Waterloo at UK Defence Academy Shrivenham

I had the privilege of being invited to play in a Waterloo BBB game at Shrivenham. I was going to write a full report but one of my fellow players, Steve J, has beaten me to it. Rather than replicate what he's done, let me point you to his lovely full photo-AAR here. Likewise Stu on his Cirencester Wargames blog here.

Apart from echoing his thanks to our hosts, comrades and opponents for their good company and an excellent day, I'd just add one photo and one Reflection of my own:

Replayability. I suppose I've fought Waterloo five or six times now. Each one has played out differently to some degree. This time was radically different again, the French following a plan I'd not seen before and producing a shape to the battle that I'd not seen before. That plus the fact of it coming down to the last objective changing hands with the last dice on the last turn made it a seriously good game.

Penultimate turn. Lambert's 6th Division holds Mont St Jean (the village with the red star Objective marker), supported by Uxbridge's cavalry (foreground). In front of them, the Union brigade valiantly keeps two French divisions at bay long enough to prevent them joining the fight at Mont St Jean. Upper right, though, problems: the Old Guard surging down the ridge is about to smash through the remnants of Alten's division, force Wellington himself to decamp briefly, then storm onward to eject Lambert. Lambert will need the aid of Bylandt's Dutch/Belgians, arriving from the left (out of shot), to charge back in and expel the grognards to earn a draw.

6mm figures from Dave F's fine collection.