The French continue their advance.

A little about the rules and OSG systems, in essence from what I can tell so far, the scales that represent 500m thru 1600m per hex have the same basic structure for Turn sequence, Command, Movement and Combat.. Within each system the games of course then break down to provide specific details for scale at hand. The http://www.napoleongames.com/grandtacticallibrary.html or Library of Napoleonic Battle Series has additional details for Charges, Artillery, some supply modifications and now card driven events as well. The point here is that the mechanics will be similar.

For example in each scale activating a unit or a Corp is the same mechanic. A Roll against initiative of a leader or a units rating. Things like bridging or laying pontoons work similarly as well.

Now of course combat results are different. At the higher scale things like Exchanges, Defender Eliminated etc occur. Where as at lower lever detail the results are usually some form of retreat.

Both games use a hidden movement mechanic, both use similar Night turn constructs and both deal with Morale in a like fashion. the benefit here is due to a clean well structured rule book (Thank Simonitch for that) and excellent examples you can move from one system to the other almost seamlessly.

I will say in 1806, that I found the lack of tables for core elements to be annoying, and the setup cards were opaque to me for several days. You will want to be familiar with the jargon of the era, and be interested in the History of the elements that surround arrivals and departures (do I really care where Duval was the morning before he arrived?).

Some elements on older games such as 1806 are missing. Such as the ‘recycle box’ my term for units that are eliminated, disorganized or broken. That are then recycled back into the battle.

At the higher level, permanently eliminating a unit is hard, being out of command, demoralized or out of supply also appears to have little direct effect on play. Other than one key thing. In one stroke the ability to fight, move or react is limited by your roll for a unit against initiative. One is added to this if you are Demoralized or OOS.

Not a big deal for higher quality units, a crushing hassle for low quality units. So while we do not see a negative impact on combat, move rates etc, we do have the impact of NO ACTION!  the more I play this first campaign the more I appreciate how simple and how clever this is.

More on the Combat system and recovering units later.

As for the battle we continue to move into the engagement phase, and the Prussians are slowing the advance by sticking Vedettes (skirmish sized cavalry units) in the path of the French juggernaut.

Brunswick’s forces are mostly OOC and strung along the road to Jena. Hohenlohe III Corp prepares to blow bridges.

This bridge is vital if the Prussians intend to strike at supply of the French in the South. French Vedettes from V Corps scout the situation.