Greetings and salutations!

Just joined the forum and am painting figures before I play a game. What size force would make a good playable game in approximately 4 hours?

I am doing WSS French: How many guard and elite units would play best, I surmise about 1/3 from the rules?

Rules look good! - Can't wait to play them! (Gardes Francaises are taking a long time to paint though!!)

Hello,
Have looked at the sample army lists in BLBv2. That should answer your questions.

Hi ???

For a novice to the period and the rules I'd start with a brigade size game with 4 or 5 infantry battalions, 2 cavalry regiments and 1 artillery gun.
Keep the terrain simple to start with and add more troops and terrain the more games you play.
As for guard well if you must!!! Guards for the French usually works out at 20% of your force where as most other nations 10% of there forces.
My advice would be to keep the sides fairly even for your first game, if you want to use a guard regiment then your opponent should also have a guard regiment or a extra regiment at least.

Hope that helps,

Ray.

Thanks, thats what we were planning, just thought it would be good to ask experienced players!

We are all doing a guard unit so we can see the differences in the rules between the different qualities of troops against each other.

At the rate I am painting though, 1 brigade is a long way in the future!!!

Encouragement to finish your painting will come from playing some games. It always helped me finish the 'next' unit when I knew we had a battle coming up and I wanted them blooded.

Pick smaller scenarios and set objectives which go beyond: beat the enemy.

Capturing a position
Fighting retreat
Surprise attack
Staged reinforcements
Escorting a convoy/supply train
Ambush


There is an article I wrote for a Napoleonic game set on June 15th 1815 which is for a small force each side. The objective is for the numerically superior attackers to get as many units OFF the other side of the table without engaging as possible. They are on a breakthrough mission and can't be slowed down. The defenders have to engage and cause casualties.. not necessarily win. It is called FIRST CONTACT ON THE SAMBRE WARGMES ILLUSTRATED ISSUE 274 Augst 2010. That could be adapted to the Grand Alliance period very easily.


cheers and WELCOME!

B