Field Of Glory Napoleonic - French vs British in Spain

(Had to re-post this as original gone awol for reasons unknown)

Another game with FOGN today at Stephens.

I used French in Spain 1808-1812 list and Stephen fielded British from same period (with a Spanish ally).

Another fun game and I do so love the 'scenario' set up for this (really must try to adapt if for other sets) with my French adopting Prepared Defence and the British selecting Probe.

Such a lot of variation via a very slick and easy method.

Stephen felt that FOGN lacks distinct National Characteristics compared to some sets, but I think that the British are pretty unique with their hybrid Reformed Line formations (and British Training for allies like Portuguese).

The Veteran British in Extended Line formation are pretty tough if charged by French infantry as a lot of dice in shooting and re-rolling any 1's. 

Pretty much like last game it was decided on a single wing as 2 Large French infantry units on my left got pummeled before I could get to grips with Spanish foot on my right.

'Highlight' was my shooting with 13 dice from 3 units needing 5's to hit and scoring a truly impressive 1 hit, could have been worse I suppose 😉.

Pretty hard to recover from any set backs in FOGN which of course plays into its 2-4 hour game play time frame and equal points 'tourney' style.

Field Of Glory Napoleonic - Prussians vs French 1814

Game with Stephen using FOGN (as I know he prefers points/list type games) which we have not used in a goodly while.

I choose Prussians circa Autumn 1813, Stephen choose 1814 French which thankfully my list also covers (I much prefer historical match ups even in point style rules).

I had forgotten just how much I am impressed by the initial set up system in FOGN with the use of various 'stratagems'.

As it turned out with but ended up choosing Flexible Defence but with French as nominal attackers.

Terrain once again fell pretty much in favour of my opponent after selections, positioning and repositioning rolls.

The game was very enjoyable with FOGN doing pretty much what it says generating a Corps sized game with decent period feel that is playable within 3-4 hours.

No real national traits but sort of seems appropriate at this level

Once a Divisional formation starts to suffer losses to its constituent units morale especially with Wavering units it is nigh on impossible to recover but this certainly makes actions such as shooting or melee decisive within the game.

French had 2 Divisions of Cavalry which massed on my right and eventually crushed my wing aided  by a Young Guard Division.

On my left I had 2 Divisions assaulting up a large hill but they did manage to turn this wing but too slowly as losses mounted on right.

FOGN has victory system that stops any 'flogging a dead horse' type games as if one side losses are much higher than their foes the game ends and so French won after inflicting 30% losses whilst sustaining less than 10% themselves. Closer loss ratios mean games carry on.

We found the rules easy to get back into overall only really having queries over Pursuit rules a couple of times, they fairly well written and no errata I could find which is in itself unusual even with a 2nd edition.

Only took a couple of pics as engrossed in game 

Prussian left facing ridgelines and a 'strongpoint' town

Assault on the hill in progress as Young Guard pile into my Landwehr on right 

Fuzzy shot of Prussian right assailed by French cavalry and Young Guard

Field Of Glory: Napoleonic - short and sharp

 

Game of FOGN today circa 1812 with me fielding Russians in Prepared Defence against French (a rather specific 1812 list with a Corps under Ney) using envelopment.

I initially managed to get decent terrain to close off my left flank but French managed to move it 12" to open up flank.

My being stuck with no advance for 2 turns proved a boon to French as able to hold back or manouvre their 2 Infantry Divisions unmolested as flank attacks developed.

Pretty quick game (under 2 hours in total) as French cavalry literally overran everything in their path.

Stephen flanked deep on both flanks and both marches arrived on 2nd turn.

He had a unit of Superior Hussars with another in support charging a unit of Russian Superior Hussars on my right so 7 dice to French vs 5 dice to Russians.

I preceded to roll 2 hits and with no re-rolls possible and French totaled 7 hits out of 7 after a couple of re-rolls, total overkill as 5 hits would have same devastating effect.

