We are testing the scenario out for rules, terrain, victory points for a big 28mm game we are holding in the Ibrox club in November 2025. So far we have scaled it down to 15mm and used a paper map to try it out up to 4 turns were completed in 4 to 5 hours. After that play test modifications were done and I played the scenario out in full before we do another play test on the 28th Sept.
Play test and rules check Part 2
Still keeping option with Bylandt putting 2 small Jager battalions one in Gemioncourt (+2 Fortified farm) and the other at the Bridge as above. The rest of Bylandt can be deployed in Quatre Bras and up to the hedgerows in the south to south east as shown above.
The Hedges just give units as Unclear Targets (enemy suffer -1 to shoot at, artillery suffer -1 at close range but ignore this penalty in ranges over close – using ball shot rather than canister), and a +1 on Morale save but do not affect movement.
The stream gives a -3” on movement as an obstacle for infantry and cavalry to cross but impassable for artillery (who have to use bridges), and the lake is impassable.
The roads offer a +4” movement bonus per move action for any units in Column of March. The road alongside Gemioncourt cannot be used unless the village is open or occupied by a friendly force.
Fields only affect movement with a loss of 25%, unless in Skirmish Order or Cavalry who ignore any penalty on movement (artillery can move through just with penalty). Hills are gentle and only block line of sight, or offer artillery to fire over the heads of friends (pg56 of BP2 – essentially need 6” between gun and friends, and 6” on the other side between friends and enemy).
All units in the woods are Skirmish order so all become Unclear Targets as skirmishers, so we are saying the enemies get a -1 to shoot at them. The woods make all units as Unclear targets giving them all another -1. So there is no visibility range for units just outside shooting in to a target in the woods, or inside the woods to shoot each other, but the target in the woods benefits from a -2 to shoot from the enemy. This means units in the woods need 6 to hit each other, unless in close range when a 5, or 6 would hit. All units also get a +1 on their morale save because of the woods. Woods do block Line of Sight (LOS) from enemy units on opposite sides of the woods – just like hills and built up areas (BUA).
A battalion in this formation acts like a skirmish cloud (pg 53). To shoot pick any model from around the battalion and any target 360o around it is valid. They shoot with the unit’s full effect on the closest target or can elect to spread their fire to the next closest target from the same figure. A spread out battalion in Skirmish Order may still be blocked be friends so use good judgement and a unit with Fire factor 3 means at least a third of the models would require to “see” the target to get 1D6, then 2/3 of the unit to get 2D6.
Opposing battalions can melee each other in Skirmish order. But skirmishers do not get Closing Fire so in effect go straight to rolling for melee. They would both suffer a -1 in melee for being skirmishers, but none would count as being fought in the flank or rear as they see 360o. Remember skirmishers cannot Evade other skirmishers.
The BUAs of Thyle, Piraumont, Quatre Bras (which is in 3 parts for this scenario) block LOS. Units inside the villages are treated as unclear targets so any shooting suffers a -1 (but Skirmisher Order or Artillery do not get the extra -1 for Unclear target if in a BUA), get a +1 for Morale checks, and +1 for the final Combat Result (no supports). Gemioncourt is classified as a Fortified Farm so a units will get a +2 for Morale checks, and +2 for the final Combat Result (no supports).
Remember only infantry can enter buildings / BUA during the game (artillery can be placed in these areas if in the Deployment area of the army – only at the start of the game and cannot be moved pg 96). For our game with less movement for the formations the infantry moves up to and makes contact then must have 3” to give up to enter the BUA. Once a unit enters a BUA it turn ends, unless there is a designated road through it and the unit in Column of March is using the road. With the ACVC house rule a unit can pass through a friendly occupied BUA provided it has enough movement to do so (still losing -3” for obstacle passing through BUA) and be clear of the BUA on the other side. To leave the BUA declare you are doing so, choose 1 base and measure 1 move from it and place the leader base, then create the formation around, and behind it. Note visibility and range are measured from the centre of the BUA side. Can only Shoot or Melee with 2D6 per face up to the units stat, an attacker can only initiate melee if has the extra 3” to occupy otherwise just sits outside and no melee occurs. The enemy can attack all sides of the BUA, but with only 1 unit / side facing but each of these units can be supported by friends in the usual way.
Using the ACVC house rules a Break Test of 5,6 will force the unit inside a village to retire and allow the enemy to occupy the BUA.
Artillery can fire into a BUA, suffers a -1 for Unclear target. As this would be ball shot, the artillery will only be able to hit from over close range up to its maximum range (so not less than close – canister having no effect on a BUA).
Joining the battle:
The whole of the French force arrives from off table from Turn 1 to turn 4. I have worked through a Chain of Command notes as to how this happens and the differences between the CinC , Div Generals and the Brigade commanders – see separately (there is also a picture illustration in the turn 2 blog). Here we look at the options for mixed formations creating a skirmish cloud effect, and the French Attack Column.
Here the white smoke represents a disordered result. Each Skirmish base here is for two separate Attack columns, hence the two skirmish shots. The Jagers in Gemioncourt are Morale 4, and the Fortified Farm gives them a +2, hence saving on a 2+. The Jagers shoot back in their turn and suffer a -1 for the skirmish cloud need a 5, or 6 to hit. The French in Attack Column get a +1 in Morale, their basic is 4, so save on a 3+. But of course a 1 is always a fail.
French Attack Column
In Mixed Formation compared to a line
A very tough nut to crack, and very dangerous when attacking. They are vulnerable to artillery that will get the +1 for shooting at a column. But they are very effective in a surgical melee attack on lines with the extra supports.
The range comment here was taken from the rules book (pg56), but we are using the reduced ACVC distances for musketry (See the QRS for this). But they keep the Artillery ranges, so Close Range up to 6”. So to clarify the above picture the foot artillery which will still be 48” (24” for 15mm) this is above the half range so the shot suffers a -1 for long range (but not the -1 for skirmishers as the distance is greater than 6” so is ignored). But does get the +1 for shooting at a column, so end result would be a 4, 5, 6 to hit.
Picton arriving, units staying in Column of March to keep the maximum move for turn 2. Kempt moving in to support Bylandt using the road bonus (a little over cooked here in the picture above as it was assumed you go a double move until checked in book and the AI god and found only get +4”), Pack moving to cover the right flank and Vinke moving to cover the woods to the left flank. This was the strategy used by the 1st play test so did the same here.
And so ends turn 1. | 
