The latest fad

[Legate]

Prominent Napoleonic Wargamer Bluewillow has generously provided us with his take on Napoleonic wargaming in Australia....

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With the wheels of Industry in the Wargaming world turning the new fad season too Napoleonic’s in the last 24 months. Napoleonic’s are on the comeback trail in Australia at last, the plastics have helped this along with the new rule sets, so why hasn’t the Napoleonic scene gathered Momentum in the competition world?

The release of the 28mm Plastic miniatures from the Perry Bros and Vitrix along with all of the new metals from Eureka, Front Rank, Foundry, Perry’s, Elite and Old Glory have seen a large amount of figures purchased in the last twelve months, some of these may never be painted, but let’s hope most of them do see the light of day in the next two years.

If CanCon this year is anything to gauge upon where large amounts of figures were sold along with the two latest rule sets to hit the market, Black Powder and Lassalle, I suggest there are at least a thousand of Napoleonic fans in Australia with piles of unpainted plastic and lead thinking how, what, when, where, including large amounts of new people to the period.

As the convener of the Australian Napoleonic Congress, we have in the past only had Demonstration and participation games at the Congress, but with a push from a few members of the Club we may have a Napoleonic Competition this year at the Congress if there is enough interest.

Although some may say competitions bring out the worst and best in people, it seems only logical from all of the purchases of figures lately and the renewed interest in new competition rule set that competition Napoleonic games would make a comeback, something like the growth we have seen with Flames of War competitions.

FOW has set the standard, great miniatures with everybody striving to have lovely armies on the table with lovely terrain. I personally think that the standard set by the FOW organizers needs congratulations as they have attracted new people to competition gaming, primarily from Warhammer and 40K IMO.

In the past I think Napoleonic competition gaming has been let down by sub standard terrain, and some poor reflection of what woods, marsh’s and buildings look like which detracts from the whole enjoyment of the game for me personally.

My biggest question to all of you who play competition games (In Australia primarily WRG or variants of this rule set) is there a possibility of a move towards these two new sets? Can we as a group lift our standards when it comes to terrain and dare I say figure painting?

So what rules……..WRG (or AWRG) has in my opinion become a little long in the tooth (I haven’t used the updated AWRG to be fair) and from what I have been following on the forums Lassalle seems to be the front runner with too many questions about Black powder unresolved as yet.

Now we thought as The Australian Napoleonic Congress is coming around later in the year, I would throw out a few ideas. As most of the club guys want to run a competition, Lassalle has been chosen as our clubs forerunner so with that in mind
1. Although a lot of people like to play Individually so to make it a little more low key we would like to have teams playing historical teams 3 people each side
2. Only historical match ups (so no Brit Vs Brit)
3. Lovely terrain and tables,
4. Judging on sportsmanship, painting and historical balance

So to help people paint that pile of unpainted plastic and lead a goal needs to be set, paint 4 battalions of Line, 1 few companies of lights, possibly a light battalion, a few guns and some heavy and light cavalry and get it on the table for 2010. So is anybody up for a competition game now?

[Cardinal Biggles]

some very original thoughts there Big Willow, very orginal indeed..

By conrad_hawkwood at 2010-02-12

[FieldMarshal]

Being one of those old time WRG players (thats all they play at my club and we have huge campaigns) I would be up for it!
I assume you are talking 28mm size? Lasalle are a good set of rules and are fun for the kind of off the cuff match up.
I like the provisions you mention and would support the event!

cheers

FM

[Cardinal Biggles]

Willow's very original ideas on a 28mm comp runs thus..
Teams of 3 .. you may organise two others or turn up and be put into a team with two others..essentially there are A teams and B teams which equate to French and not French. Teams are arranged accordingly. You , the player take your core choice and one of either an organic , reserve or allied choices , as do your 2 companions. You then play an opposing team in a series of 3 games.. first round playerA 1 vs Player B1 , then round 2 player A1 team vs Player 2B team or whatever order . Army choices remain unchanged..You, and your chums have from 10.30am to 6pm in the evening to complete the three games and deliver the results to the organiser..who , in Willow's plan would probably be me. It is up to you and if you buggarise too long over lunch and can only finish 2 games in that time then ... well you have played , or not played a bye , or whatever..The next day the two top teams will play each other in a multi player game as a final , as will the runners up...The army choice for each player remains the same as the previous day.It is here the genius of forward planning may indeed come into play.
Now co-operative members may tailor their forces with the day two final in mind..or they may just bring what they like and ignore forwar planning altogether.... it is a bit of a cooperative learning experience and is intended to stimulate some forward planning and tactical thinking. Of course this might be a huge waste of time though Willows feels that the team who plans it out may actually be rewarded with whatever prize we can get for this.
As Willow would have said if asked this is "an outside of the box and quite innovative concept "and We , of the" Goulburn Valiant Stormers" (GWC) wish to get this ball rolling now so as to allow as much preparation as possible. The competition will be using the recommended basing of 50x 50 mm for all troop types except artillery which may need a deeper base.
Willow wishes to say that here is no truth in the current rumour that very badly painted armies will not be allowed to compete .
However an award, "Mentioned in Dispatches" will be given for the army judged the best painted army, irrespective of whoever painted it. This is to encourage the acquisition of quality forces by those rich in finance but poor in time who, of course, would love to paint their own troops, but who cant physically do it.
If the awful necessity arises Willow may have to sanction the unholy sight of red on red or blue on blue but he assures me that every effort will be made to avoid this solecism..( not exactly his words).those with allied forces may find themselves on the wrong side if they haven't got themselves into a team before the comp. All Armies accepted on the Honour website are eligible to be chosen for the comp.
We can only be thankful that Willow has been capable of such an original concept.

By conrad_hawkwood at 2010-02-26

[Legate]

Great stuff, as always.

Goulburn continues to demonstrate that it is indeed Australia's centre of wargaming excellence!

Cheers

CW

[Cardinal Biggles]

The Goulburn Valiant Stormers are a group who are "out there"

[Cardinal Biggles]

The trick would be to make sure we have multiples of 6 and equal numbers of red and blue players..hmm well I suppose that is where people network and organise themselves into teams relatively early on..12 people in 4 teams would be what we need to aim for,, and get to work on their forces..

[Cardinal Biggles]

http://www.sammustafa.com/honour/

[Cardinal Biggles]

Legate , could you perhaps change the title to reflect how the thread has developed..I have linked it up over the place so expect a bit of traffic..

[Cardinal Biggles]

It could look a bit like a Sydney Canberra tussle..hmm well first 12 in best dressed..might have a prize for the first team to join and perhaps the first two teams and you can have fancy names and team shirts, even a yellow TShirt each round after the first for the leader..that sort of thing ..gosh willow has some good ideas ..who want's to sponsor the Goulburn Valiant Stormers Napoleonic Teams Competition?(GVSNTC10)

By conrad_hawkwood at 2010-02-26