French Cuirassier on my left appeared and whilst I got first charge in with 2 Dragoon units I was again overpowered as whilst I threw a General in the French had a General and a Officer with a unit of Light Lancers supporting both units (I suspect this is benefit of this specific French list).

So I had 10 dice total versus 14 dice total...........you know whats coming............I totaled 3 hits on 1 unit (good enough to try to kill attached General........but nope)  and a mere 1 hit on the other (even with re-rolls) whilst sustaining 6 hits on each of my units so another 2 Routed units

Out of 15 dice in 3 combats I managed 6 hits whilst French managed 19 hits out of 21 simply awesome and unstoppable.

No way back from that especially as an Infantry unit hit on flank by pursuing Cuirassier and subsequently Routed. 

Game ended with my suffering 40% losses compared to only 10% on French (mainly Spent Cavalry).

Shock Heavy Cavalry 'powered' by Leaders/Officers are simply awesome especially if Superior and only effective counter to them is to field your own versions or so it seems to us.

Field of Glory Napoleonic - A 'bubbling' game

After much discussion, Stephen and I decided to continue face to face gaming (will review every week) as counting each other as 'bubbling' and as such maintaining minimal social contact (ie no-one to infect or be infected by). 

If my Dad had wished to continue contact (parents have decided to essentially self-isolate again) I would have 'bubbled' with him instead (no offence Stephen !)

So another game of FOGN with Stephen choosing 1815 Anglo-Dutch and I therefore 1815 French

Interesting game with Brits using Flexible Defence and French trying Envelopment as I had 2 Cavalry Divisions.

Both Cavalry earmarked to appear on my left flank in enemy half of table.

They arrived on turns 2 and 3 but would have preferred to see my heavy Cuirassier arrive first instead of light Cavalry Division.

Still had Stephen guessing and sort of 'forced' him to keep his Cavalry Division in Reserve in central sector.

This left me with 2 on-table Infantry Divisions (One of Veteran troops) to hold the line until flankers arrived.

Sort of worked as Brits delayed by first turn Flexible Defence move restrictions and slower speed of Unreformed Foot.

But my Cavalry failed to make sufficient Impact on arrival and my right wing folded under pressure of Veteran British foot (failing all Rally attempts did not help) and as per last game I had 30% losses whilst British had just over 10% losses but managed to Rally 3 units to force a subsequent auto Victory.

Field Of Glory: Napoleonic game - Prussian versus French Autumn 1813

Game with Stephen today and for a slight change of tack from MEG (V2) I chose to try FOGN (V2).

Selected Autumn 1813 and my Prussians so Stephen fielded French from same period.

Been just over a year since we played these last so a bit rusty but soon got into swing of things.

I had forgotten how inspired the set-up process is with the selection of 'stance' (as amended by enemy). 

As it was we both ended up selecting Flexible Defence for which I became attacker.

Both ended up keeping respective Dragoon Divisions off-table in Reserve.

Game however followed familiar format of my being out-diced at just about every juncture (my units shooting today was truly dreadful).

Things did not start well when 3 Units of Cavalry engaged 3 enemy units and all 3 lost.

Just no way to recover from that in FOGN as too few opportunities to try to recover, mitigated only by the French Cavalry all being Spent (just as well as I had an Infantry unit nearby that failed to form square 3 times).

Stephens shooting was awesome with above average hits on my units with little impact on him by my lot.

After 5 turns my Army was mostly disorganized or wavering (or worse !) and his still mainly intact.

FOGN has nice system for victory and defeat and with over 30% of my army damaged compared to less than 10% of Stephens the game ends (no point flogging a dead horse)

This is unforgiving (no chance of a Marengo here) but does mean games are decisive and playable in 3-4 hours.

Hope to get another outing with these rules but with Covid restrictions returning here in NI/UK that may not occur for a period. 

I am personally a bit less on board/undecided than back in March as it seems rather odd to not be allowed to meet in our houses but we could in a pub and whilst two cannot meet together in a home several can at other venues, will have to have a ponder about issue..............................

