LASALLE: A Battle Report: Part 1

Hi All

I thought I’d post an AAR and Review of Sam A Mustafa’s latest offering “LASALLE”. So what is “Lasalle”?

Well from the HONOUR web page (Lasalle is a rule set within the HONOUR series)

The game is small-scale and tactical in nature, focusing on the movement of individual battalions and regiments of cavalry. The player will manage a small force of roughly a dozen units as he tries to complete some specific mission assigned to him, such as “Hold the village and our bridgehead at all costs!” or: “Drive the French from Plancenoit!”

Lasalle is ideal for a small gaming table, and it plays in real-time with most battles lasting 2-3 hours. It is perfect for pick-up games or tournament play. It therefore includes sample army lists enabling players to collect and paint typical small forces from a large number of possible nationalities.

Right then; let’s see for ourselves!

I’ll admit right from the start I am slightly bias towards Sam Mustafa’s work, (Shock, Horror)!!!.

I have played his MIGHT AND REASON rules for the 7 Years War and really like his FAST PLAY GRAND ARMEE (FPGA) rules. I have high expectations that these rules will be well written in an easy to understand and logical manner that will give a realistic game, (as realistic as any game can be).

You’ll find heaps of reviews of the rules on the web and in various magazines, so I’ll stick to the basics and devote more effort to an actual After Action Report, (“Play Test” so to speak):

Presentation.

The rules are presented in a hard bound book with lots of illustrations and pictures of miniatures in scales from 6mm right up to 40mm. A sturdy book that can take the beatings one normally subjects their rules to; (and NO, I don’t mean actually BEATING your opponent with the book, no matter how tempted to do so).

There are plenty of examples inserted at the appropriate places within the book, with diagrams to ensure that nothing is left in doubt. There are Army lists for the major combatants and most Minor States. Oddly enough there is no list for the USA(!?)

There is a Quick Reference sheet (QRS) of sorts in the book. I say “of sorts” because it’s not a card like QRS, but rather pages. That said, you can download a QRS (exactly the same as that within the book) for free together with an Errata and “Tips and suggestions” and there is already a free Army List for the OTTOMAN EMPIRE. In fact, all future army lists will be available for free! It states in the “ARMY BUILDER section of the book:

“You will never have to buy and Supplements to play Lasalle”

Obviously Sam is no businessman in the mold of the teams at Games Workshop or Battlefront!

First Impressions

The rules are very well written.

Rather than writing the rules to mirror the sequence of play they are written in a logical order by way of introduction to the Sub-systems, thus enabling the reader to better understand each subsystem as they are introduced.

There are Advanced rules, Historical Scenarios, a FAQ section and as mentioned before, a QRS, an Army Builder and Army List section. Another useful “bit” is the “Learning The Game Concepts" section, dealing with Unit Sizes and Formations, Depicting Skirmishers, Fronts and Flanks, Terrain and lots more.

So How Does It All Play Out?

Well, like I said, I could rattle on about the actual rules and how well they are written and what nice quality the paper is and "are the lists truly representational of the Armies they represent",. BLAH BLAH BLAH but let’s face it, your here for the AAR and the pictures; sooooo......

The Battle of Pyranesia, 1810

The French ORBAT

A Infantry Division from the Peninsular List:

2 x Veteran Infantry (plus 1 extra, see note) = 3 Vet Btns

3 x Conscript Infantry (Plus 1 extra, see note) = 4 Con btns

1 x Dragoon Regt

1 x Divisional battery

NOTE: Because the French are attacking in this game they get 1 extra Veteran Infantry and 1 extra Conscript Infantry battalion.

I also added an “Organic” Brigade of Light cavalry:

2 x Hussars (1st and 5th)

2 x Chasseurs (but I changed one of these to lancers ‘cause i wanted to see what effect lancers had).

The British ORBAT

An Infantry Division from the Peninsular List:

4 x Infantry (33rd, 44th, 69th and 42nd)

1 x Large Elite Infantry (these are not Guards, but for this game I’ve made them the 1st Foot Guards)

1 Royal Artillery Battery (Minden Battery RA)

2 x Skirmisher Bases (95^th Rifles?)

I also added a “Reserve” Dragoon Brigade *:

2 x Heavy Dragoons (the 2nd and 7th). These should be + Large units, but I've kept ALL cav in this game as small 4 base units.

*(this Bde should also have a Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) battery, but I don’t have one. Instead I’ve added a Spanish Militia Battalion, (just for shits’ n’ giggles).

PART 2: The Game! to be post soon!

MEGA GAME 2009! The 1813 Dresden Campaign the FPGA way,..

