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For those of you who don't know, Lasalle is a newer tactical-level ruleset for the Napoleonic Wars, and I was thinking of giving it a try, probably with Austrians and French. Has anyone played it? Any thoughts on the game, or advice for newcomers to Lasalle or the Napoleonic period in general?

I was thinking about starting with an Austrian Reserve Division-based force (i.e. Grenadiers), but I also like the regular Austrian Infantry Division list, although it looks like it'd be a lot to paint up initially with their big infantry battalions! Any thoughts on which list might be a better starting point for a new player?

Thanks guys! Any input is greatly appreciated!

Not played Lasalle yet... We use Blackpowder.

I have Austrians, nice army to paint, with a decent selection of colours and British in 15mm. I would start with the Austrian Infantry Division... You need lots of infantry in an Austrian army!

I have just started on a Prussian army for the 1813 War of Liberation. Started with a Landwehr Brigade...

How is Blackpowder, by the way?

The large numbers of big infantry battalions in a regular Austrian infantry army was what was making me lean towards Grenadiers.

But we'll see, I like both, I may end up doing both eventually. The regular infantry division-based force does seem a lot more well-rounded, but oh, so many minis to paint!

I like Blackpowder alot.

We use it for AWI, Nappies and ACW.

Its fairly freeform, its not a competitive set of rules, but we find the games very enjoyable and very characterful. Its also great to have a single set of mechanisms to represent several different periods.

Yes... Austrian units are big! Good thing with Blackpowder is you can set the figure limit how you want.

We have our Austrian units at 24 figures for a large full strength regiment and then 16 figures for an understrength one.

For 28mm I have gone a bit mad and have 36 figures representing a standard unit...

Haven't played LaSalle, but have looked into it.

I have played a bit of Might and Reason, Sam Mustafa's Seven Year's War rules. I like them quite a bit, although the mechanics are different, terrain interaction is more important, and command and control is way different than any GW game (perhaps sans Epic).

We built our SYW armies (I did Austrians) in 10mm though. It really looks superb on the tabletop and makes it easy to get lots of troops on the table.

If I do get into LaSalle, it will likewise probably be in 10mm.

Im Old School, I love Napoleons Battles, best 15mm Wargame ever!

LaSalle are the rules of choice for us. Shako comes in 2nd. LaSalle has a bit of that Flames of War feel to it at times but the rules are very well written and does not come down to whocan chuck the most dice down in a fire phase.

The rules contain lists for basically every army out there and the biggest thing with the rules is that it does not treat the French like they are wearing power armor and simply better because they are french. The game relies very heavy on command and control and you generalship rather than just pointing your french old guard at something and destroying it.

My only experience with Napoleonics is Napoleon's Battles. I only had Russians ... lots and lots of Russians.

I never played NB but saw battles using them and they did not seem like the most user friendly rules set, especially for a bunch of new users in a group.

Actually they are surprisingly simple. They also come with stats for every army of the period, and I do mean EVERY army lol. The French are by no means "supermen" and it gives a real feel for the period.

Like any set of rules once you understand the basic mechanism its all good.

Well we played another Black Powder Naps game last Friday in our ongoing fictional 1809 campaign... Yet another win for my Austrian team!

Best game so far... I find with BP that the more you play the better the games get as you get used to the system and can add in extra rules for the period flavour.

Made me dig out all my unpainted Austrians over the weekend!

I haven't played since the days of Empire (Getz and Bowden's rules), but I still have my Austrian Corps in 15mm. I still like the Austrians best, especially since everyone else always wants to be the French, British, or Russians.

I guess that I'll have to pick up another rules system in order to find an opponent but I really don't want to rebase all of my minis.

Which rules system works best for using Corps and/or division level fights? I have a copy of Napoleon's Battles and it just looks bland compared to Empire. On the plus side, it is more fair to the non-French players and plays a lot faster.


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Damn, no one has any Napoleonic Figure pics up in their galleries! You have all been judged unworthy by the Inquisition and will be shot at dawn!! OH wait, I haven't posted any either. Ok, ok, you get a one-week reprieve. Post or else we'll comb your hair with a fine-toothed bolt pistol.

I quite like LaSalle, the game plays quickly, the way units interacts seems right and it is all about getting the right units into the right place at the right time rather than simply shooting units into the ground.

I heartly recommend giving them a go.

Challenger

Aldramelech wrote:Actually they are surprisingly simple. They also come with stats for every army of the period, and I do mean EVERY army lol. The French are by no means "supermen" and it gives a real feel for the period.

Like any set of rules once you understand the basic mechanism its all good.

Second this regarding Napoleon's Battles. The only real complaint one can make about difficulty with the rules is the less than stellar organization of the rule book. But the rules themselves are fairly easy to get a grasp of. My small group has basically dropped people right into a game (giving them a division of troops to play with - the smallest unit size is brigade/battery) and had them up and running almost immediately with minimal difficulties.

This isn't Napoleon's Squad Leader.

thanks for the info

black powder all the way ! i play it in 28 mm . you need large table to play . its definately for large scale games . not for competive play more of a brandy and cigar gentelmans game . im going to do zulu wars with the black powder rules soon too . id definately pick up the book !

Empire and Napoleon's Battles are both considered old-fashioned, slow and complicated by modern players, though they have their followings. (I own, and have played both, and liked them, but I am old school.)

These days I am mostly interested in very large scale battles in 6mm. My preferred rules are Marechal de l'Empire (Baccus 6mm) and Grande Armee by Sam MUstafa.

Kilkrazy wrote:Empire and Napoleon's Battles are both considered old-fashioned, slow and complicated by modern players

Never played Empire. But if people consider Napoleon's Battles to be complicated, then I'd hate to see what they consider "simple"...