In correspondence with the various members of the Tercio, I thought it best to add the latest notes on our Napoleonic rules. Hopefully we can get together in the Christmas holidays for a first run through of the miniatures version of Blucher for the Later Revolutionary Wars.

Design Philosophy 

The legendary Sam Mustafa has provided the basic rules for play. What follows are notes on the organisation for the Christmas Marengo game. Mr. Mustafa had chosen Blucher as the poster boy for his superb set of rules but I thought we needed someone from the earlier period and a little less Germanic. Hence, Auguste de Marmont, Bonaparte’s anvil of victory.

Bases for miniatures are 50mm square for infantry, cavalry and attachments. I went for six figures per base for line infantry. Light infantry and cavalry can be fewer figures per base. There are two sizes of unit, small and large. Infantry and cavalry are in small units when in fours and six bases constitutes a large unit. A small battery of artillery is two bases and a large battery is three bases. Base widths in Blucher terms is therefore four inches. Artillery are mounted on 60mm squares.

A single infantry unit represents 1200 to three thousand men in a Demi-brigade, regiment or grouping of battalions. A cavalry unit represents a regiment or grouping of squadrons in the order of five hundred to one thousand, two hundred sabres. An artillery unit is a grouping of two or more batteries (12 to 30 guns).

A few players have commented oh Blucher and Field of Glory units not actually looking like Napoleonic formations but one must remember that these are brigade formations and such a brigade was rarely deployed with all of its regiments line abreast. Rather a column was often a succession of formations in line, one behind the other. 

Formations

Tactical- two bases deep for cavalry and infantry

Skirmish- light infantry or light cavalry, one base deep. Unit will evade if charged.

March Column- allows strategic moves, “covered” movement in Blucher. One base wide column

Self- supported – available to large units, two bases wide. Extra dice in combat but fires as small unit.

Organisation

An infantry division may not contain any cavalry units but may contain up to one artillery battery. It must contain at least three infantry units.

A cavalry division must not contain any infantry but may contain one horse artillery battery. It must have at least two cavalry units.

A Mixed division must have at least one cavalry and one infantry unit. It may not contain more than four units of either infantry or cavalry. One artillery battery may be included.

Grand Batteries may be formed with your opponents permission when refighting battles with more than one corps per side and so lie usually outside our chosen period and scale.

Attachments

These can be skirmishers, exceptional officers, light artillery or cavalry companies. They are represented by bases positioned next to their parent unit. A legal division can have no more attachments than the number of infantry units or half the number of cavalry units. Cavalry units can only have officer or artillery attachments. Infantry can have a maximum of two attachments each.

Additional to the main Blucher rules

Lines of communication

Each army will have a 90mm square that represents the crucial supply route of the force. If any enemy unit is on this square all units will suffer an extra hit so long as the enemy occupy that point. The lines of communication square must be in open gound on your forces’ baseline, next or on a road if possible.

Evade

Skirmishing infantry and cavalry will evade if charged D6 base widths

Unlimbered horse artillery and limbered foot artillery will evade D3 base widths

Limbered horse artillery will evade D6 base widths plus two base widths
The Blucher army lists for the French in Italy can be found back in November 2016. I’ll post the updated Austrian and French lists up for Marengo ASAP. The lists in Field of Glory look the most  useful.Thoughts and ideas always welcome😳

Postscript

You have got to love the Internet! Just found all the card we need on one of the most impressive club sites I think I have ever come across! Details to follow!

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