General De Brigade game played: France vs Russia

Game at Stephens today as planned using General De Brigade rules.
I fielded a French (non-Guard) force against Russians circa 1813/14.
Stephen set up the terrain using the generation system in the rules and we diced for set-up side.
This fell nicely for Russians as it had two protected flanks with a village and a large field (both difficult terrain in GDB terms).
This allowed Russian to set up defensively and left only narrow access for my mounted arm.
Russians had three 3 model batteries one of which was heavy.
They fielded only 2 Cuirassier units but had a couple of Elite foot (Grenadiers).
French had 2 Infantry Brigades with 3 Veteran foot, 2 Line and 4 2nd Line each with a 2 gun battery.
I had two Cavalry Brigades one with a Dragoon and Cuirassier units and the other with 3 Light Cavalry units backed by a 2 gun Horse Battery.
We both had a couple of Brigade skirmishers Screens and a unit of Light Infantry each.

We had a really good game with these rules which have a lot of period flavour for this level of game (ie Divisional).
As I discovered in practice game there a lot of options with unit formations with Line, Columns, Refused Flanks, Open Order and several Skirmish options with separate Brigade Screens and Light units able to Deploy and Recall their own skirmishers.

All flows well with plausible outcomes to Shooting, Melee and Morale and straightforward movement options.

We had only a couple of queries (as a couple of things are not defined tightly enough for our understanding) but nothing we could not come to quick agreement on.
This mainly occurred with Orders and Charges limits and whether Deployed Artillery counted as a Close Order Target (we decided that in game terms they did).

Couple of minor errors we discovered during game were forgetting about Tactical Movement (really a March move) and only biggie as such was forgetting to test Brigade Morale when any unit in Brigade Dispersed/Routed.
Brigade Tests can be quite severe as essentially a 7+ (on 2D6) needed to continue otherwise Brigade Falters on a 6 and Break on a 1-5.
Of course I managed to roll a below average 5 for my first test !

We like the rules as a more tactical/involved option than say Field Of Battle or Shako but with correspondingly slower play time.
We used points system with 1250pt armies which seemed just right for 6' x 4' table.

Russian right anchored on field

Their center

Their left flank protected by village

French right wing

French center

Heavy cavalry hugs right flank

Left wing with Light Cavalry trying to outflank Russian right

Nasty Russian artillery (they caused have casualties on my approaching Infantry)

The heavy battery

Russians push forward in center late in game

Chasseurs engage a Square to try to break through (unsuccessfully)

French attack on right (I lost General here twice !!)

Cuirassier falter when trying to charge home behind the village

Casualties mounting as French come into cannister range

This Brigade broke due to poor Brigade Morale test after losing a single unit

Solo practice game with General De Brigade

Game (at last !) with Stephen planned for this coming weekend using General De Brigade rules.

So as it has been awhile since we tried these I decided to set up a solo game using French versus Prussians. 

Note my units are smallish in GDB terms with 24 Infantry and 12 Cavalry per unit.

No scenario as such just using the terrain generation and points system (1250pts per side) from rules.

A lot of options for unit formations compared to most other sets I have tried so a good deal of thought required for deployments and 'mission requirements'.......

WW2 Barbarossa To Berlin board wargame played

Managed to get a solo play of this excellent game today (as rules refresher)

Just as flavoursome as I remember with Germans pushing East and coming up against Russian brick wall whilst Rommel got completely out foxed in North Africa

This arrived today and looks to have a great selection of scenarios (playable with other sets too)

General De Brigade Deluxe game

Played a game of General De Brigade Deluxe today at Stephens using my Prussians against his French.

We used points system (1200pts aside) and the random terrain generator both of which worked fine.

We both knew the rules would be tad slower than most of recent sets we have used but are drawn by the overt Napoleonic flavour of the rules.

And so it proved all went smooth enough overall but we really struggled with a couple of key concepts in relation to if or when units can split their fire vs multiple targets and then trying to apply the same to Skirmishers firing.
We just could not discern a definitive answer in rules as written (I have posted queries on the GDB forum).
Either its not clear in rules or we are dense or missing something glaring obvious ?

Otherwise however we managed to get the system rolling along nicely.

The rules are more involved/complex than Black Powder, Field Of Battle and such like with more formations and unit sizes combined with Orders system and so on.

However basic systems of shooting (above query not withstanding), melee and morale are all fairly straightforward.

Highlight of game for Prussians was when French Empress Dragoons charged my Horse Artillery who promptly evaded leaving the Dragoons exposed to a flank charge from close range by my Prussian 3rd Dragoons.
The charge was conducted from so close a distance the Empress Dragoons had no time to react and failed their Test To Stand in dramatic fashion Routing instantly.
The 3rd Dragoons then rode after them Dispersing them completely (ie removed from table)
A well won and glorious Battle Honour bestowed !!

We need more play of GDB to sort out our queries.


Prussian Brigade advancing in Column of Companies

Central Prussian Brigade deployed

Prussian Cavalry Brigade ready for the off

French arrayed in distance

Prussian left flank again

Two units of French Dragoons (Empress version on right)

Prussian Cavalry steals a march on right

Whilst Prussian foot occupy the Domed Church as French occupy the large Farm

The Empress Dragoons in a predicament as Uhlans attack their comrades

One of our queries: at who and with what can these Skirmishers fire ?

Prussian 3rd Dragoons have cleared the field of Josephine's favourites !

General De Brigade last pics

Played through couple more turns.

Enjoyable stuff with a very good set of rules but tad difficult to cope with solo and therefore really need to get a face to face game under the belt.
Hopefully in not too distant future as Stephen intends to buy these (and Blucher) on his visit to Salute this coming weekend (I am not at all jealous..........well not much).

Did not play to anything near completion but just enough to gain a knowledge of the rules and play sequence.

Great flavour of the period and I can see why these are a popular rule set.











Prussian Infantry Brigade holds (in Support) under pummeling by French guns as their Light Cavalry Brigade plows into Young Guard Infantry in the field

Central Prussian Infantry Brigade changes orders from Hold to Assault to push back Young Guard but OLd Guard Brigade also changes to Assault and is coming forward,

Guard Cavalry clash with Prussian left wing. Grenadiers a Cheval Routed a Reserve unit but were pushed back by a lowly Landwehr square (which was fortunate to form just in time). Dutch Lancers also repulsed but coming back for more.

Prussian Hussars force back a Young Guard unit in the field with Dragoons threatening another unit. The French guns look vulnerable.

Central French assault stopped with unit on right about to reach Dispersal Point and fail subsequent Morale check and quit the field after several bursts of cannister.

The Guard cavalry and Landwehr 'square' up to each other. Square in Unformed (Disordered) status after being burst through by routed Reserve unit

Prussian Grenadiers advance downhill with Musketeers. Note I have redeployed several units into Line formation as the Massed Columns rules made them vulnerable to shooting whilst on hold Orders.

So what will I try next ??????

more Napoleonics as I fancy trying Piquet Les Grognards

or SYW with Piquet Cartouche or Black Powder ??

or maybe Ancients with Sword and Spear or Pulse of Battle ???

of course WW2 beckons as I must try Chain of Command

decisions decisions.......................................