Thomas Whitfield wrote:
I seem to have a bit more time on my hands, since a couple of ongoing games have slowed a bit. I am interested in using the new optional rule: Push Skirmishers. I own all the games, but I do not want to upgrade Bautzen or Leipzig.
According to the 2024 Department of Records these are the most popular scenarios that I would be most interested in:
#22H. The Battle of Austerlitz (HTH)
037 Waterloo - Historical
I would also be interested in, 8H. The Battle of Wagram - Historical and I was surprised to see that it has been labeled as a medium size battle.
Overall, I am open to all battles, but I am hoping that the most popular played tend to be more balanced playing head-to-head.
Attached are the proposed optional rules (but I am flexible).
Thank you,
Sir,
My OR vision is in line with yours, with a minor exception regarding the Line Movement Restriction setting, which I prefer to disable in order to promote a more balanced interplay between firepower and melee doctrines. When this rule is enabled, players tend to avoid deploying in line formation (except in static defence), relying instead on columns, which often turns the battle into a melee grinder. While I agree with the historical rationale that lines are vulnerable to disorder, I believe this is already sufficiently accounted for by the Movement Threat mechanic, which we both agree should be enabled.
Additionally, I would like to propose a simple house rule: not to deploy artillery in obstructed terrain. This is justified both historically and practically. Historically, batteries required open ground for deployment and avoided wooded or obstructed areas to reduce the risk of splinter and fire damage when under counterfire. Practically, placing artillery in obstructed terrain—stacked with an infantry battalion—makes it virtually immune to cavalry and musket fire, effectively turning the hex into a WWII style bunker with crazy FP. Such a position can only be taken by massed melee, again encouraging melee-centric tactics and contradicts the historical narrative of NOT having field artillery batteries systematically placed in villages towns or moreover woods which physically cannot be done, for many reasons including ammo resupply problems and lack of repositioning options.
As for the scenario, I am open to any of the battles you mentioned, or others of your choosing. In fact, I would be eager to take it a step further and suggest the Wagram Campaign (or even the full 1809 Campaign). I’ve never played that one from either side (or havent even opened it from what I recall) so it would be coming with a total “fog of war” experience for me— taking the quality of the simulation to the next level.
I don’t have side preferences and do not mind playing a scenario/campaign which is unbalanced.
NWC
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