Conclusion

 Quick and easy, but engaging. That was my goal and the first test game did that. The question is, "Will it do it again?"

Mid-game: The French skirmishers and artillery are inflicting more hits than they receive but they are a long way from taking possession of the village unless some of the infantry can seize their objective and then come to finish the job. The British commander had been holding his Dragoons in reserve and decided to send them to do what they can on the far side.  

On the hill, the French infantry are taking heavy fire from the Coalition infantry and artillery but they are making steady progress.  As they push back the enemy and start climbing the hill, the Dragoons suddenly appear behind them! 

Despite a heavy fire, the Dragoons break the right wing French infantry. However, on the hill, the deadly fire of the French silences the guns. The Brigadier rides over to rally them but is shot. Suddenly the hill is threatened.  

The cavalry, without orders, rest their tired horses and watch the battle on the hill from afar. 
(How many 1's can one roll in a row?)

The French infantry are tired but face the allies. However, the firefight does not last long and the French are suddenly running.

Meanwhile, back at the village, both sides have also taken heavy casualties but when the word comes of the defeat on the hill, the gunners limber up and retreat while the skirmishers cover their withdrawal. 

So? Conclusion? 

Basically, this game met the criteria that I set out.  There were the usual interruptions and splitting the game into two sessions but the game was enjoyable with engaging action and decisions to make. The setup, play to the finish and and the cleanup, added up to about 3 hours.  The 4 stands of 4 infantry were definitely what I wanted and I can't exactly remember why I switched to 3 bases of 6, probably it was to get the flag in the centre and to shorten the foot print of a battalion so I could field more battalions on my 5'x5' table. 

Anyway, that's just one game, and more games are needed before I reach a "final" decision. So, I'll just have to get some more games on the table!  

Engaged!

I've wasted spent too much time trying to figure out what I really want these rules to do and what it is that I'm looking for.  However, the time spent has helped. 

Oddly enough ("who woulda thunk")  I eventually figured out that I've basically been trying to write rules for smaller, shorter games while my subconscious still wanted the feel of games from decades passed when there would be a 6'x8' table full of 15mm figures with 4-6 (or more) players and 4 to 6 hours to play.

Skirmishers and artillery in action as the infantry on both sides deploy.

So, having gone back over some newer, quicker, hugely simplified rules, (One Hour Wargames for example but also some older rules, such as Charge!) I started over to simplify my rules a little so as to speed up my games, a little bit at least.  After all, the ultra-simple rules I took down to my last Huzzah! convention, still led to a 4 hour game that I had to call when time ran out  before there was a definite victory on either side.

The armies deploy while the skirmishers and artillery engage.

I'm not sure when I'll next run another multi-player game but even my solo games would benefit from being able to set up, play a game, and tidy up, all within 3 or 4 hours.

(Not necessarily the tidy up bit, I like looking at the table full of troops!) 

An assault on the hill has begun.....

.......to be continued!

Interruptions! Always Interruptions!

 But that's another matter. 

The armies were deployed and the French advanced. Artillery and skirmishers engaged. The infantry are about to engage and..........

Hopefully, tomorrow we will find out how it goes.