A slightly dodgy introduction to this story would be "imagine my surprise" when walking down the back streets of York (on an unplanned family day-trip) to be lured into a church hall on the pretence of "The Battle of Waterloo"! What is going on here, I had actually walked past the venue, but was stopped in my tracks by an A4 notice strapped to a lamppost. "I think it's back there," said the wife - so while she and the kids went to see Dinosaurs in the York Museum I loitered back and said "I'll just see what it's like" which was updated to you "see you in twenty, after the Dinosaurs". Minus one in the "good Book" column! I have to say though the whole set up was spectacular. They had set-up on Friday night and they were still playing ti the finish on Sunday mid-day to early afternoon. Epic stamina as well as epic proportions [they did sleep I believe].
Please see this link for what the organisers had to say:
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=502951
The high point of the Allied cause, the Prussians crushing the French (including the Young Guard) at Placenoit (see below, alas despite their obvious success it seems that they have taken too long):
The Allied left (on the ridge) tells a sorry tale, the British-Dutch-Belgian forces have been broken in two. Here the remnant of the force is being shepherded in sheep-dog fashion of the table Papelotte just visible on the left hand side of the photograph (see below, heavy artillery and French columns hitting the two remaining battalions):
Towards the centre, behind La Haye Sainte, the victorious French on the Allied left have swung into a deadly hinge threatening the Allied squares bunched in the centre. Wellington was looking decidedly nervous. He had survived a reconstruction of Ney's ma cavalry charge in the centre but had been severely pinned down and mauled in the process (see below, his [Wellington's] cavalry reserves had all gone and the Middle and Old Guard were massing at the bottom of the slope):
The Allied centre, battered but [at this moment] still holding, the fight to its left [top right of the photograph] behind the ridge-line betrays its "dire straits". The French have set-up the final "attack of the Guard" with the British defending two ways (see below, I believe that is the fateful hand of the Emperor himself has been caught on camera, see bottom left):
The Allied right had been mauled early on as the French had ignored Hougoumont completely (which is always the problem with a Waterloo re-fight, for without fixing "Victory Conditions" or rule/scenario constraints the temptation is for the French to "ignore it" - but Napoleon did consider it too important on the day to ignore - perhaps that was because of too poor intelligence and bad staff work - as plagued the campaign of "The 100 Days"). Most of the fighting had been around the far right of the Allied line and very attrition, but the Allied did hold their own to the credit of their player! (see below, Hougoumont would not need to be rebuilt from the foundations up after this battle!)
One last panoramic shot which won't be pleasing to the Allied eye. The Middle and Old Guard can be seen massing next to Napoleon's fists [indeed one thinks they are Napoleon's Fists]. The Allied left is holding its own [just] but Hougoumont is off camera [deserted, the French just walking past it at this point] but along with the centre is about to be sorely pressed (see below, alas at this point I had to say "Adieu" and return to my family to learn tales about dinosaurs [and pay for lunch as penance]):
A fabulous looking game [spectacle is probably more deserving], played in what I could see as great spirit (using the latest [Edition 2] of Shako I believe]. As stated in the title 5,000+ figures [although by this stage a fair few from both sides were in the dead and routed box], every battalion that fought was represented and beautifully sculpted terrain. Brilliant and money also raised for a good cause. Hats off to the lads who put this together! (PS: Apparently they are keen on ancients too!)
Waterloo related:
Waterloo Uncovered - As seen on the BBC News Website -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-44845892
The article was posted 16th July 2018 but the game is scheduled for June 2019. The insane figure quoted was 20,000 figures! Does anybody know anything more about this?