Winter Sale: Choices

[Sir John Cope]

I intend to take advantage of the impending JTS winter discount to acquire one or more of the Napoleonic series. 

I enjoy large scenarios, and I take particular pleasure in grand tactical options - as opposed to scenarios where the opposing forces are already deployed and all that is left to the player is to simply slog forward and fight the tactical battle.

So what are my options for games which provide some of the larger battles of the era with some room for the player to maneuver against the enemy before closing to pistol shot?

[jim pfleck]

Leipzig, Bautzen, Eckmuhl, Jena, Marengo and Austerlitz (Ulm campagin) all have large battles with tons of room. Of these, Bautzen is the smallest and shortest (2 days). Leipzig second shortest but huge map.

[phoenix]

I wonder what scale you mean when you refer to 'tactical options'? for instance, Waterloo, in that title, starts with all the forces arranged as at the start of that battle. As French, however, you still have a choice not to go straight ahead into the Allied lines, but to try to go down the left, past Hougoumont. Takes a long time to shift everyone to do this, but it's possible. Most titles leave room for 'tactical' options like this whilst keeping the historical starting arrangements.

Of the titles I have, however, Leipzig, I think, has the scenarios with the longest lead-in times, if you see what I mean. Where the scenarios start a long way before the battle day 'starting points' and thus leave you room to set up elsewhere, after a longer preparation period. But these are huge scale, I feel. You have a lot of marching of individual units to do before you will get anywhere.

Smaller scale, the bigger battles in both Peninsula titles give scenarios where you start out well before the historical set ups on the day. Meaning a few hours before. Which is sometimes enough to make decisions of the sort you crave, I think. The larger Salamanca scenario, for example, leaves the French a lot of options as to where to strike, and leaves the Allies uncomfortably guessing as to where that will be, because there's a lot of ground to cover. The French 'could' assemble and strike along the north of the river, or follow the line of the river just south of its course, or go deeper, as happened historically (they were actually trying to completely by-pass the Allies initially). Or a mix of these. Most titles have options of this sort in a few bigger battles at least.

[devoncop]

I can definitely recommend Jena if you want a huge map with multiple strategic options.

To give you an idea of the scale I am playing Mr Moss in a 534 turn "Four Nations" game and after almost 200 turns total casualties are about a dozen scouting Cavalry each and none of my three Allied armies has yet located the main French army .😂

Definitely huge scope for different strategies though as Phoenix points out you do need to enjoy the build up !

Cheers

Ian

[Sir John Cope]

I wonder what scale you mean when you refer to 'tactical options'?  for instance, Waterloo, in that title, starts with all the forces arranged as at the start of that battle. As French, however, you still have a choice not to go straight ahead into the Allied lines, but to try to go down the left, past Hougoumont. Takes a long time to shift everyone to do this, but it's possible. Most titles leave room for 'tactical' options like this whilst keeping the historical starting arrangements.

Of the titles I have, however, Leipzig, I think, has the scenarios with the longest lead-in times, if you see what I mean. Where the scenarios start a long way before the battle day 'starting points' and thus leave you room to set up elsewhere, after a longer preparation period. But these are huge scale, I feel. You have a lot of marching of individual units to do before you will get anywhere.

Smaller scale, the bigger battles in both Peninsula titles give scenarios where you start out well before the historical set ups on the day. Meaning a few hours before. Which is sometimes enough to make decisions of the sort you crave, I think. The larger Salamanca scenario, for example, leaves the French a lot of options as to where to strike, and leaves the Allies uncomfortably guessing as to where that will be, because there's a lot of ground to cover. The French 'could' assemble and strike along the north of the river, or follow the line of the river just south of its course, or go deeper, as happened historically (they were actually trying to completely by-pass the Allies initially). Or a mix of these. Most titles have options of this sort in a few bigger battles at least.

Hi and thanks for the feedback. You'll see above I refer to grand tactical options. That isn't a term with a precise and generally agreed definition, but in this context I take it to mean maneuver prior to the commitment of my corps d'armee to deployment for battle - the decision which of course constituted the greater part of the role of Napoleon and his counterparts.  

I don't have much info to go on (which is why I'm here asking) but this screenshot seems to suggest that even in the largest 1815 scenarios the armies begin already deployed and in the presence of the enemy: 

https://johntillersoftware.com/Napoleoni...rloo_5.png  

So I would conclude that Waterloo does not offer much scope for grand tactics, but only tactical decisions such as the example you offered (outflank Hougoumont or straight ahead). 

Leipzig gets some other recommendations, and I'll take a look at the Penninsular titles as well. 

One practical question re: "a lot of marching of individual units": I've read through this forum enough to know that there are some significant differences (like automatic defensive fire) between the PzC series and the Nap titles, so do the latter have the Immediate AI Orders function (alt-rightclick) for moving by division, or is it necessary to literally move by individual unit?  

Thanks again.

[Sir John Cope]

I can definitely recommend Jena if you want a huge map with multiple strategic options.

To give you an idea of the scale I am playing Mr Moss in a 534 turn "Four Nations" game and after almost 200 turns total casualties are about a dozen scouting  Cavalry each and none of my three Allied armies has yet located the main French army .😂

Definitely  huge scope for different strategies though as Phoenix points out you do need to enjoy the build up !

Cheers

Ian

If the jump map in this screen shot is anything to go by, it looks like the scale of the map offers plenty of room for grand tactical maneuver:

https://johntillersoftware.com/Napoleoni...tedt_6.png

And besides, one of my favorite Napoleonic board wargames has always been Marshal Enterprises' La Bataille de Jena ("Pour Prusse 1806" in the retitled and expanded edition).     

Thanks for the reply.

[devoncop]

Squarian

I can confirm Alt Right click will move formation of troops by Brigade,Division or even Corps if in appropriate line of March.

[Sir John Cope]

Squarian

I can confirm Alt Right click will move formation of troops by Brigade,Division or even Corps if in appropriate  line of March.

That's a relief to hear - I'm fine with a good deal of micromanagement,  but there are limits!

[Stas_sche]

By the way, what are the most popular titles, so it is easier to find PBEM opponent?

I want to start playing JTS Napoleonics by PBEM and I'm choosing my first title.

My first preference is Borodino (as for a Russian, the only thing that is better than kicking Frenches asses is kicking the Germans ones, but I have Panzer Campaigns for that :), though it seems that this title is not that popular, so I'm afraid of problems with finding an opponent.

The second option is Jena-Aurstedt: I played this game long time ago in Hot-seat mode (my cabinmate on a ship had it, so five weeks of very active playing).

The third option is Leipzig: some people recommend this title as it has the largest number of various armies, so a bit more variable in the play.

Any other suggestion based on the popularity of the titles for PBEM?

[agmoss99]

By the way, what are the most popular titles, so it is easier to find PBEM opponent?

I want to start playing JTS Napoleonics by PBEM and I'm choosing my first title.

My first preference is Borodino (as for a Russian, the only thing that is better than kicking Frenches asses is kicking the Germans ones, but I have Panzer Campaigns for that :), though it seems that this title is not that popular, so I'm afraid of problems with finding an opponent.

The second option is Jena-Aurstedt: I played this game long time ago in Hot-seat mode (my cabinmate on a ship had it, so five weeks of very active playing).

The third option is Leipzig: some people recommend this title as it has the largest number of various armies, so a bit more variable in the play.

Any other suggestion based on the popularity of the titles for PBEM?

Any of those titles are great. Of the three I'd say Leipzig was top. You may want to consider Bautzen too.