Epic Experiments

 

Off for a week down to the lovely NSW Sapphire coast, we knew the weather was going to be variable, so I took some portable wargaming material. But there wouldn't be much space to play in the beach shack, and I could only play between meals...and before too many beers were consumed...So what better than a few games of Epic Napoleonic's with my still too meagre collection?

The idea was I would play three short game, no more than a few turns each, of Lasalle 2, Valour & Fortitude, and Black Powder. Similar scenarios, limited by just a few items of terrain, and identical forces.

This would allow me to get a feel for how these games handled the strengths and weaknesses of Epic Scale figures, and also clarify in my own mind how these three great rulesets compared...

As it turned out, the weather was lovely, but there is such a thing as too much sun...

So I got all games played to several moves, at least to a point when things got crunchy...

Providing a fairly valid comparison of the rules. Subjective, obviously, particularly as these games simply solidified what I had already perceived as their individual attributes.

First up was Lasalle 2. The obvious issue here was that the key unit of measurement is the base width (BW), and Epic figures come on an unusually large BW, relative to their size, of 60mm. But I am used, and equipped, to playing with 40mm base widths. So I just bashed on with 40mm BW. It didn't seem to cause any issues. 

Being replete with tactical decision points at every step, Lasalle 2 is a rich, even cerebral game so probably not best suited to the unfeasibly large games my inner wargaming ego aspires to!

But for this game with no more than 4 - 5 brigades per side, the game fairly hummed along and was very satisfying. Despite the complexity the game can deliver in terms of decisions and outcomes, the rules are clearly written, logical in order, and absolutely rules lawyer tight!

Next up was Valour & Fortitude (V&F), which can be thought of as a streamlined version of Black Powder (BP), so I probably should have refreshed myself on BP first, but hey ho!

V&F is specifically designed to fit on four sheets of paper and allow big games to be played fast, so this small game was not a fair test - once again a very fast game. I was alert for short cuts that detracted from a period or campaign feel, but could not find any issues. As the author, Jervis Johnson, believes the essential body of V&F can cover much more than Napoleonic's, and I like big games, I have a lot invested in liking these rules. 

But I honestly tried to find fault. The only possible criticism is that the sequencing takes a bit of getting used to. For example if you fire with a unit, it can't then move or rally. And it easy to get carried away and forget the initial 'Fate Card' phase. But all that will come with practice. Again logically laid out and clearly written with no room for lawyerly quibbles.

The third and final game was a return to Black Powder, once my absolute Napoleonic go-to, but not now played for years. I was reminded there's a lot to love in this simple and straightforward ruleset that again delivered a fast and fun game without any historical 'that ain't right' wrinkles...The specially designed Epic Waterloo version gives you three options for playing in Epic scale - keep the distances as is, halve in inches, or convert to centimeters. I halved in inches, and it worked just fine.

Left to my own devices these are the perfect set of rules - when played by those who are more interested in the history and the scenario than ferreting out loopholes to win at all costs. To put it as kindly as I can, these rules were not designed for competitive play, and are a rule's lawyer's dream! 

So, for what its worth, to sum up, all three rules can be easily made to work in Epic scale. To choose between really depends on the size of game and who you play with:

Lasalle 2: Tactically the richest, Rules Lawyer proof, but not fast play so limited in scope to Divisional sized games.

V&F: Fast, acceptably authentic game play, Rules Lawyer proof, infinitely scalable to Army sized games. 

BP: Fast, fun and acceptably authentic game play, scalable to Corps sized games, but subject to rules lawyering frustrations. Probably the best set for solo play. 

Black Powder: The improbable battle of Mussen

 

As a meeting engagement, aside from His Venerableness' garrisons, both sides' infantry and artillery arrive in column of march, guns limbered. Only the respective light cavalry screens are deployed.

The French commander, Marshal Ma Foie de la Touche Froid, realises that he must strengthen his right if he is to achieve overwhelming superiority close to the bridge and fords.

However hasty redeployment is never easy in the face of the foe and several brigades simply head towards the nearest enemy!

However these early blunders are not confined to the French: An Austrian brigades advances upon the French centre whilst in March Column, and several Russian battalions simply will not or cannot deploy out of March Column!

They say victory goes to the side that makes fewest mistakes - today competition is fierce...

 but the French with their better Staff Ratings get their stuff together first...

They mass against the Coalition centre...

A succession of charges is met with indifferent closing fire, even from the massed Russian batteries!

The French columns shoulder aside the artillery and blow torch through the Russian lines to split the Coalition line. The road to the bridge is clear!

Epic Black Powder ACW: Chance Encounter!

