Clash of Arms games' "La Bataille" series

[MengJiao]

People trying to sneak a peak at my final Waterloo piece..

"La Bataille" and I have a very, very strange relationship.  I go into more detail in the piece, but it's the first system I can recall that I both really enjoyed and that simultaneously made me think the designer had gone one bridge too far.

The analysis of the ML rules above is a fair one vis-a-vis the comparison to the ASL Starter Set and I might go so far as to join with those who prefer to play the Starter rules and the ML rules to the full-on Regulations.  Everyone will have his or her own unique threshold and mine with Napoleonics is very high indeed -- I played Empire...a lot -- but, perhaps it's the time available or some other factor, but these rules no longer draw me in as they once did.

  You should look at the Battles from the Age of Reason.  I got very tired of Napoleon and company and I found the Age of Reason stuff weirdly refreshing.  For example, skirmishers are rare and strange and wonderful in the Age of Reason.

[Nefaro]

  You should look at the Battles from the Age of Reason.  I got very tired of Napoleon and company and I found the Age of Reason stuff weirdly refreshing.  For example, skirmishers are rare and strange and wonderful in the Age of Reason.

What is the best system for the period, covering specific battles?  Also which one, from a grand strategy perspective?

After mentioning that old CoA system, it made me start wondering what all is out there.  Preferably something in print/stores too, although that's often asking too much in the wargaming world these days.  I must've got spoiled, with the widely available AH stuff, back in my youth.  Now you have a 2-4 month window before it's sold out, and you're forced to sign up for yet another reprint that may take years to get.

[GJK]

I just completed my order for "La Bataille des Quatre Bras" (The Battle of the Four Bras is what I think that means).  I'm looking forward to it.  I was chatting with the map artist and he said that that the scale of the map is wrong in the game however....about 140/hex making the defense too strong.  However, he has some versions that he did independently that are at the proper 100/hex and I'm going to try and obtain a set of those. 

[panzerde]

This discussion has really sparked my interest in  Age of Enlightenment warfare. I'm going to keep my eyes out for any of the Battles of the Age of Reason titles or similar games while at Origins this week, and then order something if I don't find anything at the show. In the meantime I'm placating myself playing Rise of Prussia Gold and Horse and Musket Vol I, which is quite the good game despite it's age and graphics.

[MengJiao]

  You should look at the Battles from the Age of Reason.  I got very tired of Napoleon and company and I found the Age of Reason stuff weirdly refreshing.  For example, skirmishers are rare and strange and wonderful in the Age of Reason.

What is the best system for the period, covering specific battles?  Also which one, from a grand strategy perspective?

After mentioning that old CoA system, it made me start wondering what all is out there.  Preferably something in print/stores too, although that's often asking too much in the wargaming world these days.  I must've got spoiled, with the widely available AH stuff, back in my youth.  Now you have a 2-4 month window before it's sold out, and you're forced to sign up for yet another reprint that may take years to get.

  I haven't looked into it much.  Rise of Prussia is a pretty good (perhaps the very best) AGEOD game.  20 bucks I think on Steam.

  Battles from the Age of Reason (the name of the CoA pre-napoleonic system) is interesting, the system covers a few Frederician battles and some American Revolution battles, but for me Fontenoy was the big hit.  Beautiful map, slightly nutty rules.  Get the Primer for the system which is mostly in terms of Fontenoy.

[Nefaro]

  I haven't looked into it much.  Rise of Prussia is a pretty good (perhaps the very best) AGEOD game.  20 bucks I think on Steam.

  Battles from the Age of Reason (the name of the CoA pre-napoleonic system) is interesting, the system covers a few Frederician battles and some American Revolution battles, but for me Fontenoy was the big hit.  Beautiful map, slightly nutty rules.  Get the Primer for the system which is mostly in terms of Fontenoy.

Thanks. 

I have RoP from AGEOD.    O0   Also have Horse & Musket Vol I, from Matrix, although it was glitching on one of my computers last I tried it.

As for tabletop ones covering individual battles, the CoA ones are still the ideal then?  That's kinda sad considering it's been around for so long. 

I also recall picking up one, around the same time, covering a couple battles from the War Of Spanish Succession.  Wasn't CoA, though.  Actually got that set up and a small bit of play, since the rules were easier on the eyes, but still don't remember a lot about it other than the look of the counters & map... and something about a special caracole rule for the pistol-armed cavalry.  Found the war, and the battles, quite interesting. 

I noticed GMT put up the American Revolution Tri-Pack reprints on P500, so signed up for that.  Not familiar with that system yet, but sounds like it's on the lighter side (not necessarily a bad thing IMO).  Plus the AR battles will be different than the European ones so I'll keep a look out.

[MengJiao]

  I haven't looked into it much.  Rise of Prussia is a pretty good (perhaps the very best) AGEOD game.  20 bucks I think on Steam.

  Battles from the Age of Reason (the name of the CoA pre-napoleonic system) is interesting, the system covers a few Frederician battles and some American Revolution battles, but for me Fontenoy was the big hit.  Beautiful map, slightly nutty rules.  Get the Primer for the system which is mostly in terms of Fontenoy.

Thanks. 

I have RoP from AGEOD.    O0   Also have Horse & Musket Vol I, from Matrix, although it was glitching on one of my computers last I tried it.

As for tabletop ones covering individual battles, the CoA ones are still the ideal then?  That's kinda sad considering it's been around for so long. 

I also recall picking up one, around the same time, covering a couple battles from the War Of Spanish Succession.  Wasn't CoA, though.  Actually got that set up and a small bit of play, since the rules were easier on the eyes, but still don't remember a lot about it other than the look of the counters & map... and something about a special caracole rule for the pistol-armed cavalry.  Found the war, and the battles, quite interesting. 

I noticed GMT put up the American Revolution Tri-Pack reprints on P500, so signed up for that.  Not familiar with that system yet, but sounds like it's on the lighter side (not necessarily a bad thing IMO).  Plus the AR battles will be different than the European ones so I'll keep a look out.

  The CoA Battles of the Age of Reason system is slightly different from (and I think better  or at least more convincing as a simulation) the CoA La Bataille stuff.   For me it is pretty ideal even thought it has been around since Koelen came out in 1994-5.  The rules are in the third edition and work well in many ways for battles in the 1740 to 1780 period. I have seen some simpler systems (eg Prussia's Glory and a few French things), but all-in-all the later games in the Battles of/from the Age of Reason such as Lobositz and Fontenoy seem pretty good and definitely slightly strange (as should be expected since the period is not very popular unlike say Napoleonics or WWII or the ACW).

[Nefaro]

Cool.  Thanks MJ.  I'll take another peek.  8)


Looks like CSI has Fontenoy for $60, as opposed to the regular $80.

Going on wishlist for next time.

[panzerde]

Picked up GMTs , Prussia's Glory II, Germantown, and Saratoga today at Origins. Enterprise Games has a deal on several games, 2 for $60. Interested to see how these represent the era and then to compare then to BAoR. Without even playing them, I'm sure the system is quite a bit simpler than BAoR, but that doesn't mean bad.

[bob48]

:-((

[panzerde]

They have 2nd Edition A Las Barricades Bob. $69. Want me to grab it for you?

[bob48]

Thanks Doug, you're a pal, but the budget won't stretch that far this month, especially when you add shipping costs. Now if it had been a copy of 'This Cursed Civil War' I may have weakened.

Have fun brother!

[GJK]

Early Father's day from my son...arrived today.  Can't wait to wade into the pool....