Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

We challenge the armies of the Coalition to engage the 1st and 2nd Company of V Corps' Bataillon de Honneur upon the battle map of Quatre Bras/Ligny (019.QB_Ligny_v1).
The Bataillon is comprised of two three player teams looking for a similar team from the Coalition. The general concept is that a senior officer will command the team with subordinate officers controlling the actual conduct of the battle in their designated sectors in accordance with direction from the team commander.

Our companies are composed of GEN Sands, LTC Reaves & CPT Barden and GEN Purcell, LTC Hoedl and CPT Fogato. Marechal Lambert may serve as an alternate as needed. In replying - specify which team you wish to engage

Preferred Optional Rules: All checked On except for Manual Defensive Fire, Optional Fire Results, Partial Retreats, Optional Melee Results, Multiple Infantry Melees and Rout Limiting. Open to negotiations on these rules and others to include embedded melee.

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Maréchal d'Empire Theron Lambert
Grand-duc de Montereau et Duc d'Angers

I suppose I would have the same question to V Corps as I posed to IV Corps. Since you have selected the scenario, do the Coalition officers get to choose the side they will play?

Salute!

I would propose the following: When one joins the club you were presented the option of which army and cause you wished to enlist with.

It was at that point that the choice was made by individual players concerning which side you were most likely to be playing during games.

OR, am I to believe that the Coalition armies are simply full of players who desire to play the French?

I can tell you with certainty that if I had the desire to play the Coalition side during games I would cheerfully have joined the aristocratic cause when I joined the club.
But I most certainly did not!

Every time a French player or team challenges the opposition to a game must we be bombarded with "we will only play you if we can play as the armee of Napoleon"?

Spare us I entreat you.

If you desire to participate among the ranks of La Grande Armee, the side of superior command and control, of quality and superior deployments, then here is the enlistment paperwork you need to change the uniform you wear.

I do not think that the scenarios typically chosen by the French side are overwhelmingly in favor of La Grande Armee.
We do not sit in Pierre's and pick out only those scenarios which guarantee us a victory on the battle maps, with the hope that there is a dupe out there who will take us up on it.

Not every scenario is perfectly balanced in every aspect.
These are military simulations.
And events of a military nature are most usually not of the balanced kind, as a great deal of effort is performed by the various military commanders to ensure that their side has an advantage of some sort or another.

This is a historical military simulations club, not the local chess club (which I do like to play!).

I do feel that a majority of these game and scenarios do provide an opportunity for each side to win.

Of course every player's personal level of skill will play a determining factor in this too.
Do we limit the seeding of challenges in this club, so that only pre-determined players of like skill sets play one another? After all, this would be the only balanced way to play these games, and to ensure that the number of victories obtained by players were true reflections of their skill and not simply the bad form of running up the score as it were against an obviously weaker opponent.

Maybe the Coalition side can draw up a list of games/scenarios that they will play as Coaltion armies and send it via carrier pigeon to Pierre's Tavern, so that such a working list may help us more easily find opponents.

Or, as I said before, come to Pierre's and ask for a new set of enlistment papers, we will sign you up on the side of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity immediately.

Regards,

Sign me up, I can always learn new things.

This is a club, right? A place where people meet with common interests and enjoy the pleasure of each others company!

Good, then I am sure I will learn some new things!

I actually like playing any side. I would be equally comfortable in any uniform our club has to offer. I happen to be an Anglo-Allied officer by circumstance more than anything else. The fact that I embrace my Hanoverian personae is simply role playing and my concept of leadership. It has nothing whatsoever to do with any need to be Hanoverian over anything else. I am an absolute neutral in this regard.

To be honest, I have not looked at the balance of this scenario. I do recall that the BGW scenario of this name does heavily favor the French, but other than being a vague reference point in my mind, it really should not apply at all the HPS scenario.

In truth, Todd, the question I am asking is a standard one that I always ask when my opponent selects a scenario. If my opponent says "Yes, I would be willing to play either side", I take that as a good sign. Now, it does not mean that I might not choose to play the Coalition anyway, but it does prove to me that my opponent is willing to take the same risk that he is asking of me.

