Using the previously referenced “English Waterloo” hex scenario for Blucher as a guide, the following are needed:
French Army:
2 Legere: 7 hits
13 Ligne: 6 hits
2 Cuirassier: 7 hits, shock
5 other Line Cavalry (Hussar/Dragoon/Lancer/Chasseur): 6 hits
2 Guard Light Cavalry: 7 hits, shock
1 Guard Heavy Cavalry, 8 hits, Shock
2 Guard Infantry, 8 hits, shock
1 Guard Artillery
1 Line Heavy Artillery
The French troops are no problem; I have far more than these!
Leaders: Napoleon, Ney, Reille, D’Erlon, Kellerman, Milhaud
As the game will have three players a side, these have to change, along with the command structure. Thus Napoleon and Ney will share Army command; each turn the French player will have to decide which one to use; each will come with their own characteristics.
The three player commands will be Reille, D’Erlon, and Lobau. In the interest of the game, the troops will be pretty evenly divided amongst the three commands, with La Garde in Reserve.
Anglo Allied Army:
3 Nassau Line: 5 hits
1 Dutch-Belgian Line: 5 hits Conscript
3 Hanoverian Infantry: 5 hits Conscript
2 Brunswick Infantry: 5 hits
5 British Line: 6 hits Firepower, Steady
2 British Light: 7 hits Firepower, Steady
2 British Guard: 7 hits, Firepower, Steady, Shock
1 Brunswick Cavalry: 6 hits
3 Dutch-Belgian Cavalry: 5 hits Reluctant
4 British Light Cavalry: 6 hits, Shock, Impetuous
2 British Heavy Cavalry: 7 hits, Shock, Impetuous
Leaders: Wellington, Picton, Orange, Buttlar, Collert, Uxbridge
Like the French, I have more than enough British for the game already. I also have more than enough Brunswickers (MInifigs painted 3 decades ago). I have a single Nassau regiment, and no Dutch-Belgians or Hanoverians.
In contemplating the situation, I decided to get a second unit of Nassau troops (There were 2 Nassau regiments in the Confederation of the Rhine anyway, so they will be useful elsewhere as well). Rather than get a 3rd Nassau infantry, I decided to get one each of Dutch and Belgian infantry for variety. These troops are only of use for the 100 days campaign.
I didn’t want to get 3 units of very limited use cavalry, so British Light Dragoons in shako will have to stand in for them. OK, that works, I have 4 such units and only need 3.
The Hanoverians posed the biggest problem; I didn’t want to paint up 3 more units of very limited use troops! In considering the situation,. It occurred to me that I could use the (very nicely painted) Minifigs British Line infantry I purchased from Jamie W. at Historicon about 25 years ago, and could even give them Hanoverian militia flags! I have 66 such figures plus 2 mounted officers; with adding a few spare Old Glory command figures that would make 4 units, and I could even retain the original flags on their own command stands if I want to use them as British again. OK, Hanoverian dilemma solved with zero added expanse and perhaps some minimal added painting.
As for Leaders, it will be Wellington as C-in-C, Picton, Hill, and Prince Wilhelm of Orange. Once again there will be some special characteristics for them. All I will need to paint up there will be Prince Wilhelm.
An order was thus fired off to Perry Miniatures last month for the necessary troops (some of the DB units I wanted were out of stock, but others were readily substituted, and they arrived across the pond in record time.
Painting information was needed for some of these new troops. Fortunately. I have pretty much bought every Osprey Napoleonic uniform title I can find, so I already had these:
Let the painting begin!
