Online game of Lasalle 2

 Me and Nacho were able to get in half a game of Lasalle 2. This was my first game, and the first synchronous online miniature game I have played (until now all my online games are asynchronous mostly chit and board war-games, plus a play-test of my 1st Inonu battle back at the start of the Pandemic). Scenario was weighted scenario 4 "Making the Omelette". 

 

I set up two forces from what I had available. 134 points of 1813-1814 French (one infantry brigade of five battalions, plus foot artillery and one mixed cavalry brigade of on heavy and one light cavalry unit) and 204 points of Prussians (two identical infantry brigades of four infantry battalions, one Uhlan unit, and foot artillery). Nacho chose the Prussians.

 

 I set up the table, and my French, and then Nacho joined. Our initial attempt to use Discord failed, as the video was problematic. We then moved to Zoom and all was good. I also took photos and sent my What's Up in key moments. We were only able to play four turns our of eight  before my family came back from their excursion.

The game as far as we played it was fun. Liked the rules, and the dynamic change of who is active. Combat both close-quarters and ranged worked well giving both stalemates, and decisive victories. I lost two infantry units. On the other hand when we stopped Nacho's Prussians had still to take any objectives, and one brigade had units close to shaken or shaken. But he did have a fresh brigade marching. As is usual for me as defender, I through my cavalry forward as a screen and it worked well keeping the second Prussian brigade pinned for several turns.

The board towards the end of turn four, were we stopped. The Prussian Brigade on the right has cleared most of the French infantry on the hill, and are about to try and storm the garrisoned town. But they were heavily spent. In the center the other Prussian brigade is slowly moving after being pinned for three hours by the stubborn French cavalry (Left Flank)

Now this game is not a operational level game. As Sam Mustafa points out the game really is about a specific decisive moment of a larger battle or at the end of a series of relational maneuvers.  Even though are forces were 50 points less than the recommended small scale point level, the battlefield felt crowded. This is not the game for showing your mastery of maneuver. The decision about the center of gravity had already been taken, and you are the commander tasked with a specific time restricted and operationally restricted task. And that is fine! Lasalle gives a clear objective and level of strategy.

It will take some more games to master all the logic of the system, and grasp how to fight at this level of strategy. But all in all I liked the game, and I at least it is a system that is well made to accommodate my 6mm Baccus Napoleonics. Also the game respects people like me with little space, and at a 20mm Base Width my gaming space is compact enough for my small family apartment. Good show!