The difference in these Battalion d' Honor games is that you fellows are actually throwing them out into the public view as a contest for the honor of our respective armies. That places a lot more focus on the outcome. You are seeking publically proclaimed 'bragging rights' as it were. This is quite different from a one on one game that is quietly conducted. These 'public games for the honor of the army' are the very realms in which I think play balance is critical. If you want to play the French side so badly, why not commit to that and let the Coalition officers choose the field? That is what you are asking of us. Are you willing to reciprocate the selection and take the same risk for yourselves? That is all that I am asking.

I see 'Die Ratte" has a good attitude about this. That is a very good course to follow in general. Always have fun. If you fellows are enjoying yourselves, that is really all that matters anyway. I am all for it. That is what our club should be about anyway.

Salute!

Yes, playing for fun!
Yes, role-playing!

There is nothing more nefarious than these two principles at work here, in the challenges, etc.

Role-playing as a Bataillon d'Honneur.
We tossed down a gauntlet on a proffered field of battle, and the Coalition role-players can accept or not.

And the Coalition can counter propose as they so desire.

It is a process of negotiation to be sure.

Pause, as the Tirailleur looks for the omnipresent green bottle of der Huntsmaster's liquor...

All while subtly sliding a set of parchment papers across the table.

Regards,

Speaking as the designated organizer for the V Corps Bataillon d' Honneur we are indeed willing to entertain other options put forward. Several of our members do not have all of the games, but all do have Waterloo and Twin Battles lends itself to an MP battle better than most hence it was suggested. We can do full historical version 18 or we can put a team together (although the team might have to be altered based on game owners) for Jena-Auerstaedt (probably "The Russians are Coming" variant to provide more power for the Allied side), or Austerlitz, etc.

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Maréchal d'Empire Theron Lambert
Grand-duc de Montereau et Duc d'Angers

Most excellent, gentlemen, that is exactly what I like to hear. All sound reasoning and a willingness to negotiate. Those are honorable rules of engagement.

I must admit that I am tempted myself, particularly since one of my own officers has stepped up to the plate. My problem is that I have so many other obligations to perform for this club, and my time is so very limited. I feel like I need to get my work done before I can play, but like everyone else, playing is what I would really prefer to do.

Hmmm, the Hanoverian Officer thinks to himself as he follows the furtive glance of the French General of Tirailleurs. His eyes narrow just a bit as the French officer's gaze settles on his beloved bottle of Jagermeister. Could it be, he puzzles? No, surely not, the French constitution cannot well tolerate a beverage so powerful. Still, he thinks as he recognizes the anticipation lurking in the Frenchman's eyes.

The subtle sliding of papers across the tabletop in his direction does not go unnoticed either. The briefest glance confirms his suspicion of their nature, as he has often seen them proffered before by Marechal Bardon and General Knox. Looking at the papers, and then back again to the focused gaze of his French companion, he begins to grin as an old, but ever present, thought flashes across his mind. Glancing down at the table leg beside his chair, he confirms the presence of the Anglo-Allied brief always carried by the Army's Chief of Staff. Well aware of the contents of the brief, he begins to smile in a most friendly manner.

"General Schmidgall, my apologies sir. It would seem that I have been remiss in my hospitality today. Would you be so kind as to share this bottle of Jagermeister with me? The consumption of it is so much more enjoyable when shared with such good company as yourself. Helga, a clean glass for the good, French General please. He and I have much to discuss, and we are bound to develop a mighty thirst while doing so,"

My apologies, gentlemen!
Let me to break into your noble company with just my bottle of good, old vodka.
But for our dessert I have a bunch of custom scenarios: historical and WhatIf?, balanced and not.
May be, they're useful for something here... .

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General-Feldmarshal Prince Vladimir N. Repnin
Imperial Russian Corps Commander
Prince Braine-Le Comte & The Adjutant-General of His Imperial Majesty
Chevalier Guards Regiment