On the 22nd of September, I took part in our first tournament using the FOG Napoleonic rules. We have been using these as a replacement for the Lasalle rules. However due to the very mixed up way the rules are set out in the book, when we have a game there seems to be more questions unanswered rather than answered. Also I am a native English speaker, so hats off to my Spanish friends for making sense of them better than I can. I have played a few games already but it has been quite sporadic and due to concentrating on My Gettysburg Rules. I still managed to get a sneaky practice match in the night before at my local club against Salvador's Russians.
It was an early start the next morning, having to get up at six o'clock to travel to Alcoy. We had 8 players in our tournament, and also there was a small tournament of Napoleon at War being played and another club Estandarte were recreating the Battle of Albuera.
For this tournament I decided to use my British, I used the BEF to Walcheren army list due to it letting me field 2 British Mixed Divisions. My first opponent was Danny with his French, We rolled for initiative and I was the defender. I managed to select a second road and so was able to place my Line of Communication in a corner.
Danny deploys his French Army on a wide frontage with two units of cavalry on his right flank.
As his centre troops move forward, his cavalry begin their flanking manouvre around the and over the hills. My flank is quite weak to meet this threat with 2 small units of light Infantry and a unit of KGL Hussars.
Upon seeing the French cavalry come thundering over the hill, both infantry units go into square, and the KGL Hussars form line to protect my flank and rear. Also Danny unlimbers two artillery batteries to fire on my squares while his cavalry unit waits for their chance.
The KGL Hussars evade to a hill and then countercharge, but the French are too strong and rout them.
The KGL manage to rally behind my reserve infantry unit, but the French are now well and truly behind my lines.
My two squares on my left flank have been finally destroyed and I have to form squares with my centre infantry units to ward of the victorious French Cavalry.
This is the last picture which I took of the game, my KGL attempted once again to charge but were heavily defeated and routed. The remaining British squares with no cavalry support were quite helpless, and my first game ended in defeat.
Playing Danny in the first game was a bitter sweet experience, it was good because he has a great understanding of the rules and so I learn´t alot, but bad because also he is a very good player.
the score was Danny 22 and myself a miserable 3
My second game was against Jose and his French Guard, again I was the defender but this time I was luckier with the river stretching to my side of the board and it was impassable. Again my line of cummunication was in the corner, but with having a secure right flank next to the river, I was able to strengthen my left flank.
Jose, short of cavalry deployed his force as a battering ram marching straight down the road. I thought I might be able to alleviate the pressure by attacking his unprotected right flank. However due to the rule of the defender not being able to cross the halfway line straight away. He was able to react to the threat.
Danny deploys his French Army on a wide frontage with two units of cavalry on his right flank.
As his centre troops move forward, his cavalry begin their flanking manouvre around the and over the hills. My flank is quite weak to meet this threat with 2 small units of light Infantry and a unit of KGL Hussars.
Upon seeing the French cavalry come thundering over the hill, both infantry units go into square, and the KGL Hussars form line to protect my flank and rear. Also Danny unlimbers two artillery batteries to fire on my squares while his cavalry unit waits for their chance.
The KGL Hussars evade to a hill and then countercharge, but the French are too strong and rout them.
The KGL manage to rally behind my reserve infantry unit, but the French are now well and truly behind my lines.
My two squares on my left flank have been finally destroyed and I have to form squares with my centre infantry units to ward of the victorious French Cavalry.
This is the last picture which I took of the game, my KGL attempted once again to charge but were heavily defeated and routed. The remaining British squares with no cavalry support were quite helpless, and my first game ended in defeat.
Playing Danny in the first game was a bitter sweet experience, it was good because he has a great understanding of the rules and so I learn´t alot, but bad because also he is a very good player.
the score was Danny 22 and myself a miserable 3
My second game was against Jose and his French Guard, again I was the defender but this time I was luckier with the river stretching to my side of the board and it was impassable. Again my line of cummunication was in the corner, but with having a secure right flank next to the river, I was able to strengthen my left flank.
Jose, short of cavalry deployed his force as a battering ram marching straight down the road. I thought I might be able to alleviate the pressure by attacking his unprotected right flank. However due to the rule of the defender not being able to cross the halfway line straight away. He was able to react to the threat.
In the centre Jose's cavalry lead the attack, with my Impetous light Dragoons advancing up the road to meet them.
Unfortunately my Light Dragons were no match against the Guard cavalry, my infantry had to form square and with the french cavalry threatening my artillery flank on the hill, I had to abandon the guns. Due to having to break for dinner and finishing the game to schedule, I was defeated but only marginally, I put up a better show this time resistance but due to Jose's Guard troops being able to roll 1 or 2's again he had the upper hand.
The score for the second match was Jose 15 and myself 10 so slowly improving.
My last game was against Javier and his French army, this time I decided to forget about choosing hills and placed rough and difficult terrain instead. I placed my Light infantry out in front with my line infantry in support and my cavalry protecting my flanks.
Javier advanced but found the going slow through the difficult terrain, also my heavy artillery began t take effect on his infantry columns.
With stalemate between our 2 cavalry units on my left flank, his infantry in the centre began to cause a blockage, his troops began to waver, so I began to advance my second line forward.
My right flank was not faring so well and my light dragoons were once again routed, although Javier's victorius cavalry had been given a bloody nose and needed to reform.
His cavalry begin to make a nuisance of themselves, but before they could charge it was time to finish the game.
The result was 14 to Javier and myself 11
The overal results were
1. Danny's French Army 51 points
2. Salvador's Russian Army 45 points
3. Sergio's Spanish Army 45 points
4. Juan's Polish Army 42 points
5. Toni's Russian Army 36 points
6. Javiers French Army 32 points
7. Jose's French Army 25 points
8. My British Army holding up the rest with 24 points.
The good news is with coming last I had first go in the raffle and won the first prize (I think ).
Picture of the winner Danny in the centre with runners up Salva on his right and Sergio to his left.
I have started to get a better understanding of how FOG plays, and for me as in Lasalle it will be a challenge to see if the game can simulate what actually happened with tactics and formations on the napoleonic battlefield. I just need to cut and paste the rulebook into more logical sections.
If you would like to see more pictures of the FOG N Tournament or the Napoleon at War tournament or the excellent recreation of the Battle of Albuera please go to http://jornadasnapoleonicas.blogspot.com.es/p/fotos.html
Finally thanks to everyone for taking part and special thanks to the organisers who put in a lot of hard work into making the event such a success.
