0:00 - Introduction 1:21 - Set-Up 2:32 - Sequence of Play 3:48 - October (with battle rules) 24:30 - November 31:41 - December 45:42 - February 51:41 - June
Sweep is so good (except when it fails to go off)! The editing really makes this a pleasure to watch. Being able to watch a full campaign in under an hour was great.
Thanks! And yeah, sweep is ridiculous. In the scenarios where Napoleon can't be everywhere, or where his skill level is lower, or where I don't have enough cavalry, I weep in its absence :)
Thanks, enjoyed the playthrough, although there's some mistakes in assigning the enemy battle plans (first time at 9.40). You should choose an enemy to receive a battle plan - before drawing (rules pg. 15). This makes the battles less gamey and less predictable, you'll have to plan more cautiously. It really makes the battles much more tense & fun!
Yikes, that took a lot of digging to find a definitive answer to. Threads on BGG go both ways, but Dan Verssen said that your interpretation is correct in a thread from 2011, so I guess I was wrong! I wish the rules on that page were written more clearly :) In any case, thanks. I agree this should make combat more dynamic.
I think you choose the enemy unit you are going to assign an order to, THEN draw. You dont draw, look at the order then assign it. Also, i think either Fr or Enemy get a +3 when adjacent and attacking. Im a novice tho so add salt.
For sure. I responded to that in a few other comments, but the short answer is that instead of using sweep I can use those cavalry in the battle, for more consistent but perhaps less devastating effect. Sweep is a high risk/reward strategy
Well done playthrough. I’ve been looking for a Napoleonic game I can solo and this one is highly rated on BGG. But… the combat system doesn’t do it for me at all. Might just be this scenario, but the coalition troops just seemed extra extra easy to kill. I’ve been playing victory and glory on pc on Steam and like how that one handles battles much better. Again, good job on the video though.
I was playing the enemies slightly easy by accident, choosing the order token placement instead of randomizing, which would have made them tougher (for what it’s worth)
Perhaps I'm missing some nuance, but the game seems way too dependent on Sweep (you basically wipe the board if it goes off). If Sweep doesn't activate, then win/loss is almost entirely dependent on the "who retreats" roll.
I kind of played that way in this scenario :) But here are some things to keep in mind: 1 - In many scenarios, you don't have cavalry, or Napoleon is running all over the place, or Napoleon's skill level is too low, so sweeping is almost impossible. 2 - I mention this in my review, but I love the risk/reward aspect of gameplay. If I didn't want to sweep, I could have put those extremely powerful cavalry on my front instead (where I can fit 6 units), and fire withering volleys into the advancing enemy. I might take more losses, but I wouldn't be taking a chance that the sweep never goes off. And that would keep the firepower of the cavalry in the battle, so it would be easier for me to reach the 3x threshold to make them rout. And once they rout, Cavalry are the best at riding over them and destroying them.
@@OneStopCoopShop I meant for each Battle on the Battle Sheet. For example, if I were to activate SWEEP on Turn 3, and use 1 of my 3 cavalry in reserve - can I RE-ACTIVATE it on Turn 2 and use the other 2 cavalry, etc.? Or is it a one-time BATTLE USE?
@@manilapcgaming7217 ah, got it. Sweep is explained on page 10 of the rules. You keep using it each turn until your roll is successful to activate it (or until the battle ends), and then you resolve its effects once. You can't do a second sweep in the same battle though. So yes, single use per battle.
I don't think you can look at the enemy battle plan and just put it on a counter after looking at it - basically choosing the most ineffective and nonsensical choices for the enemy.
I replied to a similar comment a month ago. I agree with your interpretation (and after some digging the designer confirmed it), but MAN they could have written that section of the rules better! :)
0:00 - Introduction
1:21 - Set-Up
2:32 - Sequence of Play
3:48 - October (with battle rules)
24:30 - November
31:41 - December
45:42 - February
51:41 - June
Sweep is so good (except when it fails to go off)! The editing really makes this a pleasure to watch. Being able to watch a full campaign in under an hour was great.
Thanks! And yeah, sweep is ridiculous. In the scenarios where Napoleon can't be everywhere, or where his skill level is lower, or where I don't have enough cavalry, I weep in its absence :)
Nice refresher. Bringing this one back on the table. This definitely helped bring back to mind how it all worked. Many thanks!
I'm glad it was helpful!
It's I good thing that you like these dice chucking war games so I can enjoy them vicariously :) PS Damn is that theme good!
