Waterloo is now in play testing! These are the first crude pix in it’s first, very rough draft state for testing. Many changes to come before final release.
My son’s jaw dropped open when he walked in and saw this on the dinning room table. He described it as ‘Epic’. -and he doesn’t even like or play wargames. As a junior in highschool, life is all about Rugby and girls right now.
First question is, how do these colors look? Especially the Anglo – Dutch Army. Is anything wrong? Should some of the colors be different? Please let us know if we have any glaring mistakes.
These are the pix of the adjoining engagement at Wavre:
Right now the biggest design question is: Should we release these with maps at this size as two different battles? I’d really like to see 2 huge maps of the region that fit perfectly together. So you could fight both together. Heck, you might not even fight at Waterloo. As Napoleon, I’d really like to shift rapidly to the right and get in between the Brits and the Prussians. Likely a foolish endeavor but I like to be able to try things like that. If nothing else, then I discover why that is a really bad idea right?
The issue is that this approach will take much longer to work up graphics for. Huge maps will also drive up the price. I don’t know. Maybe the Emperor is worth it.
Let us know what you think below!
What is the map size on the maps in the pics?
I think a Marengo-size map for Waterloo and a Antietam-size map for Wavre with rules for moving between them could work and would take up less space than 2 large adjoining maps.
This could also allow for cool stuff like playing with teams in seperate rooms so you dont know how many/when/where Prussians show up at Waterloo
Small. As shown here, Waterloo is 17 x 14. Wavre is about 17 x 20.
The larger size we are considering is that both would be 24 x 32. You could combine them into 1 big 48 x 32 map, or play them separately. Yes, I’m seeing this as being ideal for 2 players against 2 players. You fight on your own map separately and can send written messages over night turns.
We have also sketched out another 2 huge maps that would line up with these also for Quatre Bras and Ligny. All combined at once would cover 48 x 64.
Bigger the better
Do the three day campaign
Or have four maps that join together
Looks good, but I think the Waterloo map looks a bit crowded. I prefer to play the whole campaign on one big map, starting from Ligny and Quatre Bra, if possible. But if this is not your plan, then, as you mentioned , Wavre and Waterloo on one big map.
One big map would be my preference. Well designed games somehow incentivise the player behavior which duplicates the historical narrative, while it doesn’t prohibit a departure.
I like the single large map idea as well.
One thing, though. Please allow enough room on the British right for maneuver. I have an issue with games that anchor a flank on a map edge.
How does this look to you?
The lines in middle show the positions at the start of the battle.
Now, that will definitely work.
That map looks great!
Big enough to allow for alternative plans but not so large as to be practically unplayable.
For me a lot of the charm of the Pub Battles series is the ability to play a game in under 2 hours. This would not be possible for a game covering the whole 15-18 june period using the normal turn scale of Pub Battles.
Yes, agreed. Thanks for the input.
So the initial Waterloo game will be a stand alone battle, playable in 2 or less hours. Map size: 24″ x 28″
There will be 3 other expansion maps and scenarios you can get for it. You will be able to fight all 4 battles individually as 1-2 hour games. We’ll also have to option of combining them. So you could fight Waterloo and Wavre together or Ligny and Quatre Bras together. If you have all day Saturday and a few friends, you CAN combine all 4 into 1 huge map and fight the whole campaign. I usually don’t have the time and space for monster games like that anymore. That might make a good convention game. It’s nice to have options.
I would like a large map or at least an option to buy a larger map. I think the campaign is necessary to understand the battle. (and years ago I took part in a Prussian reenactment group which marched in very bad weather from Wavre to Waterloo 🙂
Wow! That must be exciting. What have you learned about the wars or campaigns by doing that? Any insights that stand out that you don’t see in books?
After 2 miles I found out why soldiers on occasion threw their muskets away. 🙂 They are a little bit heavier and much more cumbersome than modern rifles. But the woolen clothing is much better than its reputation. Even when it rains. I was suprised how many (secondary) sunken roads still exist today in this part of Belgium. Hidden movement seems not to be difficult. Regards Harald
I definitely favor the two interlocking map approach.
It should also be important for each army to have a ‘train’ marker at the edge of the field to represent their line of communication which they must protect.
I agree. The line of communication should not be ignored!
I was considering the “double-battle” aspect being considered. Three points come up for consideration: with Quatre Bras and Ligny going on together, we could better model the possible usefulness of D-Erlon’s corps at Quatre Bras; we could model a more aggressive move by Grouchy in dealing with the Prussians retreat to Wavre; we could examine Wellington’s consideration of abandoning his position at Waterloo had the Prussians not appeared (perhaps as a victory condition for the French if Grouchy is successful). Yep, I could do the entire campaign.
Yes! We’ve got this split up so that a 2 players on each side could be isolated from each other. So you talk before the day and then fight in different rooms at the same time. So the players fighting at Quatre Bras, won’t know exactly what is happening at Ligny. Player’s at Waterloo won’t know what is going on at Wavre.
We are starting to see that the marches out of Ligny & Quatre Bras are going to be really key. Where do the Allies go after those battles? How do the French pursue? Lots and lots of interesting possibilities here. Especially if the left and right maps are seperated and team players can only communicate by written messages.
Two big maps that can join to create the idea of four? I really like the idea of being able to focus on specific aspects of this campaign or fight the whole thing through. I think if we started to add a lot of additional rules to moves between maps and communicate with other people then it gets away from the simple spirit that I love so much about a game of Pub Battles. It might be unavoidable but if thats the price of getting the chance to play the entire campaign, I am totally willing to accept that. Any rough estimate on when will you be taking move of our money with this project? I’m very excited to see this getting the Pub Battles treatment.
I am a bit late to this thread but let me state without question that I always prefer the smaller map. First, it is more in the spirit of Pub battles. Second, I don’t have a lot of room.