My 40th
anniversary "Column, Line., and Square game at Historicon, 2007
My game to
celebrate my 40th anniversary in the hobby went very well. In 1967 I, I met Bob Cory
in a hobby shop in Chicago. He was telling people there about a big
Napoleonic wargame his
group had
done. He had pictures. All my life I had been playing with toy
soldiers but had never seen anything like this.
He invited me to his house to see his
figures and to learn how to play.
I got a copy of the rules
but left Chicago
area for Boston a couple of months later.
So, I never got into a real game until I met
Dick Bryant in
the fall of 1968. I taught him to
play and the rest is history :)
At Historicon, I
was put into the Showroom but on a table that had some light over it so that
was ok. Still a
pain, literally, carrying 15 boxes of figures and wooden table tops up those
stairs.
We had 12
players, 6 per side. 8 have played much, 2 a little, and 2
not at all. Dick Bryant commanded the Allies and Richard Borg took
the French. Rich
also was introduced to CLS by Bob Cory, abut 2 years me. Each commander
has played CLS for some 39 years.
Richard starting as a college freshman, Dick as a 34 year old.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/commanders195.jpg
I told the story
of how I started playing and then served cake.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/cake185.jpg
Here is the
Troop Roster for both sides.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/clstrooproster.htm
The game was on
a 6 foot by 12 foot plain green table like a ping pong
table. Limited
terrain. Most from 35-40 years ago. The figures are
90% MiniFig with
a few Scruby, Warrior and Hinchliffe mixed in. I
like the toy
soldier quality of the MiniFig. Half were from the
1970's and the
rest from eBay in the past few years. I have about
half again as
many and hope to get them all on the table at home
(maybe two
tables like Fred did).
French start
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/frenchstart186.jpg
This is one
Brigade, of 4, deployed on the table.
Allied set on
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/allystart187.jpg
CLS gamers
cannot keep impedimenta off the table :)
Bottom, the
allied left, is Austrian, middle, Prussian, top is Russia.
Close-up of
Prussians in the center. 5 columns screened by 2
battalions of
fusiliers. The grenadiers have a prolong gun. Lancers
and horse
artillery at the top. Foot gun at bottom.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/prussiacenter188.jpg
Fuzzy pic of
French Brigade: 3 Battalions of foot, screened by Lˇger
Btn. Horse and
foot guns, and Hussar regiment at bottom
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/frenchcenter189.jpg
Middle game.
Troops advancing on the cross roads, Austrian
grenadiers
arrive on right. Jaegers occupy house. Chasseur a Cheval
regiment arrives
at bottom left, to protect the hill.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/midgame191.jpg
Here is the
whole Chasseur regiment -- 4 ½ squadrons of 8 figures.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/chasseur190.jpg
Close up of the
cross roads. The house with gables was made by Ted
Haskill, who did
the drawings in the Second Edition. The other house
is card, both
from 1970.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/crossroads193.jpg
Dick brings on
the British Rockets on the Allied left. First shot is
a dud. This is a
picture of the battery after he threw snake eyes!
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/rocket192.jpg
Late in the
game, the French are taking the cross roads.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/lategame196.jpg
The Allies were
having some success on the Austrian side, a regiment
of Cuirassiers
cut through the French Chasseurs and broke through up
on the hill.
French support coming -- Chasseurs a Cheval of the Guard
and Mamelukes
and a infantry battalion in square.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/cavvbattle198.jpg
In the end, the
French got the Crossroads. There British reserves
were closing in
but darkness fell.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~abeattie/dbasum2005/hcongame/endgame197.jpg
All in all a
good game. As always, we needed
another hour for
completion. I
loved the look of the game. This is the biggest 25mm
game I have ever
done, or seen. I forgot to get the
CE count for victory
but call it a
minor French victory with an orderly withdrawal for the allies.
