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.......................................

General .de Brigade more pics

Few more photos from ongoing GDB solo game.

Learning as I go and noted that I initially played Cavalry incorrectly in that if in two ranks (in may case 2 bases by 2 bases) they are still in line formation in rules.
They only have Column of Companies (ie a 1 base wide formation) as an column attack formation.
So much less likely to be effected by Massed Column rules than Infantry.

Still enjoying the rules even if quite a lot to remember for solo play.











So these mounted units are in Line not Attack Column.

General De Brigade Deluxe solo game

Set up a solo game to try newly arrived General .de Brigade Deluxe rules.
A very nice set they are too hard backed with lovely illustrations and photos throughout.
They are a tad more involved than other sets I have been trying but play quite fast despite having 'more meat on their bones'.
Only real problem I have is with the 1:20 figure ratio as most Battalions are 32 figures in the rules whereas mine are in 24 figure units (based primarily for Lasalle but with 6 per base rather than standard 8 as I thought looked better) although rules do cater for these smaller units.
Use of a rooster/marker system sorts this.
Orders system used (Assault, Engage, Hold, Move, Support & Reserve) which I sometimes forget but after a few plays I suspect this would be fine as fairly intuitive restrictions or requirements for each order such as if Assault your Brigade must advance at least 1/2 move, on Hold you must.....er.....Hold.
Moving and shooting all quick to pick up and its an old school attrition based casualty system (no saving rolls) with hits and figure losses/removal combined with separate morale testing again all intuitive stuff.
A more tactical level game than many other sets have tried and hence the more involved system.
Hope to get a face to face game with these soon.


Usual Young Guard versus Prussians circa 1813 on my table using included points system and table set.

Lasalle solo

Having played Imperial Eagles (which is in many ways a Lasalle derivative) I decided to have a go with Lasalle itself as been ages since I tried them.
Am trying a house rules for Attack Columns wherein they cannot shoot (as in Shako) and only one can attack each face of an enemy so no doubling up on a line in melee.
I had forgotten what a slick and comprehensive and playable set of rules these are by Sam Mustafa.
My Liberation War Prussians versus Young Guard for a change :-)

And being on a Napoleonic splurge at present I have ordered these from another of my favourite authors Dave Brown