5 thoughts on “How do you Quatre Bras?”

1. Great topic. I own this game, but haven’t played it. The reason is precisely because there are three rules systems to choose from. I really don’t understand how this family of games has gotten as popular and long in the tooth as it undoubtedly has, when they permit; no, they **revel in** this self-inflicted rules confusion.

   I’m of the opinion that a designer, of all people, HAS TO have a point of view (bias, if you will) about what (s)he is trying to portray in a game, and the rules are the #1 extension of this view. There can only be ONE set of rules for a system, in particular one as proceedurally fiddly (and necessarily so) as Napoleonics. This is the ultimate rock/paper/scissors of warfare, and it’s the differences among the three rules systems that **must** produce different results with different game tactics.

   The last nail in the coffin for me is that, while I am very loathe to play a game if I can’t either follow the rules as written… or have a solid justification for any house rules … I simply WOULD NEVER and WILL NEVER observe the 15-minute move rule, whereby the rules authors have gone on record saying the reason the rule is there is to “force errors” on the player’s part and to try to make the game play quicker (a bow to impatient, attention-deficit players who deserve no consideration whatsoever, other than to learn some patience for a detailed system).

   In the end, for the effort it would take to properly learn either of the two more detailed versions of this system… knowing that I’d probably then choose the less popular of them, and then have a harder time finding opponents… has just made me “call the whole thing off”.

   There is a budding successor to this system, called “On Battles” in testing now, and I’m hoping this system will finally result in the tactical Napoleonics system I’ve been looking for for all these many years.

2. I have found the rules version which came with the second edition of Ligny pretty good. It needs a good editorial clean up but it has most of the flavour of the Regs without as much procedure.

   Playing solo I don’t bother with the timed move rule, and the game is fine without it.

   Playing with the Regs you get more precision in the rules but they play slower because that precision comes via lots of detailed procedures.

   Like the previous poster, I yearn for official rules, but I don’t think that will be happening any time soon, with two active publishers and with Clash of Arms having moved dramatically away from both the Regs and the Marie-Louise rules after Moscowa was published.

3. I really want to like the Hexasim Quatre Bras game but the Netherlands artillery seem like is has AP cyanide tipped edges on it when it hits 2nd Corps ranks

4. I enjoy la bataille series. Several variations by a few companies over the years but there are now so many titles. Wagram, Waterloo, Salamanca, Lutzen, Bautzen, Borodin and so on. Even Vauchamp!
   You can take or leave the time limits on moving but they do a fair job of simulating the commanders of large forces shovelling troops into the maelstrom without much finesse.
   I don’t agree with all of the design decisions. Nor do I always agree with the ratings and strengths of all the units but I know too much about the era. I have read enough from various perspectives to have an idea of what various units could do.
   At the end of the day they are great games. This is why some of these battles have been redone two of more times. A system that lasts over 40 years has something going for it.

5. I’ve soloed Eagles Quatre Bras. Presently finishing up a play through of La Bat QB using the Marie Louise rules on VASSAL. I think they both have their merits. Eagles is by far more approachable. However I don’t think La Bat as a rule set is as complicated as some people some people say. I found it much easier to pick up than ASL. I can’t really comment on the other rules versions as my experience playing is limited but I like the system and I like the option to take different flavours of the rules to see what works best. Just my experience. I own Le Retour de l’Emperour but I haven’t played it.