I just finished my first small encounter using the new Genereal de Brigade rules. They are very similar to the previous edition, but the rules themselves are filled with terrific photos and charts. In this game, a French division of two brigades set about the task of taking a hill from Kempt's brigade of Picton's division. (click on the pictures to enlarge them.)
The first contact was made by a regiment of three batallions. The highlanders were positioned behind a stone wall and their initial volley faltered one batallion, forced another to retreat and then the third had to take a formation test, which it failed. It was not a good start for the French!
A legere regiment attacked a wood held by the 95th Rifles and slowly but surely drove the men in green back, but took casualties in the process.
A third batallion of the same regiment charged a British foot battery. Though being blasted by cannister, the veterans passed their moral and closed with the guns, routing them from the field and allowing a French battery to advance.
The line regiment's two remaining batallions tried to assault the stone wall a second time, but was stopped cold by another fierce volley from the Scots.
You may be able to see colored rings on some of the figures. Yellow represents halted, orange retreat, red routed and green unformed. The white rings represent losses until an entire stand is killed and removed, being replaced by a casualty stand.
It was an enjoyable first attempt at the new rules.
