Order of Battle for Friday

2 Days until the game and I have yet to label the troops. However, I do have a detailed OOB now, and thats all that counts!

I have put this information together so that the sheets are not only an OOB, but also the roster sheet with player information. There are some huge glaring problems, but I can't fix them til I read the rules again. Though not perfect, it has the majority of useful information I need. As a word of explanation, the "clumped" O-s are the areas that I keep track of killed. I mount 6 to a infantry stand (4 on cav/art) and the colon marks seperate the bases. For example the following shows a base of 6 figures immediately adjacent of another base of 6 figures

000:000
000:000

Hope it helps someone who sets up a game!

Austrian Forces

Cavalry
Commmander: Feldmarschall-Leutnant Baron Karl Leiberich Mack
Poor leader

Feldmarschall-Leutnant Archduke Ferdinand de Este
Poor leader

3rd "Albert" Kuirassier Regt (Veteran)
00:00:00:00
00:00:00:00

6th "Mack" Kuirassier Regt (Veteran)
00:00:00:00
00:00:00:00

4th "Latour" Chevaulegers Regt (Veteran)
00:00:00:00
00:00:00:00

6th “Rosenberg" Chevaulegers Regt (Veteran)
00:00:00:00
00:00:00:00

Horse Artillery Battery (all Veteran)

6 pdr gun
0 Damaged 00
0 Low Ammo 00

6 pdr gun
0 Damaged 00
0 Low Ammo 00

7lb howitzer
0 Damaged 00
0 Low Ammo 00

This the a page I hand to the commander. I have 8 more for this battle. Filling out commercial versions is somewhat lacking in familiarity.
This preparation is both the most rewarding and agonizing part for me!

Game preparation

I have signed myself up to host a miniatures game for a batch of boardgamers. I have no doubt they have miniatures experience, I just believe they have less exposed then other crowds. Since I have yet to re-read RTE since my last post, I will be going back to using GdB. I figure to let each of the 4 to 6 people have a regiment or so of Austrian or French. I am expecting to have a blast.
I expect to try to model a game similiar in tactical situation to Haslach-Jungingen during the 1805 campaign. I'll look to give the French commands to the more mature and previously experienced commanders, let the Austrians have the rookies. I have the OOB posted below.

Haslach-Jungingen October 11, 1805 : Orders of Battle


Austrian Forces
FML Baron Karl Leiberich Mack

FML Archduke Ferdinand de Este
3rd Kuirassier Regt* (480)
6th Kuirassier Regt (480)
4th Chevaulegers Regt* (480)
6th Chevaulegers Regt (480)
Horse Artillery Btty (6x 6pdr)

Left Column
FML Prinz Karl Philipp zu Schwarzenberg
IR #8 : 3 bns (1800)
IR#11 : 2 bns (1800)
IR#20*: 3 bns (1440) Green
IR#54 : 2 bns (1200)
IR#54 : Grenadier bn (600)

FML Count von Reisch
IR#15 : 3 bns (1800) +battalion 6lb guns
IR#17 : 3 bns (1800) +battalion 6lb guns

FML Baron Franz Werneck
IR#18 : 3 bns (1800) +battalion 6lb guns
IR#36 : 3 bns (1800) +battalion 6lb guns

Right column Reserve
IR#12 : 4 bns (2400)
IR#12 : Grendadier bn (600)
IR#24 : 4 bns (2400)
IR#24 : Grendadier bn (600)
IR#42 : 3 bns (1800)
IR#42 : Grendadier bn (600)

*Denotes forces that recently took heavy casualties.


French Forces

1st Infantry Division: Général de Division Pierre Dupont de l'Etang

1st Brigade: Général de Brigade Marchand
9th Légère Regt : 2 bns (1200)
32nd Ligne Regt : 2 bns (1320)

2nd Brigade: Général de Brigade Rouyer
96th Ligne Regt : 2 bns (1440)

Divisional Artillery: 2x 12pdr guns, 2x 8pdr guns, 2x 4pdr guns, and 2x 7" Howitzers

(Attached) Général de Brigade Sahuc
15th Chasseurs a cheval Regt (480)
17th Chasseurs a cheval Regt (480)
this brigade is dragoons, but I dont think I can represent dragoons with my current figures

I have purchased Republic to Empire (RtE) and read through it now 2 times. I think all the information that I will need to play is present, but I find that the author and I don't mesh well when it comes to organization. I can find absolutely no fault with the book or contents itself. I find the structure and content is helpfully comprehensive....I just guess that I could never guess what was coming next. Often times when you read rules, you have a good idea with what is due for explanation next. I found in this case that the book and I just didn't click. The way this game seems to be developed and refined probably has a bit of a learning curve and perhaps this is why I don't quite follow along quickly. I have found myself wishing to do the rewrite so that things are more intuitively useful for me.
I reread the above paragraph and find that I too am also a bit guilty of writing with a bit of a ramble also.
Lets just say that I read the rules, found alot of good insight and useful rules mechanisms, but felt like there are a bit of conventions that were assumed that I followed and which didn't need to be explained. I would just get lost.
As I read futher along, I did find the section at the end where the writer saves himself. Just like so many instances as I have done, the writer assumes that we will all just put some figs on the table and go at it, sorting out things as they come. In this case, he basically gives you a narrative account of a scenario, implementing the rules, explaining the die rolls etc, all in an effective After Action Report. Basically a written out version of our afternoon rules exploration games. I found that this helps to tie things together nicely; although a bit of better organizational writing may have done it earlier and made the section less necessary.
Please don't misunderstand, the book is written better then I would be able to write a rules book. I think it may well be the game that I use for Napoleonics. I just find again that I have to wait for and or tease out the small bits and pieces that don't appear until a bit later in the writing.
My concern is that finding the applicable rules during a game might take a bit longer due to my perceived organizational issues.
I have not played a game where PiPs are used, nor have I played where I don't count individual soldiers for firing purposes (in a Napoleonic game). I like both concepts. I am aware that Clarence Harrison will be running a game at Historicon. Perhaps I can get up there to play.
As a post script, I had problems with the mail delivering my rules, and I received prompt and effective response by both Barry Hilton and Clarence.