Napoleon at War!

Last night at the uni David ran us through the new ruleset Napoleon at War V2. Now a few years ago he ran a game based on the original NAW set, which was quite the most entertaining game I'd had in a long time, so I was really looking forward to this game...



The rules have quite specific instructions about setting up - Caesar and I set up first, then Gary and Peter, above, set out their Prussian and Austrian armies.



There were 3 objectives set out across the table centre line, L-R a dead horse in the walled field, a dead horse on the cross roads, and a dead horse on the edge of the hill. I think the game may have been sponsored by Maccas....You can see above that both Caesar and I biased both our forces towards our centre, without conferring in anyway - that would smack of forward planning!

Peter opposite me had a chuckle when he saw my cavalry deployment - which had me worried - I don't have much success with cavalry at the best of times, whilst Peter is very experienced with Austrian, hence cavalry-centric, armies!

By contrast, the Allied deployment seemed very well balanced, with the Prussians seeming to favour deploying in line for maximum firepower...

Whilst the Austrians stuck to columns. Peter also kept his cavalry tightly concentrated, and his Grenzers headed straight for the nearby dense woods where they could operate to best advantage...

The French stuck to attack columns too - Bien Sur!

Let Battle Commence!

Peter lead off with his cavalry...

No doubt hoping to overawe with the impeccable turnout of his Hussars!

However the French cavaliers were determined to show off their prowess in combat as well as their unquestioned superiority in sartorial magnificence! Kaftans are so a la mode these days! En Avant!

The Austrian cavalry, overwhelmed by my ridiculously high dice throwing as well as embarrassed to be dressed soo last century, got the worst of it - a Dragoon regiment disintegrated and the remnants of the Hussars turned and fled...



The flank duly secured, it was time to advance on the objective...

Unfortunately Peter had the same idea, and got there first. My horse gunners, nicely emplaced on a nearby hill, would have to even the odds... 

Which they did, emboldening the first assault - however the doughty Austrian Infantry saw them off!

On my left flank, Caesars troops in and around the woods were being hampered by Prussian firepower...it seems that in NAW a defending unit may issue volleys as many times as it is attacked in the same turn...hmm...

Back in my sector, whilst I was lining up for another assault, Peter had advanced his second Austrian Brigade perilously close to my open flank...Fortunately Caesar was all over this and moved up his lancers to forestall any such shenanigans! 

In combination with the judicious application of firepower...

The second French infantry assault carried all before it to seize one of the 3 objectives...

The other 2 were still in play but as it was getting late we called time. Given the fast rate at which NAW chews through units, my half of the army wasn't going to be achieving a great deal more!

So what did we think of NAW? My biggest beef was actually what I found most fun - having to make a decision as to when to order a volley against a charging enemy - early and relatively ineffective, or wait until you see the whites of their eyes and risk failing to issue fire at all? 



Great fun, but hardly the decision you would expect from a divisional level game I would have thought? Overall too early to make a decision on the rules so I expect, and hope, more games will be in the offing!