Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

Gentleman,

I've just joined the French Army and am currently training with monsiur Paul Pratt. We are using the BG series, but I would like to acquire the HPS series in the very near future. Which of the six games is the best bang for your buck to begin the series in terms of scenarios and campaigns? Thanks in advance!!

Cadet Gary Whalen
La Grande Armee.

Hi Gary and welcome to the glorious legions of France
I would recommend HPS Austerlitz. It is the latest in the series.
Salute!

_________________
Marechal Knox

Prince d'Austerlitz et Comte d'Argentan
Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur

"What is history but a fable agreed upon"

Hmmm, I wonder why the Commanding Officer of the Old Guard Chasseurs a Cheval would choose that particular title. Oh yes, now I remember, the cavalry is the most deadly in HPS Austerlitz and it represents the very pinnacle of the French achievement....and it is also the newest title.

Well, far be it from me as a lowly Lt. Colonel of the dowdy, Germanic mercenaries blindly serving the Lords of London to gainsay a noble Frenchman in his instructions to one of France's newest cadets.

But seriously, Gary, I do think it would be a relative toss up between Austerliz and Waterloo. The Waterloo game is the most popular according to the latest club records that I have seen, but the Austerlitz game is the newest and there will be future titles that will build upon that model. The Austerlitz designer, Bill Peters, is a very active member of our club and definitley produces a good game. I don't think you can go wrong with either title, actually any of them for that matter as I bought them all, but Austerlitz is perhaps the best start as familiarity with it will make for an easier transition to future titles when released.

And might I just add that it is very refreshing to see new French cadets who actually utilize this forum. A round of applause for Cadet Whalen! Do be sure to stop by the old tavern once you receive your official commission in La Grande Armee for, as tradition has it, you are buying that day. I certainly would not want to miss that. I usually show up very thirsty.

Both titles are robust and have plenty of scenarios. You would enjoy Austerlitz for its diversity and Waterloo for its depicting the most popular battle in the Napoleonic period. Buy them both!

Mark - actually the French cav in Eckmuhl/Wagram is probably the best in the series. They are robust in strength and dragoons (not many) rated as heavy instead of light as per 1805-06. NRC has a good cavalry force as well but the French cavalry suffered a lot of losses so they are not as strong.

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Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Prinz Peters von Dennewitz

3. Husaren-Regiment, Reserve-Kavallerie, Preußischen Armee-Korps

Honarary CO of Garde-Ulanen Regiment, Garde-Grenadier Kavallerie

NWC Founding Member

For Club Games: I prefer the Single Phase mode of play. I prefer to play with the following options OFF:

MDF, VP4LC, NRO, MTD, CMR, PR, MIM, NDM, OMR (ver 4.07)

Gentlemen,


Thank you for very much for such quick responses. It seems Austerlitz would be the way to go, initially. I also play CNAW (Commander Napoleon at War)...not sure how popular it is here at the club? But it's a lot of fun and there is a decent tactical as well as a strategical element to it. How popular, or should I say, unpopular, is the BG Series here? is there a decent following?
Lt. Colonel Jones, Sir, I must say I appreciate your kind words and upon "official" entry into the club drink will be on me. In fact, I hope you enjoy Whiskey!!!



Cadet Gary Whalen
La Grande Armee

Oh good another CNaW player! There are two of us allied players who are playing it right now! We are trying to expand the number of people who play it....

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Generalfeldmarschall Scott Kronprinz "Vorwärts" Ludwig von Preußen
Kommandeur des Königlich-Preußischen Armee-Korps
Chief of Staff (CoS) of the Allied Coalition
Allied Coalition Webmaster & Club Website Support

Bill - Whereas I do in fact own all of the HPS and BG titles, I must admit that I have never really played Eckmuhl or Wagram (or much of Jena for that matter...ooopps, sorry Bill). I do need to expand my horizons, I admit. Really more a matter of available time than anything else. As for Austerlitz, well GdD Knox was on the other end of the cavalry I faced there. Let's just say he made an impression. If we talk about it much more than that, I am afraid that I will have to revert to the heavy drinking and banging myself senseless on the tavern's oaken tables again.

Cadet Whalen, to answer your question about the BG series, there are several players who still enjoy those titles in this club. HPS is by far the most popular, but you certainly will be able to round up some BG games if that is your preference. I am currently engaged in a wonderful game of Kutusov Turns to Fight with your army's C-in-C at the moment. You know, he moves and kills 10,000 of my Russians, I move and kill 10,000 of his Frenchmen..... At the rate we are going, we will have managed to completely destroy each others army before lunch. All a carefully contrived plan you understand. The fewer soldiers we have come mealtime, the less we have to share. Much more Stolichnaya (Столичная) for me you see!