How to play French: Part 1 Infantry 

To quote a history teacher, the french army 'didn't fight to win, they won and fought'. It was all about psychology.

Great video. I always think that the strength of the French is the aggressive attack, but so many opponents seem to delay delivering the attacks needed. As a British player I love it when they form line and try to outshoot me!

Excellent stuff. Looking forward to the midweek content as well as the next in this series.

My favorite upload alert! Good to hear the voice again.....make all those french players watch this before the next greatest game!

Great work m8, really looking forward to the cavalry video

What a superb video I don't wargame but if I ever do then I will remember what you have said , I am just starting to look at painting naps and starting to get hooked and I have wondered why the French attacked in column now I know many thank for all of your very informative videos please keep it up I am enjoying them so much

Great video as always thanks for making my day ☺️👍

ABC, Always Be Charging

Another excellent piece of content. Keep up the fantastic and informative work!

After some massed- or grand battery prep, I like to send three waves of "order mixte" with a vast cloud of skirmishers out front. That third wave of battalions in column can punch holes like an icepick all day long

Great stuff! Any chance you will be covering some of the smaller nations like the Portuguese?

Will have to do a Tshirt, 'Attack Attack Attack'

Great briefing Tim, not sure my lads like your anti Russian sentiments and are looking forward to facing you again when allowed. Horror of horrors I have even started painting again. Looking forward to your cavalry article as it is always nice to have a full understanding of how the enemy intend to steam roll you.

An interesting video to listen to.

That's a nice profile picture you've got. Vive l'Empereur !

Nice one mate thanks alot for doing this I have gone a bit french mad on my channel lol

But...but...but...I was told that a French column was really a reinforced line, maybe five or six ranks deep instead to two or three, and that the columns getting whacked in the Peninsula were march columns moving blind, then discovering Brit line foot behind the crest of a hill waiting for them. Cue a Brit volley or two while the French try to deploy, then disperse from the Brit charge. I would think trading volley for volley with the Brits, they'd hold their own. Perhaps it depends on the rules set?

Thanks - really useful for someone fairly new to wargaming like myself

Outstanding! Thanks my friend!

If playing the lost gem, Valmont to Waterloo, the order mixed IS a real formation and should be used. Above average musketry to disorder the enemy line followed by a charging column. If the columns fail n get driven back, then the advancing enemy faces defensive fire in line. This formation at batalion level is usually backed by the brigades second line which fills the gaps and counter attacks. Linear armies have great difficulty facing this due to command distances n unfavorable modifiers in columns.

I'd like to hear why you think Black Powder doesn't well provide for the Order Mixed. I don't have an opinion on this BTW.

R.I.P. general Andy 😇.....look at general Andy, standing there like a stone wall.....wrong war but it's the most badass military nickname quote so its fitting

FOR THE EMPEROR!!

Ah! French again...good, good. :)

It's easy. Al la bayonnette! En avant. Don't care who they are, don't care how many of us there are, en avant!

Hi there! Please help me with my qeustion. I already have loads of 1/72. My french are based 6 figures a base. With 6 bases per unit. My allied 8 figures a base. With 4 to 5 bases make a unit I can still play this game right out the bat? Thanks alot.

Where do you find in the rules, that a French attack column gets a free move when an order test is failed? As far as what I can find that only counts for march columns and limbered artillery, nothing about attack columns there.

I'm very confused. Why not use their speed and superior numbers to outflank the enemy?

Nice one guys...

I like that you are long winded 😆🤘🏼

+1

tres bien!!

The order mix is a bit of a wargaming myth. I believe it comes from the very early revolution period where they would mix raw volunteer battalions with old army battalions. By 1809 the French normally attacked in massed columns. This happened at Wagram with the French center and most other large battles. Still a very useful video for those playing Black Powder.

I thought an attack column gave you a +2 to morale save? So a mixed formation attack column is -1 to hit with a 2+ morale save.

What is the scale of your French figures?

can french line infantry in assault column deploy skirmishers ahead of the column?

So the point system generally doesn't make sense in this game. One British battalion will destroy two French ones, which cost the same points, without any problems. :( France must always have a large advantage in numbers to win the clash with the opponent?

Valmy....

Step 1) Run away

Never happened in real life so why make it different in a game as this isn't correct

How do you get 3 to1 to the French over the British? The points are almost the same! Certainly you might get 8 French over 6-7 British. The British fire better, fight better, have better morale blah blah blah.. Black powder and many many other rules treat the British as super soldiers.....

This is BOLLOX MATE THE FRENCH IN REAL LIFE NEVER BEAT THE BRITISH INFANTRY