I will suffer through the randomness so you don’t have to :)
Thanks, enjoyed the playthrough, although there's some mistakes in assigning the enemy battle plans (first time at 9.40). You should choose an enemy to receive a battle plan - before drawing (rules pg. 15). This makes the battles less gamey and less predictable, you'll have to plan more cautiously. It really makes the battles much more tense & fun!
Yikes, that took a lot of digging to find a definitive answer to. Threads on BGG go both ways, but Dan Verssen said that your interpretation is correct in a thread from 2011, so I guess I was wrong! I wish the rules on that page were written more clearly :)
In any case, thanks. I agree this should make combat more dynamic.
Eh I will keep playing the other way. Game is hard and random enough as is.
I think you choose the enemy unit you are going to assign an order to, THEN draw. You dont draw, look at the order then assign it. Also, i think either Fr or Enemy get a +3 when adjacent and attacking. Im a novice tho so add salt.
No, you are correct about the token draw. There are a few other comments to the same effect.
Wow looks really good, nice play through thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great vid 👍
Thanks 👍
The difference between Sweep succeeding or not seems super-swingy, although with enough dice rolls the luck evens out.
For sure. I responded to that in a few other comments, but the short answer is that instead of using sweep I can use those cavalry in the battle, for more consistent but perhaps less devastating effect. Sweep is a high risk/reward strategy
"Send up the meat shields!"
It’s their job 😅
Well done playthrough. I’ve been looking for a Napoleonic game I can solo and this one is highly rated on BGG. But… the combat system doesn’t do it for me at all. Might just be this scenario, but the coalition troops just seemed extra extra easy to kill. I’ve been playing victory and glory on pc on Steam and like how that one handles battles much better. Again, good job on the video though.
I was playing the enemies slightly easy by accident, choosing the order token placement instead of randomizing, which would have made them tougher (for what it’s worth)
super cool there thks for uploadding this :D
Perhaps I'm missing some nuance, but the game seems way too dependent on Sweep (you basically wipe the board if it goes off). If Sweep doesn't activate, then win/loss is almost entirely dependent on the "who retreats" roll.
I kind of played that way in this scenario :)
But here are some things to keep in mind:
1 - In many scenarios, you don't have cavalry, or Napoleon is running all over the place, or Napoleon's skill level is too low, so sweeping is almost impossible.
2 - I mention this in my review, but I love the risk/reward aspect of gameplay. If I didn't want to sweep, I could have put those extremely powerful cavalry on my front instead (where I can fit 6 units), and fire withering volleys into the advancing enemy. I might take more losses, but I wouldn't be taking a chance that the sweep never goes off. And that would keep the firepower of the cavalry in the battle, so it would be easier for me to reach the 3x threshold to make them rout. And once they rout, Cavalry are the best at riding over them and destroying them.
Thanks for the gameplay! Question: Do you remove INSIGHT after you activate it and use it?
Do you mean remove from the game, as in each one is single-use? I don't believe so. You can keep using them if you so choose.
@@OneStopCoopShop I meant for each Battle on the Battle Sheet. For example, if I were to activate SWEEP on Turn 3, and use 1 of my 3 cavalry in reserve - can I RE-ACTIVATE it on Turn 2 and use the other 2 cavalry, etc.? Or is it a one-time BATTLE USE?
@@manilapcgaming7217 ah, got it. Sweep is explained on page 10 of the rules. You keep using it each turn until your roll is successful to activate it (or until the battle ends), and then you resolve its effects once. You can't do a second sweep in the same battle though. So yes, single use per battle.
@@OneStopCoopShop Thank you for the reply! :) I'm assuming this goes for all INSIGHTs as being single-battle use.
I believe so. Many of them have an effect as the battle starts so wouldn’t really make any sense to use them again anyway 😅
I'm really enjoying my plays of Field Commander: Napoleon. I prefer to Field Commander: Alexander (which I picked up after Liz Davidson reviewed it).
I remember she said Alexander didn’t have enough replay variety, but Napoleon is so chock full of scenarios that I don’t feel that way here.
I don't think you can look at the enemy battle plan and just put it on a counter after looking at it - basically choosing the most ineffective and nonsensical choices for the enemy.
I replied to a similar comment a month ago. I agree with your interpretation (and after some digging the designer confirmed it), but MAN they could have written that section of the rules better! :)
@@OneStopCoopShop I think it's semi sort of clear from the extended example in the rules, but not from the rules themselves.
@@timoseppa9124 either way, I'm glad that's been clarified for me, because it should make the battles even more tense ;). Thanks!