The French were commanded by Josh Benton and the Prussians by Jim Birdseye. We elected to use the big battle or Large Battle format to eas comparison with the other rule sets being tested; the regular format uses most of the same concepts but the maneuver units are battalions and regiments. Some of the small battle items crept into our game, however. Shako offers several mounting systems in the rules including the old Empire system and the Napoleon's Battles system. We elected to use the Napoleon's Battles system mounting. We also used the 15mm measuring system - 66% of a ruler - which allowed us to use a smaller table area. The scale of the game is unspecified in the rules, each infantry stand is 600 men.

The game deployment was similar to the V+B game above. In the Large Battle format each side alternates moves based on the higher percentage force with attack orders. In order for Grouchy to interpose his force in the path of the Prussians he had to place the whole IV Corps in attack orders. He also dispatched an aide to get the 4th Division and Jacqunoit's Cavalry to redeploy which also required attack orders. The Allied side had a British force under defend orders so the French always moved a corps first. To make the game a little more interesting we agreed to use one of the features of the normal game and alternated movement by divisions instead of by corps.

Movement in Shako is by division. The formation width dictates the speed of movement. All divisions must be at least two stands wide and subtract one inch of movement for each stand wider than two. The normal infantry move is 12 inches so one with a six stand frontage moves eight inches (minus 4 for the four extra stands of width above two). French divisions can expand or contract frontage by four stands a turn while moving. Allies expand a bit slower - they may either move or change formation, but not both. The frontage of a division can be no wider than one more than half its stands. All the stands must remain together except for one type of detachment and that is up to six stands can be detached into a built-up area, a village. Wheels cost double movement and may only be 45 degrees and must be preformed first for charging units.

Because the maneuver units are divisions only artillery has the ability to reach out and touch some one. The max range for a foot battery is 24 inches. The range is divided into three zones each 8 inches, canister - the first eight, hits on a 2D6 roll of 6-12, the second is effective hit on a 9-12 and the last is long range hitting on a 10-12.

Morale rating (MR) is used for combat and morale. Units have a disordered MR and a normal MR. The MR is also used to see if the unit is hit, the firer rolls a D6 against the MR and if he beats it the unit suffers. The morale rating is used as the base factor of the Break Point BP or the point at which the division departs the battle. One point is added to the divisional MR for every four or part of four stands in the division - a division with eight stands and MR of '4' would have a break point of six.

THE GAME

The first player with the option to move is the player with the greater percentage of his corps with attack orders. Since we had roughly a corps each we elected to move that part of the rules to the smaller scale and made the player with the greater percentage of attacking divisions move first.

The Prussians got to move a unit first, then both sides alternated moving a unit until all units had been given an opportunity to move. The Prussians kept the required two stand frontage for max movement and pushed long columns up the roads between the Bois de Paris and the gap in the hill near Papelote. The cavalry pushed towards Ferme. Hoping to gain a march on the French and keep their two forces from linking up, the Prussians made a dangerous decision.

The French decision was remarkably like that of the in the Volley&Bayonet game. They also moved the cavalry forward but the Ruisseau de Lasne and his expansion of the infantry divisions' frontages slowed the infantry down. Shako rules require a unit (division) to have two stands frontage minimum but permit the division to expand its frontage at the expense of movement, minus one inch per stand over two. The French also dispatched a courier to the 4th Division and Jacqunoit's cavalry to issue them attack orders so that they could move to block the Prussians moving on the northern part of the battlefield.

Both sides alternated moving their infantry forward but it appeared the first clash would be of cavalry.

Map: Early Shako action.

In turn two, the Prussians did not need to expand their cavalry frontage as they were small units that the frontage rules did not affect. So thier cavalry charged the French cavalry in the hope of defeating it and forcing the French infantry into square. This would keep them from getting between the Prussians and Plancenoit. The Prussian overlooked Jacqunoit's brigades and ended up having to commit more of his force to defend against a French attack on his flank. Meanwhile the Prussian infantry struggled to get clear of the woods. The northern force moved smartly to the outskirts of Papelotte. While Vivian's cavalry advanced towards Jacqunoit. One Prussian cavalry division was kept in the rear as a reserve, unfortunately in the heat of battle it was not brought forward.

