Field Commander Napoleon first try

Had first outing of new solitaire board wargame Field Commander Napoleon this evening. Set up the 1796 Italian Campaign. Took awhile to get to grips with the game system but once I got going it flowed very well. The counters are very nice and whilst the campaign maps are a tad bland (ie brown) the work fine. Managed to generate a couple of battles in initial March 1796 turn. First was modest French assault on Turin and its lowly garrison and fortification troops. French eventually took area but did suffer losses from the guns of the fortifications (lesson one I should have put enough combat power into area (ie 3 times defenders) to achieve an automatic envelopment. I then fought a second battle against Piedmontse in Savonia with Napoleon in charge which saw the lowly Italians defeated in short order. The battles are 'fought' out on a seperate battle board and both sides have access to Battle Plans (varied types) and Napoleon can add Insights (sort of super battle plans). These add nice flavour to  the dicing proceedings with a strong French Cavalry unit conducting a Engage and then a Charge plan to really put some hurt on. However despite this success, the ensuing Enemy programmed strategic turn saw 2 sizeable Austrian forces advance upon the newly taken Turin and in enough force for an automatic victory. This then caused an automatic French campaign defeat as they are required to have control of two Victory Areas at end of the March turn which I had not realised until too late !(lesson two read the campaign notes properly). This would have been easily thwarted by putting a sacrificial blocking French unit in area adjacent to Turin. All in all a nice game thats easy to play but requires a tad more thought than was initially apparent (the programmed/random nature of enemy options/actions is quite well done). Ah well their is always the next time.........................

The Campaign set up ready to start

Napoleons starting posistion in Nice

Battle board in use as Napoleon leads French to victory over Piedmontse

Close up of French units and couple of their selectable Battle Plans

Piedmontse inflict some damage (Allies go first in battles)

Disaster strikes as Turin is recaptured by Austrians (left of map) making a 'double advance' via Marengo whilst Boneys back is turned !