General d'Armee, a trial game

There are some good Napoleonic rules out there but I`v never found what I consider to be the perfect set.  I like Lassale, from the Honour system and the old standard Shako, but both seem to lack something for me.  The Toofatlardies Le Feu Sacre has always seemed a little unclear to me so I was keen to see what the new General d'Armee rules would be like.

My initial feeling was that these rules needed in game paperwork, which leaves me a little cold, or casualty/status markers.  A telling issue is that there are in game markers sold with the rules.  Well I like those in IABSM, and they aren't really necessary here.

The Lardies did a set of videos on the game (with loud and incredibly annoying music at the start)  and these help the novice (me) get to grips with the system.  So I dug out my 6mm Adler Miniatures Napoleonics and got down to some dice rolling.

 Setting up the game I gave the French two brigades, a three battalion infantry and a Cavalry brigade of two regiments of dragoons.

The French sent out a skirmisher screen and rolled for their ADCs, advancing in echelon. 

Setting up the British I made them an Elite brigade of Guards, two large Infantry units.  They too sent out a skirmish screen but did not move forward.


I like the fact that the brigade commanders sometimes just refuse to move!  I used ADCs to reroll the French and the dragoons surged forward 15cm against the flank of the British Line.

The British left flank battalion formed square.  I had already started wishing that I had these figures set up for this set of rules.  My Brigadiers and ADCs look exactly the same!  


I think I wasted the chance to explore artillery as my French guns attacked the British battery, who never actually got a decent shot in.

The French column approaching the Guards square deployed into line and volleyed. With the dragoons on their flank the Guards could do nothing but soak up the casualties.  I used the skirmishers here too, effectively surrounding the square. (although I did lose two bases of French skirmishers)

In the centre the French column routed at the guards volley fire, but the left flank column closed and attacked through the skirmishers.  

Having seen off one column the Guards fought hand to hand here and saw off the second column too.  The bad news for them was that the square had broken to French Volley fire and the dragoons were now menacing them too.

Pretty much game over.  I am still a little skeptical.  This is a game that needs a lot of figures, certainly for my double ranked 6mm Adlers.  It is probably more of a 15mm game, the rules seem written that way, but to be honest it worked well for me.  I really liked the ADC system once I got the hang of it.  I also really liked that troops can go hesitant, and just refuse orders... even the Guards!

Perhaps that 15mm Austrian army is still on the cards...