SIP Game: Napoleonic

I've just completed a massive SIP Game set at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. I
used the Shako scenario book Fields of Glory and chose the Plancenoit, Waterloo
1815 scenario which involved 28 French units vs 45 Prussian. I had to enlist
some of my Confederate ACW infantry to simulate landwher infantry - there were
so many four stand units!

The setup looked impressive with the French ranged in a sweeping defensive
formation supported by the elite Young Guard and the even more elite Old Guard.
Both had distinctive advantages re DPs and I made the Old Guard particularly
well bestowed with positive factors to reflect their perceived invincibility.
That being said one of their battalions was eliminated but this took a while and
overwhelming numbers to achieve.

The Prussian corp was in a very deep march column and the problem of getting
their combat power deployed was a key factor early on.

The French typically seized the initiative and made an aggressive move to
outflank the Prussians and pincer their advance between the village and the left
flank.

This didn't go too well - the French consistently had poorer rolls especially
throughout the early stages of the game and so were unable to make any decisive
inroad against the Prussian flank. The Prussian cavalry won the cavalry duel and
the tables were reversed. Superior numbers began to tell and the French defences
around the village started to falter. The Young Guard was hampered by a narrow
deployment frontage, otherwise the inclusion of these elite troops earlier might
have been decisive. After a further few rounds of heavy fighting the Prussians
managed to remove the 14th French unit which I deemed to be the breakpoint for
the French.

The rules worked really well. The game was big, yet combat resolution was quick.
Melee is decisive. I've decided to allow interpenetration for retreats but now
inflict 1DP. There were a few other tweaks I might build in. The rules are so
simple a few additional refinements shouldn't cause any problems.