House Rules - Command and Control mods for Republique

Gaming rule mods of the Day

Some experimental ideas that I will be using for my next solo Napoleonic test game.


Situation :
The Allies have a slight problem. They outnumber the French, but thanks to the superior French command system, the Allies are finding it difficult (if not impossible) to force a combat where they can actually make use of their superior numbers. The French can effectively dance around them, and create local superiority almost every time. Not good :(

Mission :
For the coming battle, the Allies have 2 Corps commands vs a single higher quality French Corps. The Allied plan involves lightly engaging the French with their 1st Corps in a pinning move, and hopefully holding them in that position to allow the 2nd Corps to take their flank with a general assault.

The Problem :
The problem with this plan, is that in the vanilla rules as they are, an engagement is an all or nothing affair. If you engage the enemy at all from an inferior position, you will likely get mauled and lose a lot of men. The battle will be lost before the flanking force has a chance to make contact.

The Solution :
These proposed rule modifications allow for the commander to introduce an intermediate level of engagement, where they can lightly engage the enemy just to pin them down, with a lower risk of too many losses.

As well as this main objective, these mods add some additional game mechanics to provide a more interesting solo game.

IGO-UGO vs Card Driven :
Age old question that one. Card Driven has a lot of advantages for a solo game, as it truly introduces battlefield friction and chaos.  (also gives a fun game).

On the other hand, I do like the feel that IGO-UGO gives when playing at Grand Tactical level. It does 'feel' a bit more like issued orders have a grave importance, when you know that in each passage of game-time, great masses of troops will move inexorably into danger whether you want them to or not.

Anyway, for these modifications, I will be using IGO-UGO as the turn mechanism.

On to the rules then :

15e Legere - Wagram 1809

Regiment of the Day

Today we have the 15th Legere, being the light infantry contingent of the 2nd Division, III Corps - which fought at Wagram in 1809.

Saxon 1st Division - Jena 1806

Division of the Day

Today we look at taking all of the units so far in Grawert's 1st Division, and putting them together to see how they operate on the battlefield.

French III Corps vs Austrians - 1809, Part 2

Battle of the Day

... continued on from Part 1

Opening up today's fighting, the scale time is 1340hrs.

Quite late in the afternoon after the early march.

On the extreme flank, swarms of skirmishers from 2 regiments of Legere close in on the demoralised Austrian regiments and pick them to pieces whilst the main line of lights closes with the bayonet.

In the centre of the fight - unfortunately, whats left of the 17eme Ligne in front of the Austrian artillery is all but destroyed.

On the far extent of the fight, the 61eme Ligne is halted by the Austrians and a minor scuffle develops.

28nn Penny Farthing

Diversion of the Day

Something a little different today ...

A 28mm scale Penny Farthing from Eureka.

French III Corps vs Austrians - 1809

Battle of the Day

Test battle using my new expanded gaming area and terrain boar. Small encounter between a French Corps and a couple of Austrian Corps, set around 1809 sometime.

Played solo using the republique system, running both sides alternately, with different strategies and a little common sense.

I have put my thoughts as the Austrian commander in

Yellow on a black backgroumd.

And thoughts as a French commander in

White on a blue background.

Expanded the gaming area of the shed by a few metres, which has allowed me to make a larger board now. New board is nearly 8' x 6' - just big enough for some larger battles, and offers that little extra room for movement. Nice. 

Got some room by the sunlit window in the corner there for a dedicated photo desk as well - which is a real time saver for making blogger photos of finished units.

OK, situation at the start of this test battle - 0600 hrs the town in the centre is the main objective. The Austrians are defending this with I Corps, and the Advanced Guard Division.

The good pastor and his faithful nieces

Horde of the Day

Today we have a useful addition to any field army from pretty much any period from 50 AD through to the present.

33e Ligne - Wagram, 1809

Regiment of the Day

Today we have the 33eme ligne, which fought as part of Friant's 2nd Division, III Corps, at Wagram 1809.

The return of the Marquis de Chenoncoix (Part 1)

Horde of the Day

Somewhere in Middle Europe, in the mid-1750's ... as the shadows of the day grow longer, men of the regiments of France take up defensive positions around a hamlet and the surrounding farmlands.

Rumours abound that the infamous Marquis de Chenoncoix  has returned from many years in exile to reclaim his ancestral titles.

A period portrait of the Marquis de Chenoncoix.

It was the year 1708 which saw the Marquis de Chenoncoix at the height of his fortunes - known as a pious man, a kind benefactor  to his people, the Marquis was popular, successful and prosperous in every way.

That year he sailed to the East Indies on a goodwill mission to assist the sick and build a lavish home for orphans in that distant land.

Irish Infantry - Bulkeley - Seven Years War

Regiment of the Day

Today we have the Irish (in French Service)

Been looking forward to getting these on the table - a small unit of Irish volunteers under the command of Colonel Bulkeley.