The French responded to the cavalry charges with some of their own, and placed the Prussian horse battery at risk. His infantry moved with the 13th on his right and the 12th on the left. Both were fully deployed with a five stand frontage. An aide rode off to activate the 4th Division.

We went to the combat unsure of how it worked even after we read the section. In Shako the combat occurs between divisions. Each player rolls one D6 and modifies by adding the role to the MR plus one for each four stands, plus one if wider than the opponent, (plus 2 if twice as wide and plus three if three times as wide) if the unit is staggered, or it has more hits (kills) than its opponent. The lower die roll falls back and takes kills equal to the difference in the die roll. In this case we had two small cavalry battles. The Prussian cavalry (Vivian) won one while the French won the other. Both side's cavalry fell back 18 inches with two kills each. We both managed to get the cavalry back without running it through our infantry.

Turn 3 saw the French with more units under attack orders so they moved first. Here the orders complicated things for the French, his infantry had to move forward because of the attack orders which put him in charge reach of deployed enemy cavalry. His cavalry was out of position to block the charge so he elected to change his orders to "defend". But that would have to wait until the end of the turn. The French moved north on a two Division front and east on a one Division front (4th Division.) At the end of the turn, the French deployment has the cavalry out front in the south and the 13th Division in front of Ferme with the 12th Division moving behind the Bois De Ranson trying to link up with the 4th Division to its north. Jacqunoit's cavalry was reforming behind the 4th Division.

The Prussians placed the lead brigade, the 1st into a two deep line which cost the whole move while 4th Brigade expanded its frontage behind. Vivian's cavalry attacked the French horse battery and prevented the French from removing it. The Prussian artillery deployed to support the infantry.

The French battery fired at close range (Canister) and missed, it needed a 2D6 roll of 7-12. The battery was broken when it lost the combat roll by two points. It would have been broken on any loss in a melee. The French guns fired into the Prussian 1st and 3rd brigades, getting two hits - in part because of the deep target bonus of plus one to the die roll. Because the two dice were higher than the Prussian MR (3) both the 1st and 3rd Brigades were staggered and the Prussians will need to rally them with a commander. Ziethen rallies the cavalry which fell back last turn by rolling a D6 which needs to be uner the MR.

Alternate Movement

Since Shako has each side alternate moving units the format of this report will show how it works. This is a nice feature of the rules that gives each player headaches as well as opportunities.

The French put the bulk of their forces on defend orders. The Prussians move a unit first and send 4th Brigade around the 3rd and towards the French right flank. The French 12th infantry is threatened and so deploys into square. Vivian's cavalry moves to threasthen the flank of the French 7th Cavalry which faces towards the threat. The rallied Prussian cavalry moves to hit the 7th in the flank, but at the large battle scale there appears to be no advantage for hitting a unit in the flank The noble 7th must use its disordered MR which is 2. The French move the 4th forward just south of the Bois De Ranson, The Prussian 1st Brigade moves to attack the French 4th Cavalry. The French 13th Division repositions to face east just north and west of the Bois de Ranson in support of the 4th Division. The Prussian 2nd Brigade moves forward to support 1st Brigade.

The combat involves artillery fire and one combat. The Prussian guns inflict two hits on the 12th Division. While the French miss the 3rd and hit the 1st brigade and stagger it again. The second stagger causes it to fall back 18 inches. The Prussian artillery put one hit at long range on the 4th Division.

The Prussian cavalry gets a lucky D6 roll of six while the 7th Division rolls a one. The difference is great enough to break the 7th cavalry and it is removed from the game. The Prussian cavalry moves into the gap between the Bois De Ranson and Ferme' splitting the French line. Grouchy manages to rally Jacqunoit.

