Monday 9 February 2015

Waterloo 200 Project - Progress so far...

Fun! You lot aren't here to have fun - You're Grognards - so start Grumblin!
Long time followers of my little blog - and if there are any such types out there I'm profoundly grateful - will know that I have been heavily involved for over 18 months in our FLGS's (the Hall of Heroes Campbelltown) Waterloo 200 mega game project....
 

 
We have been replaying the major battles of the Napoleonic Wars, on or about their 200th anniversary, with our first really big game being Borodino, which we played in a single day, 'bathtubbed' at 50% of the units present on 240 square feet of terrain, using approximately 5,000 model soldiers - the blog reports can be found in Sept 2012's archive!
 
 
Following through these battles on their anniversaries gives one the same sense of perspective that the contemporaries might have gained - although of course in this time scale Napoleon is still kicking his heels quietly on Elba....
 
Minifgs 25mm British Light Dragoons - will they get a last run out?
So for 18 months or so, most of the 20 odd project members have been busily painting up 28mm 1815 era armies, made much easier by the advent of cheap plastic figures from the likes of Perry and Victrix, and the good offices of generous sponsors like Fons Libert of the Mabuhay Miniatures Painting Service. Although we will still be pressing the odd old Minifigs type 25mm figure into service - particularly if the Perrys don't get their plastic British light dragoons out sharpish!
 
Minifigs 25mm 23rd Regiment of Foot (The Royal Welch Fuzileers) - I can't quite bear to throw these out!
But actually, figure wise, all that early planning and cajoling has paid off - we have all the figures we need, for a 75% orbat by unit, each unit at a 1:20 figure scale. Indeed its a shame that we have to tell latecomers to the project that we don't need their figures, barring accidents and acts of God!
 

 
In fact one of the biggest challenges for many of us is actually carting the little chaps around - thankfully most of our collections are now plastic - or I daresay there'd be a few hernias around!
 
 
Of course the main strength of a project is its people - and we are now pretty much recruited fully up to strength! However, perhaps like the Anglo Allied army in 1815, many of the players are making up for lack of experience with our Black Powder rules with enthusiasm and commitment!
 
 
And of course, in Australia, there's the tyranny of distance - several of our keenest members live, or have been posted, hundreds of miles away, and will only be able to make it up for the Waterloo weekend itself. Still, it will make for a lively social life at the motel on the Saturday night! And I daresay a few local hostelries....
 


Terrain remains the biggest challenge, and our star terrain meister Terry has been flogging himself renovating and producing enough purpose built terrain to cover 5 12 x 6 foot tables - a major engineering and logistical effort in a busy shop!


The idea is to split the battlefield up into 5 slices, each of which will be a separate table, made up of five or six 2 x 6 boards, which together will represent the battlefield on a playing area of 360 square feet. Each table will have a gap of 3 or 4 foot to allow player access. So for example you can see below that the ridge line to the right rear of Hougomont on the near table continues exactly onto the far table as if the gap wasn't there:


Measuring ranges and movement across from one table to another has been one challenge, but something we are learning to cope with - just as most battle take place on the junction of 4 maps, so the action always seems hottest on our table edges - its too easy to forget about your flanks!


So that's how we're going so far - lots to do, but lots done! I've got lots more photos of yesterday's practice to show you, but its getting late and its time for a comfy armchair, a small malt and my daily peruse of Adkin's 'Waterloo Companion' - more to follow soon...
 
Slainte!

13 comments:

  1. Very impressive! Overal picutres, close-up, terrain and figures...all is beautiful! "Vive l'Empereur".

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  2. Very impressive - it looks like you all with have a fun and successful re-fight of the great battle. Looking forward to seeing the actual game.

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  3. Great! All at the highest level.

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    1. Thank you all very much Gents - Good for morale to have so much encouragement!

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  4. So impressive. I have a particular soft spot for the old Minifigs Naps. I cut my teeth on them as a new painter in the ... never mind. :)
    Being in Canada, I also understand the tyranny of distance.

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    1. Thanks Michael. Yes they really were state of the art when they came out, and I stuck to them faithfully until very recently. But the advent of cheap hard plastics in 28mm tipped me over, so that I have only retained a few units for old time's sake!

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  5. I'm a long time follower of your little blog. And I'm grateful for the entertainment it provides! 8O)

    It looks like your Ozzie Waterloo will be a grand event.A little larger I suspect than the Kiwi Waterloo I have have recently volunteered myself and Simon for. But then ours will be played in the Wellington Club in the city of Wellington so that's got to be worth something!

    Salute
    von Peter himself

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    1. Errr, make that the Wellesley Club in Wellington! A different club!!!

      Salute
      von Peter himself

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    2. Thanks your Vonship - and your support is highly prized! Yes very inconsiderate to posterity for the Wesley/Wellesley/Wellington clan to be constantly renaming themselves! Good luck with the Kiwi game, looking forward to seeing progress on the blogosphere!

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  6. That's a very impressive load of figures, terrain and table space - WOW!

    I'm hoping to do Waterloo on 9x5 foot table in 15mm. We will have a 28mm game of D'Erlon's Attack as well as a skirmish game in the same scale (I hope).

    I'm looking forward to further installments.

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    1. Thanks Yorkie - 15mm on that size of table will be a grand sight! And I think a game dedicated to the 'petite guerre' between skirmishers of that iconic attack will be of great interest...

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  7. Nothing wrong with Minfigs still use mine after 30 years.

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