French Infantry - Champagne - Seven Years War

Regiment of the Day

Today we have another excellent French SYW regiment in 15mm. This is infantry regiment No. 2 - Champagne !

French Artillery - Seven Years War

Regiment of the Day

Today we have some more SYW figures finished off - a couple of French Artillery pieces. Huzzah !

48e Ligne - Wagram - 1809

Regiment of the Day

Another French line regiment - 48e Ligne, III Corps, 2nd Division, which fought at Wagram 1809.

61e Ligne - Wagram - 1809

Regiment of the Day

Today we have more III Corps troops - this one is the 61e Ligne, III Corps, 1st Division, which fought at Wagram 1809.

111e Ligne - Wagram - 1809

Regiment of the Day

Today we have 111e Ligne regiment, which fought as part of III Corps, 2nd Division at Wagram 1809.

French Artillery - Medium Foot, Light Horse - Wagram - 1809

Regiment of the Day

Today we have a couple of batteries of French artillery to round out III Corps, 1st Division, at Wagram 1809.

This Division gets 1 battery of medium foot artillery, and 1 battery of light horse artillery.

For this battle, III Corps was strengthened by several elements from the Army level Cavalry Reserve, and so it gets a few more horse batteries than normal.

44eme Ligne - Jena Auerstadt 1806

Regiment of the Day

Today we have some earlier French line infantry in pre-shako times.

The 44eme Ligne, which fought as part of Augereau's VII Corps at the battle of Jena-Auerstadt.

Also useful for all campaigns prior to 1809 - Marengo, Austerlitz, Eylau, etc, etc.

Whilst the typical sight of a 'Napoleonic French Soldier' is common shako wearing troops seen in most collections, this bicorne wearing troop captures  the look of French army that first won glory for Napoleon I, and created the French Empire.

The South Australian Schnargle-Nosed Sand Fly

Monstrosity of the Day

 

The South Australian Schnargle-Nosed Sand Fly.

Scientific Name: Bussirundicus Persistentium

First discovered by in 1824 by Sir Wilfred Carruthers, resident natural scientist on the ship HMS Indulgent. Approaching the Bay of Glenelg, the deck of the HMS Indulgent was set upon by a swarm of Bussirundicus Persistentium, shortly leading to the first recorded fatality from this intriguing insect.

The feature that makes this species of sand fly unique is the very prominent schnargle shaped rotating nose piece. Made from a tough layer of exoskeletal chitin, this unique adaption can rotate independently from the head of the creature, allowing it to bore holes through wood, stone, leather and even tough bone. 

Life sized super sculpy model of the sand fly, showing the schnargle shaped nose attachment distinctive to this species of flying pest.

Since the Schnagle-Nosed Sand Fly only eats dirt and detritus typically found around human settlements, scientists were at first baffled as to what function this unique rotating schnargle shaped nose offered the insect. Whilst the creature routinely drills holes in just about anything it can lay its shnargle shaped nose on, it never uses this for procuring food or assisting in the breeding cycle.

This life-sized model of the sand fly is then painted to match the actual creature, and based on a 40x30mm base to act as a flyer element for a HoTT army.

After many years of intensive study, it was concluded that the function of this biological adaption purely serves to make the insect even more annoying than is usual for a fly.

Like all native Australian insects, the South Australian Schnargle-Nosed Sand Fly is deadly poisonous, and immune to all known insecticides.

A rare Hi-Speed video capture of the Schnargle Nosed sand fly in flight. (Click the image to play the video)

Famous Archers

Horde of the Day

Its always useful to have a few extra figures sitting in the odds and ends pile to experiment with and try out new ideas.

This is a batch of archers that I have had sitting in the queue for months now, gathering dust, which I thought it would be time to finish off.

Regiment Picardie - France - Seven Years War

Regiment of the Day

Today we have another Seven Years War regiment - this time the French.  Starting from the list on Kronoskaf, No.1 French regiment is Picardie, so Picardie it is !

Prussian IR 2 - Von Kanitz - Seven Years War

Regiment of the Day

Today we have another Seven Years War unit - Prussian IR 2, Von Kanitz.

Orc Behemoth

Monstrosity of the Day

15mm Behemoth element for HoTT.

Just a quick one - a pair of 28mm Orcs on a 40x40 base, to add a Behemoth element to a 15mm HoTT Orc army.

Gold Tooth !

First little foray into this scale - very enjoyable, but obviously a little more work than 15mm. Maybe I can be tempted into getting some Calpe or Eureka Napoleonic 28's soon ???  In the meantime, I have some other 28s coming along for some projects for the shop. Will post that when they get finished off.

Orcish Riders and Knights

Horde of the Day

Some more Orcs finished off today - mounted riders, and chariots including the Generalissimo.

Orcish Warband and Hero

Horde of the Day

Today we have a small diversion ... a small unit of Orcish warband and a Hero / General unit to lead them out of the darkness to raid and plunder quaint 18th Century villages.