Road to Waterloo - Plan for Waterloo Day, An early start.

     Last year my Waterloo day game focussed on additional house rules and painting more cavalry. I started work on the project quite close to the day and it felt rushed to complete all the work necessary, but ultimately it was well worth it. 

    This year not wanting to feel the same "squeeze", I have already started the game outline and I'm working towards figure painting. Once again it will be mainly a cavalry action and hence involves painting up; British Household cavalry, aka 'the Blues', one regiment of British Hussars and two regiments of French line Lancers, (all of which are currently on the workbench, ready primed). Therefore, less to paint than last year and more time to do it, sounds like it will work out.

    One or two specific house rules may be needed and the first of these will be light cavalry scouting, I think I have prepared some basic rules, but they will need tweaking. Also I think that my light cavalry skirmish rules need another going over - just to be sure they work with ease. Oh, and some built up area work needs finalising.

    Unit order of battle is currently in progress and the disposition of each side, buildings are complete and the zone of combat defined. I'm still reading the details of the action to firm up everything and preparing a checklist to ensure that I have all that I need on the day.

So what's the battle, well it's "The retreat from Genappe". Not strictly a set piece battle but more a controlled withdrawal to buy time in order to assemble the allied forces for the Waterloo fight.

The main information for the encounter was drawn from "The History of the Waterloo campaign" by Captain Siborne, taking notes as I go along.

The map showing the battlefield and Britiah dispositions has been completed, except for the French, who will move on table under specific timings, (yet to be determined);

Finally, the first of the unpainted cavalry is underway - the Household "Blues".