For this Sunday's Solo game I wanted to devise an exciting and randomised battle with an unpredictable flow of reserves building up the battle in ad-hoc fashion. So not at all a historical battle, although set in the eminently ancient and mysterious realm of the Lower Miskatonic Valley...

The objective for both armies was to occupy the small town of Harrison's Ford, which was split up into three discreet building blocks.

Adapted from Flames of War rules, the arrival of reinforcing brigades and artillery battalions would likely determine the course of the battle...

Each side started with a single infantry brigade on table. (Note to self - must paint up some Cav!)

Unsurprisingly, both Brigade Commanders made a beeline for the town. With both formations in march column on roads, the fact that the Union commander had a Staff Rating of seven, one less than his Confederate counterpart, didn't affect things at this stage.

Indeed, the Union were initially much more successful with their reserve rolls - by the end of Turn 2 the single Rebel Bde was outnumbered 3:1! It had however beaten the Bluebellies to the punch and occupied the northern third of the town.

But then the Confederate reserves started to turn up too.

The Union, braving devastating enveloping fire whilst remaining in march column, managed to occupy the centre portion of town.

But rebel reserves arrived at exactly the right place to occupy the southern portion of town.

This forced the Union troops in the open to adopt the unrewarding tactic of exchanging fire with the rebels ensconced in stone buildings!

The Union hurried up their artillery to Dunwich hill, hoping to bombard the northern side of town...

But couldn't get sufficient space for overhead fire.

The rifle firefight was general and heated, but it wasn't going to evict the Rebs from town!

Eventually the Union deployment shook out sufficiently for the guns to deploy and range in...

But by this time dusk was falling over the Lower Miskatonic Valley and the eerie whippoorwill cries were heard as the musketry fell off. Lines were shortened, sentries posted, the wounded brought in, and coffee brewed. The fate of Harrison's Ford would be decided another day!

Black Powder: Salamanca - Los Hermanos

Its not often my Sunday Solo games are inspired by the label on a bottle of wine, but we are in the process of culling our wine cellar. I had been hoping to save this one to celebrate an unfeasibly large Battle of Salamanca mega game, but this 2015 vintage found in a $5 bin is unlikely to age into anything more than what the French navy calls 'Pinard'! Hence a less grand game would do!

This small game of Black Powder is based on a tiny segment of the Battle of Salamanca that took place early on in the piece between 'Los Hermanos' - the brothers, the Greater and Lesser Arapiles hillocks. Gen. Cole's 4th Division occupied the Lesser Arapile, supported by Pack's Portuguese Bde. Gen. Brennier's just beat the Allies to occupy the Greater Arapile. He will support Gen. Clausel's attack on the Lesser Arapile...Hopefully before Le Marchant's Dragoons arrive to set things right....

This is how it translated to a 6 x 4 table - these days I tend to represent elevations in two dimensions just using coloured felt on my terrain mats. What these lack in visual impact they make up for in clarity and ease of use!

At the top left below we see the two Brigades of Brennier's 6th ID on the elevation, and nearer to the camera the two brigades of Clausel's 2nd ID. These don't activate until Turn 3.

Pack's Portuguese Brigade:

Ellis's Brigade of Coles' Division. The merged light companies should actually be the fearsome Brunswick Oels Jaegers...one day...

The actual Lesser Arapile is not exactly held in strength: Anson's Brigade. Again the 95th are standing in for the 5/60th Royal Americans...At least they are wearing the right colour! 

Le Marchant's Brigade of Heavy Dragoons is in 'delayed reserve' so may arrive by turn 3, but definitely by turn 6...if the Allies can hold out that long!

Brennier wastes little time in advancing, although one Brigade mucks up its orders somewhat!

They get there next turn... 

And catch Pack's brigade still in march column!

This didn't end well for the Portuguese...

Anson's Brigade had time to deploy properly...

But Ellis had the same orders SNAFU as Pack!

The French arrive on scene to take advantage frighteningly quickly!

Despite taking heavy casualties from Allied musketry the French attack columns set about rolling up Pack's Brigade from front and flank!

The Oels Jaegers are also caught in March Column but manage to survive the initial impact and get into a disordered line!

Just as the Allies seem to be stabilising the situation, Clausel's Division looms over the horizon!

And is directed to attack both sides of the Lesser Arapile.

The Allies now have a real fight on their hands - when will those Dragoons arrive?

Attack upon attack push the thin red line ever backwards...

Pack's Brigade is no more and Ellis's is barely holding on...

With no sign of the relieving Dragoons General Cole decides to relinquish both Arapiles to the French - for now...