempts to take the high ground, and slow progress has been made. The British did get to play the rather odd 'short supply' card which allowed them to send a unit of French cavalry back to the baseline! This in turn allowed a battalion to come out of square which freed up another command card. A read through the rules seems to confirm this as a legit use of the card, but I stand to be corrected!
Once the game is over I'll clear the table ready to be framed up with pine edging which should give it a neat finish. The cloth will be pinned down nice and flat too. The Mrs is off to Ikea tomorrow so I have asked her to look out for a lamp and a couple of shades, and to look at A4 size picture frames - the bare walls are driving me mad, but it's slowly coming together. I'm also keeping an eye on the Hospice Shop for a couple of suitable wooden chairs.
Few more pics from the game. 2 VB's to the French so far.
The Den is taking shape nicely Lee. It's nice to have a spot to retreat to for a few hours eh?
ReplyDeleteThe C&CN 'Short Supply' card is a strange one - I find it a tricky one to use in a solo game, so I often exclude it. In a game with an opponent, clearly it can be extremely useful - it can even affect levels of support etc - if you are going to leave a single unit in a vital, strong position then you'd better have some means of replacing them if your opponent just happens to get that card!
ReplyDeleteI tend to forget the card can also be very useful for 'airlifting' one of your own units out of a tricky situation!
On the general subject of Command Cards in the game, solo or 'normal'(!), I always discard a smallish section of the pack, at the start and each time it is reshuffled and reset - that way you cannot rely on all the cards coming up eventually. Another slight bend of the published rules I have considered (but not used yet) is to allow a player to use his turn just to exchange one card for one from the pack, unseen - i.e. without playing it. In normal play, the only way you can get rid of a rubbish card is to play it and not follow what it says, which is basically the same except your opponent then knows that you think it's a rubbish card, so has some extra insight into what you want to do. On the other hand, he also knows that you know that he thinks that you think that it is a rubbish card...
Anyway, I haven't done it!
Once again, the battle looks very good - my compliments. This is one of a couple of blogs which have completely changed my view on 6mm gaming of late.
Cheers - Tony
Hi Steve - thank you. I must have a look at your WW2 blog to see what you are up to.
ReplyDeleteTony - Yes, that short supply card is odd! It felt strange picking up a unit of cavalry and placing them back at the baseline for no apparent reason, and why would cavalry need to replenish supplies in the field? .... but then I am gradually learning that what is printed on those cards is more just the actual 'order' and you need to think a bit more laterally to understand that its a mechanism to add unpredictability and surprise/chance into the game. Maybe there was a mix up in orders, maybe the unit commander just decided it was time to fall back and reform? And as you say a player can pick up one of his own units and remove them from a dodgy situation, but again there could be many factors at work at battalion level which could cause a unit to suddenly fall back well out of harms way.
I like your idea re exchanging cards too, I may well try that one.
Cheers,
Lee.