Field of Glory: Napoleonic solo, couple of turns played

Played several turns of FOGN game I had set up.
Really only as a refresher for the rules, which I like despite their competition bent.
Surprisingly I recalled most of the rules (maybe not all the nuances) and things played quickly.
However not very conducive to solo play as very much a two player system so I declined to complete the game.
No real ‘chaos/inertia’ factor, bar some Complex Move Tests.
But it does what it says it does and is not trying to be something else.
Certainly the systems are all slick and relatively simple and geared to generating a decisive result in a 2-3 hours of play ie perfect for competitions.
I do like a lot of the interplay between unit types and all plausible stuff and still think the battle generation system is inspired.
But certainly not as dynamic or as exciting as FOB, but nice to have an alternative that has points and decent army lists for generating games with minimal preparation.
Ah well hope to give them another outing once human interaction (or at least the wargamer version) is restored.


Some strange angular cloud formations seemed to pass over the battlefield.....strange days indeed...

Field of Glory: Napoleonic - solo game set up

Decided to set up a solo game with FOGN for a change of pace from Piquet style games.
Decided to go with French and Prussians circa Autumn 1813.
Drew up quickly a couple of very simple armies using published lists and rolled for deployment and suchlike and troops now on table and ready to engage (well except for the compulsory Division in Reserve for Prussians.
I randomly drew deployments from those available and it turned out with French on Positional Defence and Prussians on Flexible Defence and so nominally attackers.
Hope to get playing over next few days (hard to stay out of garden in current sunny spell) of ‘staying at home’.

Field Of Glory Napoleonic: French versus British 1815

Another go with FOGN today at Stephens, where he chose to use 1815 British and so accordingly I chose 1815 French.

My French based around an Infantry Corps and British the same although he had a Division of Brunswick assisting.

I chose Probe as strategy and British took Prepared Defence.

British managed to get a Strong-point position on my left but I had placed a River (first time for everything) which being classed as difficult effectively sealed of the left flank on mt table side.

I had Battery of Heavy Guns which I placed against the strong-point occupied by a large unit of Hanoverian Conscripts but they failed to do more that Disorder the Germans who Rallied without problems.

A large battery of British Medium Guns caused several Cohesion hits on my opposing units however.

In the center we had 2 Infantry Divisions apiece facing off against each other and as always against the 'Dice Demon' I was as ever out shot at every juncture including a couple of unit shot to Wavering status......ouch again.

On my right it was a Cavalry versus Cavalry match-up.
I had a unit of Dragoons and 2 Chasseurs faced by Impetuous British Mounted with two units of Shock Heavy Cavalry one led by a Brigadier.
The British charged first and chased off my Dragoons and one Chasseur both Wavered.
However (in my only success of the day.......well sort of............) I managed to outflank a Pursuing unit (which Routed the retiring Chasseurs) and this Disordered the British.
However we both ended up on 5 dice each but with my needing 3+ and the British 4+ to hit.
So odds in my favour you would think but no I roll a mere 2 hits the British 4 (without needing any re-rolls from attached Commander) !!!!!
Both units went Wavered and only my charging first forced the British back.

Sadly by this time I had lost 4 units with a further 5 in Wavering status whilst British had just 2 units Wavered so French yielded the field.

I just cannot out-dice the 'Demon' especially when dice hate me ! although to be fair I did pass every test for units Routing through, past or nearby of which there were several !!

However another fun and interesting game with this very playable set of rules.




Initial French moves (Reserve command has arrived on right center)

My Mounted Divn also arrived on turn 1 on my right flank

Central Divn moves up

Heavy Guns 'pound' the town....hah !

French 3rd Inf Divn advances

French Cavalry arrayed

British left wing 

British right and Brunswick Divn in center

French "coming on in the same old way"

And being "dealt with in the same old way" 

French Legere gone and other units Wavering

Wavering all across the line

Chasseurs having chased of British heavies but of course Wavering.