Quatre Bras

[CoffinDodger]

Gentlemen,

I have just finished reading the following book:

"The Battle of Quatre Bras"
Mike Robinson
The History Press 2009 - 400pp Hardback
ISBN: 978 1 86227 290 3

It is basically a blow-by-blow account of the battle for Les Quatre Bras from the Allied side. It engrossed me. Whilst reading it, I could not but help imagine it being played as a wargame using RtE and I kept thinking how the rules would relate to each part of the engagement: half batteries, cavalry charges on the Allied side that were disastrous, the formation of a square when threatened and the result when this did not happen as planned and the copious use of skirmishers.

RtE fits the bill. The only actions that are not covered by the rules are the formation of composite battalions from those who had suffered extreme casualties which, according to the author, happened twice and the breaking down of a battalion to feed it into a fray company by company (and I don't mean as skirmishers).

I would sincerely recommend that anyone who has a copy of RtE read this. I shall bring it along to the Napoleonic weekend in Scotland and anyone who wishes to read it is welcome to have it as long as they eventually get it back to me.

This is the size of game that RtE was meant to portray. That is my humble opinion and I would love to hear from anyone who has already read this book. Its only failing is that, although taking eight years to write, it presents the action from one side only.

It is also well written and is actually a rattling good read.

Regards,

Jim

[obriendavid]

Gentlemen,
RtE fits the bill. The only actions that are not covered by the rules are the formation of composite battalions from those who had suffered extreme casualties which, according to the author, happened twice and the breaking down of a battalion to feed it into a fray company by company (and I don't mean as skirmishers).
]Jim[/b][/i]

Jim, the rules do cover combining units that have suffered severe casualties and this can either be done before the battle starts or units can combine for forming composite squares. You can feed companies into action when fighting for built up areas but in the main battle line when you are fighting a Division, Corps or Army level game what a specific company does matters very little.
Cheers
Dave

[CoffinDodger]

Dave,

In the book, there are two instances of shattered battalions being formed into "new" fighting units for all purposes. It wasn't a criticism or even a suggestion, it was more a comment on what they were getting up to.

I like RtE as it is and wouldn't want any more detail in it.

Jim

[barr7430]

There is a mechnism is BLB2 for combining squadrons of Horse from the same regiment who have fallen below viable strength. Although a slightly different situation.. that mechanic could be deployed here.
I think it is scenario specific. The fact that it is mentioned at Quatre Bras must have made it somewhat unusual.
Anything can be rolled in to a scenario with a bit of thought so in this case I'd have something 'special' written to deal with the situation.

Good book by the way.. quite an easy read.
Interestingly, I recently bought Uffindell's book the Eagle's last Triumph about Ligny. It is so well written it reads like a novel!
I often flick through books of this nature to find the info I am looking for but this is a page turner!!

.. Amazon £7.99