Soldiers Of Napoleon a brief solo try

Being a grey dank Saturday here in Ulster I managed to get new 'Soldiers of Napoleon' rules put through a brief tryout.

I used the included army lists (covering 1813-1815 in northern Europe) to select French and Prussian forces both of around 800pts. 

There are several sizes of game recommended varying in size from 2-5 Brigades (nominally Division, large Division, Corps and Army) and I tried Corps level with max 4 Brigades per side (generally 3 on table and 1 reserve). 

Points seem fine and as always I view them as simply a starting point to select reasonably balanced forces for quick set up games.

Prussians had 3 Inf Brigades on table with 1 being an Advanced Guard (classed as in Vanguard so must be placed first and to forefront) and a Dragoon Brigade in Reserve. In total 2 Heavy Gun Batteries, 1 Hussar, 3 Dragoon, 1 Grenadier, 4 Fusilier, 4 Musketeers and 3 Reserve (using Landwehr stats)

French had 2 Inf Brigades on table (1 of Provisional/2nd Rate types) with a Brigade of Dragoons also on table with their Reserve being a Brigade of Young Guard. French also used a couple of unit specific options like Heroic Commander, Gunnery Expert and Le Beau Sabre (boost to Cavalry unit in melee) to balance points. In total 3 Heavy Batteries, 1 Light Horse Battery, 4 Young Guard Inf, 1 Light Inf, 1 Line Inf, 1 Veteran Inf, 4 Provisional Inf and 3 Dragoons.

Forces are also rated by Unit Morale Values (familiar to anyone who has used authors Battlegroup WW2 rules) with French totaling 20MV and Prussians 25MV (difference mainly due to Young Guard). 

Units are also rated for Skirmishing ability (0-3) and Skirmish figures/stands are deployed on table if desired allowing Skirmish Fire, along with possible use of usual gamut of Napoleonic formations such as Square, Assault Column, Extended Line (Light Inf only) and of course Line. 

Units have their own stats line which include Discipline level (used to Save from Musketry), Firing ability, Melee ability, Skirmish ability rating and Shock Impact ability of Cavalry.

Rules include a terrain generation system (using the included card deck) and several pre-game options as to deployment types (such as Echelon right/left, Centre Forward etc) and optional special events. This lead to decent looking battlefield and set up.

Prussians set up with Echelon to Right and Steady Advance orders (whilst French used Echelon Left and Defend orders which granted them a line of entrenchments).

The core of the game system is the deck of 55 cards which are multi purpose allowing use as Orders (a selection of varied Movement, Volleying, Cavalry Intimidation and others) a Special Event/Action or for Rallying and inevitably lots of key decisions to make regarding said usage. 

Each force gets a basic 2 cards per turn plus their number of on table commanders (but only of not at risk ie too close to enemy) so each started with 6 cards in my game.

Initiative is established to see who plays first card and play alternates although use as an Event can sometimes allow more than 1 card to be used by a side. 

Only if you have less cards available than enemy can you pass making them go first if desired. Once both sides exhaust card hand an End Phase takes place wherein any Risk to Commanders is dealt with, possible Reserve Arrival adjudicated, Victory Points amassed and Initiative established for following turn.

Movement, Shooting and Combat is all really fairly standard using D6 with nothing startlingly different from several other sets with twists being adjustments for some Events/Actions on cards (maybe a boost in dice rolled due to Fierce Charge or similar). 

Only Artillery stuck out as seeming a bit less potent than usual as usually only 2 dice needing 5+ until at Cannister range when its 4 dice at 4+ but not played enough to be sure and the ability to inflict DP at range is possibly powerful enough.

Big part of system is the use of Disruption Points (DP) which are accumulated through Hits (or maybe pushing units too hard) with a unit becoming Disordered when DP equal number of stands and being Destroyed if DP exceed remaining stands (only in End Phase). 

Units vary in size from 2-6 stands with 4 being average (and what I used) so easy for units to get in trouble pretty quickly.

This is key area of management as the Rallying system means use of cards which are variable in restriction of which Grade of unit can use them and can cost between 0 and 3 VPs awarded to enemy to use them. 

Rallying is bit different overall as it includes 4 options like Withdraw and Rally 1 DP, try to Rally all DP needing 6, exchange a stand permanently for DP removal and Redress Ranks of Disordered units.

I managed 3 full turns but units not really gotten to grips yet but some nice narrative style action via card play with off table Support Artillery shots, Prussian Commander being wounded (with loss of attached Command Points which allow re-rolls and similar), Senior Commander failing to appear (your Superior can visit your section of battlefield),  

Have tried several Order types (not optimally but just to test) with 'Harry and Harass'  (allows LC to thwart enemy Skirmishers at risk of a DP), 'Intimidation' (HC can cause possible DP on enemy Inf) being a couple of more unusual options to standard Movement. Formation Change and Charging types.

Not conducted any Melees yet but looks fairly straight forward process so not tested Cav vs Inf in Line/Square or Attack Column vs Line which are always key points in any Napoleonic set. 

Of course very early days with rules but a lot to like so far within its parameters (only part of a battlefield not a full battle) and the cards are easy to use and interesting in themselves. 

Only a couple of questions arose (nothing major) and only real gripe is the lack of QRS (printed on inside covers) and that the QRS lacks some detail (eg no mention of firing ranges) 

Overall a thumbs up and if you like (Sam Mustafas) Maurice 18th Century rules these have a similar feel regarding card deck use and level of complexity (low to medium) but with of course own feel and twists.

Hope to give these further exploration but planning another O Group game so may get heave ho from table.

Initial forces deployed

French with Provisional Inf entrenched in centre, Dragoons on their right and Line Inf Brigade echeloned forward on hill (Young Guard in reserve to rear due 5th turn)

Prussian Vanguard deployed forward in right echelon (Dragoons in reserve off table due on 4th turn))

French Provisional Inf line entrenchments, note card about to be used to generate 4 Orders (the red disc denotes last Brigade to be 'activated' as consecutive activations cause DPs)

French Dragoons have advanced in distance whilst their left wing engages advancing Prussian Vanguard Brigade

Lots of Skirmishing in this area 

Prussian central Brigade pushes forward

Postscript - played another couple of turns this evening and came upon first real dislike/problem with rules with Inf Attack Columns seeming very powerful in the charge. They get number of stands with 2 additional dice so with my 4 stand units a combat worked out defender in Line with 4 Dice (would be same if also in Attack Column) with the attacking Column getting 6 dice not really a big difference but this could mean a Line target with 4 dice being hit by 2 Columns would face a whopping 12 dice ! This was a problem in original Lasalle. Only caveat in SON is that I have so far found that it is not that easy to get charges in or to co-ordinate them but potentially a game breaker as this is not really how I understand the match up to have worked historically. Maybe house ruling that only 1 attacker per target face would mitigate.