LGE 2nd Edition Rules
The new rules book for La Guerre de L'Empereur is available now. Jay Olsen has done a completely fantasitic job on the rules themselves, bringing in the FAQ and re-editing. The rules in their ninth draft now run to 25 pages. The alphabetical subject index of topics adds 3 pages, showing each case number in which the item is mentioned. Chris Moeller and his long-time editor, Dan Raspler, cropped some of the extensive new text and replaced it with a more relaxed commentary explaining the design intent. Chris handled the Player's Notes and British strategy notes, while Dan did as much for the French.
The new rules folder:
- includes a new 48-page rules book with Designers Notes, Players Notes, Historical Notes
- incorporates all Q&A directly into their place in the text of the rules
- includes Sequence of Play, Rules Index, Short Battle Rules, 1809 and 1812 Scenarios, and more.
Price: $7 including handling and shipping within the U.S. Overseas customers please add $1.40 surface or $2.80 airmail postage.
The Last Days of the Grande Armee
A file of all the questions we have received on Last Days of the Grande Armee along with Designer's Notes, is now on Web Grognards www.grognard.com
Since we issued the above on June 8th, we received the following note:
"The French player in our Last Days battle wonders about the capabilities of the "Wing Commanders" e.g. Ney. With their bracketed [1] command rating they can put one officer and one unit in command and nothing else?
I've just been reading Peter P Perla's (see page 5) thoughtful critique of 1806 in Paper Wars #30 -- I assume that the system is almost exactly the same as Last Days . . . and it certainly makes me want to go out and buy it (which I shall, tomorrow!).
I think I remember seeing some details on ADC2 modules for OSG games? If so, how much are they? Is anyone doing one for Last Days?"
Command is mainly good for Forced Marching (and advancing after combat). Look at Ney's performance on the 15th and 16th; he completely lost track of I Corps. Of course, he had exactly one staff officer, but that's his fault! I mean; steal them from your division commanders ... but Ney was a division commander at heart, did well as Corps commander. That's all he was up to. Grouchy has a Command Rating of [2] but even that may be generous. He was a cavalry commander, who did not excel at pursuits. He failed to make his Forced March toward the sound of the guns at Waterloo.
Last Days's System is almost identical to 1806, and those rules which are new are marked "NEW" in the LDGA folder.
There are no Aide-de-Camp modules available or under development for OSG games that I am aware of. However, there is a 6 Days of Glory module available from Clash of Arms ($12 including shipping; see www.clashofarms.com/mod_6days.htm or call CoA at (610) 935-7622).
Bonaparte in Italy, 2nd Edition
Now in the development stage of production. Beside the objective of making this gem of a game available, we want to update it to the current standards of the series. The new edition will include vedettes, pitched battles, etc. We're testing the 1807 forage rules for the new edition. We finished a 1st draft of BiI's exclusive rules and have received constructive feedback from the development team. Mark Owens is playtesting; Nicola Prandoni and friends are researching revisions to the map. We are working on an update to the game's charts and create a "Battle Scenario". The "Battle Scenario" is used to introduce the game to new players. We're also working on the OB (updating the 1st edition's OB with information not available 20 years ago) and a new map, counters, and leader display.
If you'd like to help out with the project, please send an email to dschubert@infoam.com. Check out the review of the original 1980 Edition of Bonaparte in Italy (published in Fire & Movement magazine, 1983), at the following site: www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/2006/BiIReview.htm (And bear in mind that the system has evolved quite a bit over the years.)
Your Pre-Order Makes a Difference. We must have 250 before we can publish! If you have been meaning to send in your order for Bonaparte, or any of the other pre-advanced games, please do it today! Go right to: www.charm.net/~kzucker/osg/WDM4/ord-frm2.html.
(Your credit card will not be debited until the product is at the printer.)
To confirm that we have registered your BiI order, please visit: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/2006/BiIOrders.htm
An OSG mailing this summer mentioned an 11 July 1999 deadline for pre-advanced orders; however, you should contact OSG for the latest information on which pre-advanced offers are still open.
