I was chatting the other day with Ulrich Blennemann of Moments in History, and he was bemoaning the fact that wargaming in Germany wasn't as popular as it appears to be in neighboring France. As a matter of fact, the hobby seems to have undergone a major renaissance in the last two or three years, with several major companies publishing boxed games. Most welcome, though, is the appearance of a newcomer in the magazine field, Vae Victis . [Ed. We note, parenthetically, that the two French wargaming magazines both use Latin for their titles, indicating, no doubt, their imminent demise as arbiters of Western culture.) This one year old French cousin to “Strategy & Tactics” and “Command” is rapidly becoming a must for anyone interested in the hobby. One of the key selling points of “Vae Victis” is its eclectism, encompassing, as it does, miniatures, boardgames, cardgames, plus detailed articles about the great battles of history covered by the wargaming industry. And they do it in spectacular visual fashion, with graphics that are far superior to anything we provincials have come up with to date. They’re now up to issue #6, each with a game - previous subjects ran from Belisarius to Tunisia '43 - with Fontenoy 1745 being the present offering. Be warned, however: while the components are all brilliantly done, the counters are unmounted. [Ed. Actually, they’re about the thickness of the infamous Cedar Creek boys, so they’re not just paper.] The battle is set in the small town of Fontenoy, Belgium, and covers the important French victory over the Allies (British, Holland, Austria ) in the Austrian Succession War, 1741-48. The game simulates the Allied attemp to destroy King Louis XV's army, stopping the French invasion of Flanders. Each of the seven turns represents one hour of the crucial battle. The mobility of the army troups (infantery and cavalry) will mostly depends on the hability of both player to keep his line commander in range, 5 for each player, of the Leader Louis XV and MarÈdal de Saxe for the French, Duke of Cumberland and Prince Waldeck for the Allies. In the five phases are required to complete one turn, the initiave is rolled for each line of commander, you never know which group will move and attack next. Keep some reserves and be sure you commit those cavalry guys on a worthy cause, otherwise Vae Victis... The keys to the French army are the small fortifications around Fontenoy that enable the Allies to attack the city of Fontenoy on multiple fronts. In a predesign set up, your goal as the Allies is to capture the Fontenoy city, and take possession of the bridges that will break French retreat. King Louis XV may then be captured or killed. Both players are then trying fiercely to outflank the other, without loosing the range of the Commanders. From there derives the hart and soul of the game. This is the strong point of that little game, the lines of command are strict and unforgiven to the distracted player. The conflict here is determine by the position of the city of Fontenoy and the impossibility of a frontal assault. Artillery used acurately can slow down the Allies in their attempt to bypass their opponents. Overall, the advantage goes to the French with a strong defensive position. But a single breach can be desastrous, those mobile cavalry can hurt, although their low morale could hurt back. The combat chart results centers more on morale and disorganisation than on eliminating units. If the units aren't eliminated in combat, they nonetheless can be reduced to rout, and in the process, disorganise some adjacent units, it can be pretty ugly. Management of a front and reserves combine to logistic support and a possible routing unit is enough to wonder how this little, simple game is so tricky. Fontenoy is far from being a difficult game to play, althought the French rules could be a stumbling block to some, but in my opinion it's well worth the effort. The counters are a problem too. ´Buildingª them take an hour or so. The end result gives some of the nicest, if not the nicest, counters in the business. Colorfull, solid, creative. The maps and charts feel the same. If you can't compare Fontenoy 1945 to a rich 5 plates meal with Champagne, let yourself be charmed by the red wine, bread and cheese and that should be the way to enjoy a nice and simple game. CAPSULE COMMENTS Graphic Presentation: Top level. It's true for all the serie. Unfortunately, the counters need to be mounted. Playability: It's an introductery level game. It's fast and easy. A nice way to be introducted to the period of the 18th Century. Replayability: The game have some possibilities to explore, but this is not the major selling point. Historicity: It's pretty decent. The end result should go historically. Creativity: Not a ground breaker. The physical aspects are way on the spot. The disorganization rules are interesting. Wristage: Minimal, but, oh did I tell you, the rules are in French. Comparisons: I haven't payed a recent mag game except Proud Monster. But of all the S&T I have played, Fontenoy certainly compares favorably, especially since its tactical and a period piece less approached by the hobby. Overall: I can't wait for the next Vae Victis. Of course being French explains it a bit, but moreover, it really blows a breeze of quality and simplicity to the hobby from VAE VICTIS #6 One 17' x 23"map; 120 unmounted counters, 8 pages rulebook … all a magazine insert. Histoire & Collections, 5, avenue de la République, 75541 Paris, France. c. $40 US, plus postage, for a six issue sub. Back to Berg's Review of Games Vol. II # 21 Table of Contents Back to Berg's Review of Games List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1994 by Richard Berg This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com