Mi sto organizzando per giocare la battaglia di Waterloo con Black Powder con miniature in 1/72. Ovviamente, BP non è fatto per una battaglia così grande, e il numero di miniature richiesto sarebbe enorme, perciò intendo giocarla suddivisa in scenari. L'attacco al sentiero per Ohain (tra la Haye Sainte e la Papelotte) è già stato giocato. Poi passerò al combattimento di Hougoumont. Poi si vedrà. Un po' per volta. Ho quindi autocostruito le due fattorie e il castello. La Papelotte è un quadrato di 2 basette x 2 basette (10cm x 10cm). La Haye-Sainte è un rettangolo di 2 aree 2 basette x 2 basette (giardino compreso). Hougoumont infine è formato da 4 aree di 2 basette per lato, ciascuna (castello, giardino recintato, bosco e prato). Ogni singola area è dimensionata per 1 battaglione.

Per il lato orientale del campo di battaglia, dovrò realizzare anche il villaggio di Plancenoit, in un futuro prossimo.

I’m setting the scene for gaming Waterloo with the Black Powder rules and 1/72 miniatures. BP is not designed for a so large battle, however, and too many miniatures would be requested. So, I don’t intend to play the whole battle. I wish instead divide it in some scenarios, downsizing the Army Corps to Divisions, the Divisions to Brigades, and and halving the number of battalions, batteries and cavalry regiments. Some scenario requires some specific and well-known terrain feature or building. Buildings have to be adapted to the rules and to the stand frontage; which is 45mm for my collection of miniatures. So, the basic “building-block” I’ve adopted is 10x10cm (4”x4”) to accomodate a standard battalion of 4 stands: La Papelotte fits this size. La Haye Sainte is 10x20cm (4”x8”), backyard included. All buildings have been hand-made by thin plasterboard. The first scenario that was played in my war room in Rome (the “Falco’s nest”) was the attack of the French I Army Corps to the Ohain’s trail (the left sector of the Allied Army), and it required the assembling of the two farms involved: La Haye-Sainte and La Papelotte.

The “castle” of Hougoumont is more elaborated. It consists of 4 squares 10x10cm, representing: the castle and the adjacent garden; the orchard and kitchen-garden; the wood; the meadow. In a short time it will be the theatre for the attack of the II French Army Corps, against the battlegroup of Light Companies garrisoning it.

On the eastern side of the field, I’ll have to make the Plancenoit village, but not for now.