Which theatre of Naps is most appealing for R2E players?

Questions, chat, feedback and developments relating to REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE... Wargaming the wars of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Which part of the Naps period attracts you most for R2E games?

Revolutionary Period 1790 -1800
4
10%
1800 - 1806 The Austerlitz - Jena period
2
5%
1806-1809 The Wagram Period
4
10%
The Peninsular
10
24%
The Campaign of 1812
7
17%
Befreiungskriege & Fall of France 1813-1814
8
20%
100 Days Campaign 1815
6
15%
 
Total votes: 41
wkeyser
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Post by wkeyser » Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:52 am

David
I don’t think that not a lot of interest in the 1805-1807 is due to an Anglo-Saxon bias. It is just that the French are at their best at that time and it is hard to over come that. The later periods are a little easier as in many ways the armies are more evenly matched.

I prefer the 1796-1797 period in particular the German front. I actually don’t play very much of the latter period, to many guns and conscripts. I like the earlier period where you really see the difference in the doctrine of the armies. In many ways 1806 holds lots of potential, although the French are good, the Prussian have very good troops and the linear doctrine they are using still works for smaller armies, but falls apart when their army gets to big.

The problem is you have the two big battles in situations that are the worst possible for a linear army, Jena with lots of broken ground with woods and towns breaking up the lines and Auerstadt where the Prussians are trying to deploy from march formations, both the worst possible for the poor Prussians. However, when you get good detailed accounts of the battles you will see the Prussians where tough troops.
William
Anonymous

Post by Anonymous » Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:10 pm

Just what I tried to bring forward. The case seems (to me) to be, that tendencies are in existance to fight the French only when they are almost on their knees.
You can count the peoples by their names if you look for wargamers who like to play Russian, Prussian and Austrians 1805 or 1806. What they seem to overlook is that the Armies weren't that bad but their Leaders were still thinking after the SYW-fashion, Linear if you like.
davidsharpe
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Post by davidsharpe » Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:14 pm

William

I was joking about an anglo saxon bias,
you are true later periods are more balanced.

I am quite ignorant of the very early periods.
The linear Frederick doctrinal system collided with the revolutionnary then napoleonic systems.
Beautiful uniforms, wich became less fancy later.
But when you buy and paint 600 figures you need something not too specific, to be usable in more than one period.

So the success of russians and prussians and austrians, and french standart napoleonic.
A friend of mine got painted a magnificent spanish army (i m supposing Groslau painted it).
That is passion !

Friendly yours William.
D
"British infantry ? In Duel, it s the Devil !"
Général Foy to Napoléon in the morning of june the 18th, 1815.
Rob Herrick
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Post by Rob Herrick » Thu Mar 10, 2011 5:08 pm

MarechalNey wrote:Just what I tried to bring forward. The case seems (to me) to be, that tendencies are in existance to fight the French only when they are almost on their knees.
You can count the peoples by their names if you look for wargamers who like to play Russian, Prussian and Austrians 1805 or 1806. What they seem to overlook is that the Armies weren't that bad but their Leaders were still thinking after the SYW-fashion, Linear if you like.
Expense and figure availability also play a role, especially in 15mm. Things have changed a lot in the last 5 years with the internet and new figure lines, but you can get post-1809 figures from anybody, while only a few select lines make figures for the Glory Days in 15mm.

With the internet, paypal, and international shipping it has become easier to tap into international sources, but for a long time it was difficult and expensive to get French in bicornes, or Prussians in Bicornes, or Russians in the pre-1810 uniforms.

That made the Peninsula, 1809, 1812, and 1813-1815 a good deal more attractive financially.
With Gen'l Custer Down in Mexico: Yes, one of the goals is to see how many times one can get him killed.
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barr7430
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Post by barr7430 » Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:59 pm

Hmm.. the Poll is a little tighter now with a slightly larger sample size.. but still interesting reading from my perspective
"If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you are probably right"

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