Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

For you Allies that feel generous can I suggest a simple idea for your next invitation to the French for a Aspern-Essling game:

Fight in COLUMNS as Charles' army did.

This will bring the French back to the table and make the battle seem more like history.

There isnt much that Rich or I can do about the issue of larger Austrian battalians. I have thought of making up a special REGIMENTAL OB for Aspern whereby all of the French are in regiments BUT then you have the issue of LESS units. However, they still get to deploy skirmishers and perhaps that would help but in the long run I dont think you would have much of an advantage as the French. Perhaps HALF regiments ... its a pet project I am thinking of doing but probably sometime in the future ...

But anyway, .... try fighting in Columns and I am sure you will get TONS of Frenchies to fight with.

CAVEAT: I would wait til AFTER we release the next Wagram patch to start up a new Aspern-Essling game as the new Bridge Strength Rule due out for Wagram and the rest of the series (already in Waterloo) is going to screw up any games in progress as alot of the scenarios for the Battle of Aspern-Essling had a bridge value of "5" for some DUMB reason on my part. This would result in you not being able to get the French reinforcements across from Lobau as "5" will not allow even infantry to cross and there (as of yet) are no pioneers to repair the bridges. This HAS been corrected and updated versions of the scenarios are forthcoming. I also will be diligently searching through ALL of EC and WC for any other scenarios where the bridges are present to make sure that they have (where a bridge actually was in existence BEFORE the battle) a value of at least 150 (for wagons and artillery) and that pioneers are added in. Where there is no bridge, pioneers will be added in if they were missing (doubt this but its possible ...). Note: the EC-Landshut scenario (initial attack by Charles) has been looked at and the small bridge will need to be given more strength - probably up to 90 so that only infantry can cross. This will make the battle a bit more interesting for both sides ...

Bill Peters
HPS Napoleonic Scenario Designer (Eckmuhl, Wagram and ... more to come)

[url="http://www.fireandmelee.net"]Fire and Melee Wargame site[/url]

Hi Bill
I recently played and won a Aspern Essling game as the French, but it was the St Cyr arrives early one not historical. I thought it was a fascinating scenario one of the most enjoyable I have played. I do not mind the big Austrian battallions these are all just characteristics of the armies of the period the French army has powerful artillery and cavalry if used well it will balance things up.

Regards
Colin Knox
ADN

Bill,
another solution is to play with Line Movement restriction. This works better when unit quality is lower (quality is pretty high in A-E) but it still can mess up a well laid plan.

And yes, Colin spanked me at Aspern Essling.
regards,

FML Baron Jim Pfluecke
Austrian Cavalry Reserve

Austrian Kavalry Reserve

Good to get some feedback on the games guys. I cant remember if I am playing with LMR ON or not in a couple of current games but I will check. Probably not a bad idea.

Bill Peters
HPS Napoleonic Scenario Designer (Eckmuhl, Wagram and ... more to come)

[url="http://www.fireandmelee.net"]Fire and Melee Wargame site[/url]

I find that LMR really can slow down attacks and make a player cautious. On the other hand, it can make it more difficult to fall back or readjust a defensive line....

I rarely play with it on.
Jim P

Austrian Kavalry Reserve