During turn 5, the Prussians move a unit first and elect to have the 2nd Brigade close with the 4th Division. The French 13th Division forms square in response to the cavalry on their rear. The Prussian 3rd Brigade closes with the 12th Division (in square) which forces the division to use its disordered MR of 1. The French deploy a battery at close range facing the Prussian cavalry hoping to make it move thus delaying it from getting over its blown status. Shako has cavalry units that charge recover from blown status by being stationary for one turn. The Prussians had the choice of recovering from being blown or being clobbered by French guns so moved further west. Jacqunoit had recovered but he faced Vivian in the center who charged him on my next move.

Combat: In the Light Infantry battle in front of 4th Division both sides had a DSR (Division Skirmisher rating) of two so no fight took place. This was not the case in front of 12th Division it had a DSR of 3 and 3rd brigade had one of 2. The French get to throw one D6 for each point advantage in the DSR.  In Shako die rolls are important. Vivian had an MR of 4 and rolled a D6 of five giving him a nine. Jacqunoit rolled a two and added it to his MR of 4 giving him a six. Jacqunoit broke, difference of three plus two earlier hits and he was over his BP of four.

The French are now down two divisions and have a broken line. Josh is thinking hard about wishing he had called for the Guard this turn.

The attacks by the two Prussian infantry brigades press home. The French guns volley and thunder and 3rd brigade takes its third hit. It has three left. It is also pressing a weakened French 12th Division with two hits and the wrong formation. The Prussians have a MR of 3 and loss one because they have more kills than the French. The French have an MR of 1. The French roll poorly again a four to the Prussian two. The modified rolls are five to four and the 3rd brigade takes one more kill and drops back 18 inches. The 4th division did not fair as well, it has suffered one hit this turn from Prussian guns and another earlier, it is also staggered. The 2nd brigade is fresh. The 4th has an MR of 4 and a BP of 5. It rolls a four, adds four for the MR and subtracts one for more kills and one for being staggered for a total of six. The Prussians have an MR of 3 and roll a five for a total of eight. The Prussians win by two, inflicting two kills and forcing the 4th Division to fall back 18 inches. The 4th is now one short of breaking and the French are in trouble.

In turn 6 the Prussians have the movement advantage and move the 4th brigade forward against the French 12th Division. The French call out the Guard and it advances from the west near Plancenoit. The Prussian cavalry attacks the 4th Division even though the cavalry is still blown it will destroy the 4th in combat automatically. The French batteries target the Prussian cavalry hoping for a couple of lucky hits. The 13th Division is faced by Prussian cavalry and infantry and falls back out of movement range of the infantry. The Prussian 2nd Brigade follows up the 13th division and masks the Prussian artillery as a result - mistakes happen. Vivian moves to threaten the Guard.

Ziethen moves to the 1st brigade to rally it, the attempt will fail at the end of the move - but it doesn't matter. The French guns miss the Prussian cavalry which breaks the 4th division and the French Army has reached its break point ending the game.

The French were hurt by their die rolls more than by their play. They perhaps should have waited before using their cavalry. They were outnumbered by the Prussians and had the 2nd Prussian division been placed in the line instead of in reserve, the French would have been crushed earlier than they were. The French were weaker in this set of rules than in V&B.

Josh Benton, the French Player comments: I found the rules interesting, if confusing. Clarification is needed on morale and on sequence procedures and most of all what constitutes a unit. Is a battalion one stand, two stands, or what? The combat sequence is fairly clear and seems to be a good one. The large battle/small battle charts caused some confusion. We ended up starting the game with each of us with a different chart, perhaps a color code would help. I enjoyed the game.

The rules organization could use a little work, in some ways its like WRG 7.5 in that little snips of rules are tucked away in odd places. Once its all together you can get it to flow. We had some problems mixing elements of the two sets in our first play the second was much better. Do read the rules completely through before you play and then re-read the set (large battle/small battle) you are playing. This was an enjoyable game system.

Introduction

First Action: Volley & Bayonet

Third Action: Le Petit Empereur

Conclusion