My General d ' Armee Project

Wargames rules are getting expensive.  Since I retired, selling up most of my collection, I tend to notice this sort of thing more.   For a good set of rules I have no problem of course, and since I try to buy rules on pdf format to keep my clutter down I minimise the cost too.

I have in the past however paid lots of money for rules that I am unsatisfied about, and Napoleonics is probably the worst period for this.  Still I decided that the Toofatlardies are a brand that I respect,  and I had watched the videos on YouTube to get an idea of what these rules were about.  Time to lay out my £16 for a pdf (one of the cheaper sets these days) and see what they were like

My 6mm Napoleonic figure collection is limited to about 8 battalions a side, the traditional French and British.   A couple of cavalry regiments each and a few guns.  A quick read through of the rules and I realised that this wasn't going to be enough.

The French: three Brigade's of Infantry, one of Cavalry

Actually I was quite pleased that my 6mm Napoleonics matched what I needed for General d' Armee quite well.  My battalions are mounted on one 40 by 20mm, and two 20 by 20mm mdf bases, in double ranks, with two additional skirmish bases of 20 by 20mm.  This uses around 28 Adler miniatures.

For space saving I am considering  using single 40 by 20 bases to represent the battalions, with a double sided "square" or "column" marker for when those formations are in use.

Space is a real consideration.   The 6mm have travelled back to the flat in the UK with me. ( and that was an uncomfortable moment at airport security!)   My table here is circular and about 3 feet across.  Fortunately I have a plan to deal with that.

I bought a canvas artists frame 100cm by 70cm in the Works some time ago, intending to turn it into a battle board.   The big idea... I'm going to create a 6mm sculptured terrain.  The glossy pictures in wargames magazines show this integrated sculptured terrain, and it looks great.  For 6mm in particular it's possible to engineer a small piece of real estate that looks great.

No static grass  of course.  I'm convinced that this stuff will eventually kill half of all wargamers...and thier families.  I have astma of course so am probably biased, but I get seriously ill whenever I am near the vile stuff.  My plan is to use good old fashioned Javis flock.  It sets like concrete when added to diluted pva, and I can vary the shades quite easily.

• The battle board will have some moveable features, such as wood and village templates that match the flock colours, but it will also have fixed hills, a ridge in one quarter, a rounder hill on the opposite side.   A small river or stream will run across the centre, and roads will cross at a ford.   
  
  This will be a Western European terrain for the Waterloo period.

I will be blogging this project as it develops.

The British: Three Brigade's of Infantry and one of Cavalry