NapoFoW Armies in Action

Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 174

I can't really call this an After Action Report because I wasn't there for the battle, but here are some French & Austrians based up for NapoFoW as we're doing it around here. The game was between our local Napoleonics authority and his son. (each pair of medium bases is a division here):

Field of Battle

French Deployment

Austrian Deployment

Cavalry Face Off

French Cavalry Flee

French Advance

French Assault - Turn 2

Austrians Fall Back - Turn 2

Austrian Reserves Arrive

Austrian Counter Attack - Turn 2

French Retreat

French Go on the Defensive

French Reserves Arrive

French Flank Attack - Turn 3

Austrian - Turn 3

Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 55 Location: Washington

What rules did you use?

Great jobs!!

The only problem is, I am more on a 1to1 gamer and I would use a LOT more miniatures.

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:16 pm

Sweet! What rules???

Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 55 Location: Washington

Yeah, I think a division seems to be a bit much. I use more around what each figure represents. But that is because as of now, I dont use anything really similar to FOW. But I am going to in the future. So, are those 25mm? I just bought around 400 figs for only 40 bucks!!! They are the plastic kind from Imex and italiri!

Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 174

I wish I could say which rules were used in that game, but I wasn't there.
I'm pretty certain that its not specifically one posted here, though it may have some similarities.

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 2:50 am

Am I the only one who can't get the pictures to work?

Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 55 Location: Washington

No they dont work for me either.

Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 174

That's what happens when you reorganize your photobucket account.
They're fixed now. Thanks for the heads up.

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:11 am

Thanks. They look quite civilised, SAH!

Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 89 Location: Naples, Fl

First of all, let me say I am hesitant to appear critical, as I would hate to discourage anyone's participation at this time.
That said, this is a very nice table with great minis, and possibly the rules used are perfect for the game scale, but I have to say I would prefer more figures in play. One artillery piece representing a Grand Battery just doesn't cut it for me. However, if this battle was a couple of battalions of infantry, a squadron of cavalry, and a battery of artillery squaring off against each other, I would say it looks perfect. I think this is a good starting point to inspire us to continue looking for the NapoFOW formula.

Once again, loved the minis and the terrain. And yellow artillery?.........hmmmmm........cool, makes me think I need to consider Austrians. Wink

Don

Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 174

I believe - - - and again, I wasn't there for this game (or any of the games using the rules he's developing) - - - that each pair of two medium bases represents a division. I think its a smallish sample game - perhaps similar to what a 600 pt game of FoW would be like. As I understand it, he's wanting to play full army or army wing sized battles, though the basing could represent much smaller scales if desired.

This game looks like two divisions and a regiment of cavalry per side. I suspect the guns represnt divisional level guns, but Grognard can say for sure (they're his figures and his game).

Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 3:01 am

I would have loved to have seen 8 or even 10 infantry per base for more "oomph". It's beautiful as is, but all that air between figures bothers me.

Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 55 Location: Newcastle Australia

Battle Report

To date I have player two games using the ‘Victory in the Ages rules’. The Victory rules were the original set and not the up dated set by Cheltenham.

There was very little terrain use so that we could play the game and check out the movement, shooting and motivation.

The set up:
Side 1:- 3 Battalions of Austrian Line infantry with 2 companies of Light infantry attached to two of the battalions supported by two ‘elite’ battalions (1 Battalion of Austrian Light infantry and 1 battery of Light artillery). Points 740
Side 2:- 1 Battalion of French Light infantry, 3 ‘German’ Battalions with 2 companies of Light infantry attached to two of the battalions and one ½ battery of artillery. Points 735, the French were costed at 150 points for 3 companies.

Game 1

The Austrians advance

The French advance

The Austrians engage the Bavarian battalion and are beat and fall back

Superior fire power from the French Light infantry supported by a ‘German’ battalion devastated the Austrian Light infantry

Game 2. New players and the same figures.
The Austrian set up

The other sides set up.

The Austrian advance

The ‘Germans’ advance

Debrief.
The infantry died easily with their save being only 5+ but I have since discovered that Cheltenham have changed this to 3+. There may have been a typo in the original rule set.

The ‘Germans’ were pushed back during the second game but were able to regroup immediately and in their turn charge a small unit of Austrian Light infantry that was making its way towards the objective.
Suggest adding to rules. The Falling Back units are disorientated (refer to Disorientation rule) and must remain stationary to re-organise and dress ranks before any normal or assault move can be conducted.

Units moved through the little woods and over the walls with ease.
Suggest adding to the rules. Movement penalty for crossing linear obstacles or moving through difficult terrain.

Terrain. As we only wanted to test the fire and move sections of the rules terrain was left to a minimum. The next games will include hills, larger woods and farms or a hamlet.
The woods were provided by the FoW players and are too small for Napoleonic gaming.

Positive fed back for the WWII players. Most had never seen a game set out like this.

Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 117 Location: Cheltenham

All the points you have mentioned are in the new Cheltenham Rules on our website.

We found that troops died far to easy and the game would result in just artillery being left on the field every time. We also focused more on morale to be more like Napoleonic battles.

Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 100 Location: Miami, FL

Looks like an awesome battle!