Above: 1st Westphalian Hussars! Coool, I have this Regiment myself, so it was interesting to see someone else trot this regiment out.

Last Sunday was MEGA GAME '09. Organised by Mike Parker, (of Battle Field Accessories), about 20 or so Napoleonic gamers gathered at a windy Mornigton Secondary College to play a mini campaign using Sam Mustafa's (slightly modified) Fast Play Grande Armee (FPGA) rules.
The Game setup consisted two teams, (French and Allies), of about 10 player's each. The campaign was played by having several table set up in a hall at the college with each player commanding a Corp, and one player on each side acting as overall Commander In Chief, (CinC). Players comunicated by hastily scribbled notes being passed to ADC's (read Nic Robson of EUREKA MINIATURES) who would carry the note to the appropriate fellow Marshal / General or CinC.Players and their Corps would attempt to move from table to table during "STRATIGIC MOVE PHASES". I say attempt, because a die roll was required to leave a table.
Also, enemy Corps might also end up on a table with you, resulting in a battle.
To add to the Fog Of War, each play was also given a "Blind", (or Blank) Card to move around also.
I won't go into too much detail about the Game, but in a nut shell, The French held the main objective, (Dresden) with St Cyr's Corp. This drew in most of the Allied, (Austrian's Russians and Prussians). The French then tried to get as many of their corps their in an attempt to crush the enemy in detail. It was a close run thing, with St Cyr holding out all day and two French Corps and the Imperial Guard arriving just in time to give the Austrians and Russians a real "roughing up".
The final result was a Victory to the French, but with the allies fit enough to fight another day. A lot like to actual Historical battle really!
Enjoy the pictures.
Below: 1st Westphalian Hussars on the large FPGA Base.

Below: Marshal Mortier, (played by me on the day); BRAVO!

Below: My first action of the day. As I tried to move my Imperial Guard Corp from one table (Maize), to Dresden, a small Korp from the Austrian camp decided they were feeling "well hard". They put up a good fight, with both Corps losing a Brigade, but the Austrians were driven off, and the Guard continued on the the relief of Dresden, force marching part of the way to arrive just in time.

Below:The initial deployments around Dresden. St Cyr's Corp on the left and the Austrian Korp on the right.Between the Walled fields and Dresden you can see the two Italian Brigades who performed heroics by driving in the Austrian center when it looked as the Austrians would sweep away all before them.

Below: The Austrian Korp Commander urges his men on with screams of "Vowarts"! (that's "Forward" in english).

Above: The enthusiastic French and Italian defenders of the walled fields on St Cyr's left prepare to defend their real estate.

Below: The City of Dresden's Garrison have taken some hits, but refuse to budge. Today they must be stubborn!

Above: The Austrians attack and secure the walled fields on St Cyr's left flank

Above: The Austrians drive in St Cyr's left flank and occupy the walled fields, but in the center two Italian Brigades have driven back the enemy with cry's of "Vive Le Emperor" and "Spagetti For Everyone"!!!

Above: Napoleon arrives just around the same time as his Imperial Guard; "Hmmmm,.. If Marshal St Cyr can hold on a little longer we'll yet have victory"

Above: The Russians arrive on the scene. In the distance we can see Dresden. The garrison still holding on.

Below:The Imperial guard and another French Corp arrives!

The Russian Guard Cavalry Korp arrived and launched themselves at the Imperial Guard. The Middle Guard occupies the small town in the center of the far right table, (it's just in picture on the far right of this photo), as the Old Guard moves up to the right, (out of picture unfortunatly).

The honours were shared as the Russian Heavy Cavalry crashed into the Young Guard; with two Russian Cavalry Brigades quicky destroyed, but with the Russian Guard Cavilliers riding "rough shod" over TWO Young Guard Infanrty Brigades, (you can see the dashing distructive Russian horsemen standing where a YG BDE use to be on the half right flank). The Old Guard Grenadiers and Chasseurs however made short work of three Brigades of Russian Cavalry that destroyed themselves on the solid walls of the OG squares.

Dresden is saved!

All miniatures and terrain belong to Mike and friend.

Cheers

More Pictures form LITTLE WARS '09

Here are two more pictures from the 28mm Napoleonic game at Melbournes Little Wars 2009

The 95th Foot (Rifles) in the sand pit opposite La Hay Saint and A French Officer (Marshal Ney??), boldly leading his men forward!

The next pictures (above) shows a Spanish 1st Rate SANTIAGO(?), and some Russian Hussars from the FPGA game. Below we have an out of focus shot of the entire 28mm Napoleonic game.