Here is one (or two) I forgot earlier.

In all the excitement of having a Chain of Command weekend a couple of things got left behind, the main one of which was a game I had the Thursday before. Julian Lopez, who is the World Champion at Art de la Guerre Ancient/Medieval rules and a local when not travelling, emailed and asked if I was up for a game during the Holidays not ADLG but a new set by the same people, my French can get me a coffee, beer or directions to the train station but I think they were Battle (for) Europe, the English language version is not out yet.

Anyway I turned up and we were fighting a game based loosely on the Battle of Fleurus in 1794, I was the Austrians and Julian the French, it was a simple stand up fight with the basic rules. The units generally had four stands with single figures depicting skirmishers, the Austrians had none but they did have battalion guns, the cavalry were either six or eight figures if memory serves, each division had a leader and there was an overall commander. You put an order chit down for your division, Attack, Hold, Reserve etc. and normally you take it in turn to move a division, there are ways to activate all your divisions before the enemy. You also roll for 'pips' and these determine how many units within the division you can move, this is also reflected in the troop and commander quality. Combat is quite simple and brief, once you reach so many casualties depending on the type of unit it disperses i.e. 2 for skirmishers, 4 for infantry, movement is equally simple and fluid and you get a ruler with the game.

The game is designed to be played in three hours so it will fit in well with ADLG which is a very popular competition game, which is why Julian is World Champion and not simply UK champion, it is also played on a 4x2 foot area. How it would scale up for some of the larger Napoleonic battles I don't know, also I like a nice, big table with nice terrain, this does not seem to be a priority on the competition scene for obvious reasons. I enjoyed the game and would play again, I wouldn't invest in it though, it is just not for me nor do I need another period.

How did the game go you ask, well sit back and I'll tell you. my first look at the table found me thinking I would advance my right against a hill and wood which the French would obviously sit on or in, I intended simply to shoot them out of the terrain. I would hold in the centre and left. Julian obviously intended to overwhelm me and came on at a good pace, as the smoke settled I found my centre had held and my left had roundly defeated the French opposite, it was time to roll up the enemy line as his right hand division retreated. I found that my command throws were not good throughout the game and I got an inordinate number of 1's, also my cavalry had left its elan back in Vienna and failed to beat their opponents in several charges despite outnumbering them. Overall however my infantry in the centre held and my boys on the left were victorious and opened up the French flank. Time was up and as the points were added up it was a full on Austrian victory. Now as the points were added up it at first seemed there was not much in it, but looking from a generals point of view the French were definitely on the way out with their centre shattered and their right retreating, well that of course was from my viewpoint.

The battle begins.

The French come on in the same old style.

My centre about to be tested.

French attack halted and my left advances.

I finished up a couple of Charlie Foxtrot minefields after the village, I had seen these on Colin's site and simply took the idea from there, a shell hole, barbed wire and although you get loads of signs in the pack I printed some off in colour. I had made up some cardboard pieces with barbed wire but found them to be rubbish bases, these were to double as a minefield and hasty defenses, Colin kindly cut me some MDF to use instead, I will get round to these later.

I am very busy with maps at the moment and have a large project to finish so have got several wargame issues on hand, the King Tiger, the Wirbelwind and three MDF kits from Sarrisa for the Ostfront just to add some diversity (10 points for slipping that word in). I have had to build the Wirbelwind turret and paint the crew first before getting on with painting the full vehicle otherwise with the slanted turret it would have been impossible or a complete mess. Hoping to get back to 'normal' in a week or so.

No club last night either, again due to having to do some 'overtime' on the Atlas project, Club annual meal on Friday then Bolt Action next Tuesday if all goes to plan.