1806 Shines in Paper Wars Review
Peter Perla gave 1806 a very close look in Paper Wars #30; be sure to check it out. Here are a few key remarks from that review:
"At the level of operational maneuver, 1806 captures many elements of Napoleonic warfare well. Expert play will require disciplined planning to take advantage of the road net to conduct effective turning movements and maneuvers against the enemy's flanks and rear.
"I found 1806 to be fun, challenging, and fast moving without imposing a high price in rules complexity and time to assimilate the system.
"In 1806 Kevin Zucker has not only produced a fun, attractive, and exciting game, but he also has advanced the state of the art of Napoleonic campaign games."
A Question of Manpower: Struggle of Nations
"It's the start-up strength of the French I Cav Corps (Latour-Maubourg) in Leipzig Scenario that I don't agree with. They should be higher.
"On the French Organization Display, I Cav Corps starts with 3 strength points (3,000 men) in Leipzig Scenario (beginning at 26-27 September). In Appendix of the Scenario Folder, page 40, there is a table -- Strength of French Army at the End of September, 1813, showing 1st Cav Corps strength at 6,000 men; all other cavalry units start-up strength is roughly the same as those in the above table."
Working out the Orders of Battle for the French and other armies was a massive undertaking; it literally took months of research. Unlike the brief and decisive campaigns of earlier years, this one had huge armies made up of detachments from here and there. Since I no longer have my research files for Struggle of Nations, I refer you to, "Napoleon's Grande Armee of 1813," by Scott Bowden. (This book was not yet published in 1980 when the game was designed.) I thought it would be easy to look up the I Reserve Cavalry Corps and find the strength. However, this very exhaustive book doesn't give a strength for that date. This means that the strength must be calculated. But I simply can't devote the time to this at the moment.
Anyone with a copy of the book will see that some brigades and regiments were detached from the main body of the corps. My guess is that the discrepancy in the strength (3,000 vs 6,000) is because part of the corps was detached at the end of September. The Corps had 6,480 men at Leipzig, so other troops had rejoined.
I would be fascinated to see what sort of history of this corps could be worked out, given the numbers in the Struggle of Nations Study Folder, Napoleon at Leipzig, and the Bowden book.
Special Discounts on Multi-Game Orders
- Get Last Days, La Guerre, and 1806 for $96 Even if you already own one of these games, take advantage of this offer and get Last Days for free! Instant birthday present for a wargaming friend.
- Get all four games (including NAB) for $120 This price is one-third off the retail price.
- Offers include domestic US shipping and handling.
Overseas customers please add 20% surface or 40% airmail postage. The offers mentioned here apply to games ordered directly from OSG. For prices and discounts on OSG games ordered through The Gamers, see page 30.
To order from OSG, go to the website order form: www.charm.net/~kzucker/osg/ord-frm.htm
You can also order by mail, phone or fax.
- Phone or Fax Orders 1(610)935-7622
Operational Studies Group
PO Box 50207
Baltimore, MD 21211 U.S.A.
Latest Information for OSG Buyers
As we went to press with this issue in mid-July, Kevin had a few notes for everyone interested in La Guerre de L'Empereur and the pre-advanced order offer.
The new 2nd edition book is now being shipped in the LGE box. Be sure to look for the foil sticker that says "New Edition" if they buy in a store. You can also order the 2nd edition rules themselves from OSG, as noted on page 21.
The four most popular titles for pre-advanced orders are:
- Bonaparte in Italy
Highway to the Kremlin
Sun of Austerlitz
Abensberg/Eckmuehl
As of mid-July, no titles mentioned in the OSG mailer and on the web site have been ruled out, and the list shown here is tentative. Perhaps some Danny Parker fans will give a boost to Dark December II. But the trend seems to be that the four Napoleonic games mentioned here will be the first ones to see publication.
Be sure to check the OSG web site or contact OSG for the latest information on which games are available and which proposed titles are still eligible for pre-advanced orders. And hey, do you editor a favor and order these games so production can move ahead and I can get my copies.
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