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Folks,
I played Empire V (by Bowden and Getz) today for the first time. It will likely be my last as well. I was able to get through about 120 of the 198 page rulebook and played both sides with an experienced Grognard via zoom meeting. It was underwhelming. The book describes it as a "simulation" rather than a game. It's very braggy and the gent who I played with (my instructor) really thinks it's the bee's knees. To me, it feels like it fails simultaneously being a simulation and a game. There are hyper-tedious rules with innumerable tables and a 3 page flow chart for charges that doesn't even take into account side rules. It was, in a word, "terrible." I know it won some awards beck in the day, but man it was tedious. There is ONE aspect I like and that is the telescoping time scale to allow for grand tactical and tactical movement. In GT movement unengaged divisions can make long sweeping movements but scale of table needed to make them realistic would make it unplayable, especially considering the limited ability to interpret the written orders.

I'm pretty bummed. I have lots of 15mm based in pairs and no system. I've played black powder and it's ok I guess. I just remember skirmishers being super powerful, but failing order after order seemed like a really poor mechanic. I enjoyed Snappy Nappy but the morale mechanic of getting shot once and forcing a brigade to run off the table is a little crazy. I liked it's elegance though. My normal partner did not.

I have General de Brigade, General de Armee, and Blücher that I have not yet played. I dunno if I have the energy to devote at this point. Pretty frustrated. Thinking about chucking $1000 of minis into the trash can.

I think I want something simple and elegant that is easy for novices to pick up and captures the spirit of 1797-1815 warfare. I also want to have good looking battlefields with minimal clutter.

What have yall played and liked the most?

DO NOT DO THAT!

There are so many Nappies rules sets, you will find one that you like. There is no period with more rules than Nappies.

I really like Blucher, but I use the cards for it and not minis. I also have Sam Mustafa's La Salle, but have not played that yet. It gets good buzz though.

Here are my thoughts on Blucher:

https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2019/01/battle-report-blucher-along-danube.html

Nice review. I have all of Blücher's cards and finally got the rules last week. Maybe we'll try that next. One requirement for our games though is to have a battlefield "spectacle" replete with terrain and minimal counters. Although this can be played with minis, it seems that the cards and counters will have to stay on the table. Looking forward to trying it.
G

I feel the same as you do. I have heard that osprey will be releasing some rules soon for Napoleonics.


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The osprey rules are called absolute emperor and will be released next May 2021.

If you thought Empire V was bad you should check out Chef de Bataillon from the same authors. The game is almost "Campaign for North Africa" levels of infamous for the amount of crunch and detail baked into the rules.

I almost want to buy campaign for NA just to say I have the worst wargame ever conceived by man. Takes longer to play the game than the actual historical campaign.

This makes me want to dig out and try my rules for LaSalle.

Started playing Empire 3 in high school. Empire V we got down to an hour of real time for an hour of time for the figs on the table. Loved them for what they were back then. One day it occured to us that what we were "playing" wasn't a game at all.

It even says it in the prologue....

Was a great lesson in what we wanted our Napoleonic wargame rules to play, look, and feel like on the tabletop. It was also a lesson in what we did not want.

Like most Grognards we made up our own rules with the lessons learned from Empire and 100 rulesets that were available back then.

If you know what to look for you can see the inspiration of the TTC and flow charts in there. Just with 15 minute turns and no 3 page elan test and charge flow charts.

I think the telescoping time scale is truely inspired. I love the idea.