Last Attack of the Imperial Guard - Brigade Skirmish Screens
Please can I have some advice on the Brigade skirmish screens of Brigades Donzelot (13th Light & 1 + 2 Btns 17th Line) and Husson (1 + 2 Btns 3rd Line) 1.Brigade Donzelot - does this skirmish screen (12 figs) solely consist of the 13th Light - 24 figs (up to a max of half the Light Btn in skirmish order - Rule Ammendment) meaning the 13th Light had an original strength of 36 figs or the Brigade skirmish screen consists of 4 figs each from the 13th Light, 1/17th Line and 2/17th Line meaning each had an original strength of 28 figs - 4 X 6 Fig bases each with Fusiliers on 3 bases each per Btn (2 companies on 1 base and 1 company each on the other 2 bases) Grenadiers/Carabiniers (for 13th Light) on 1 base each per Btn (6 figs) and the Voltigeurs skirmishing on 1 X 4 fig base (split to 2 X 2 figs) each per Btn ? 2.Brigade Husson - does this skirmish screen (12 figs) consist of both the 1/3rd Line - 24 figs and 2/3rd Line - 24 figs meaning both had an original strength of 30 figs each - 3 X 6 Fig bases each with Fusiliers on 3 bases each per Btn (2 companies on 1 base and 1 company each on the other 2 bases) Grenadiers on 1 base each per Btn (6 figs) and the Voltigeurs skirmishing on 1 X 6 Fig base (split to 2 X 3 figs) each per Btn. Sorry for these long drawn out questions but as advised before Im new to all of this ! Hope someone out there can help me. Cheers

RC, Both brigade skimish screens from these formations are already detached. Therefore all battalions start the game at their listed strengths. Skimishers can not be recallled for this scenario. Hope that helps. DB

Last Attack of the Imperial Guard
Thanks for your reply DCR Brown (Brigadier) As both Brigades Skirmish Screens from these formations are already detached and dont alter the listed strengths of each Regt , can I just split each Brigades Skirmish Screens figures between each Regt ? Therefore Brigade Donzelots Skirmish Screen (12 figs) would have 4 skirmish figs from 13th Light and 4 each from 1 & 2 Btns of 17th Line ,whilst Brigade Hussons Skirmish Screen (12 figs) would have 6 skirmish figures each from both Btns of 3rd Line - Is this correct DB ? Cheers

Redcoat, In game terms it doesn't matter the skirmish screen is a unit in itself, but if you want to paint them by unit as you describe go for it.

Redcoat, are you trying to work out what the battalion strengths would be for the brigade if the skirmishers hadn't been deteached? If so, I can find that info for you for the begining of the battle, I think in the scenario you mention they have been reduced to represent casualties in the battle already. The problem with Waterloo is that most French battalions would be 24 figures or less if you went with the actual numbers in each battalion. Detaching the voltigeurs would leave a unit of less than 20 figures. They would be somewhat brittle so most gamers fudge it a bit.

Last Attack of The Imperial Guard
Thanks NTM,I understand what you say that the Brigade skirmish screen is a unit in itself,however I wanted it to have some reference to the parent Battalions sending out their own Voltigeur Light infantry Companies to do this. Thanks also to Simon for your info on French Battalion strengths at Waterloo. Im just starting to put together my very first French Infantry Battalion - 24 Figures (4 X 6 Fig bases) and would like to ask you both or anyone else who is also an experienced General de Brigade player advice on the way you show the 3 basic types of Infantry - Line ,Grenadier and Light (voltigeur) on your bases.Do you have 1 base with both Grenadier and Light Infantry figures on it with the Line Infantry figures on the other 3 bases or solely Grenadier figures on 1 base ( as the Light Infantry are detached as part of the Brigade skirmish screen) with Line Infantry on the remaining bases ? Sorry again for all these questions but i am very new to this game. Thanks all

Redcoat, different players do different things. It all depends on what you prefer or what the group you game with prefers. I think most of the stands I've seen, mount the Grenadiers and Voltigeurs separately. I keep mine separate so I can pull out the skirmishers if I need to. Also, there are a few scenarios where the French put their Grenadiers into a composite battalion. You will never be able to cover all possible situations with how you organize your stands, so pick what you thinks looks best and go with it. I was organized for Napoleon's battles and just kept that organization as it fit 24 figure battalions. As I've acquired more and larger units, I've gone with 6 figure stands. The Voltigeurs, I usually mount on a split stand so I can spread them out in a skirmish screen if need be. A lot of this organization can be abstracted. I saw some discussion someplace, where a 30 figure battalion was mounted on 6 stands of 5 figures each, one row of 3 and one row of 2. The he said if he needed 36 figure battalions, he just called them 36 figure battalions, the blank space being assumed to be filled with a figure. In the end it doesn't really matter how you do it as long as you are consistent and in agreement with the guys you play with.

Last Attack of the Imperial Guard
Thanks Mitch for your tips on basing my French Infantry battalions , I will go with your advice and base my Grenadiers and Voltigeurs on their own separate individual bases rather than together on the same base or both mixed in with the Fusilier bases.This way as you say its easier to make a French Grenadier composite battalion if the scenario calls for it , or put out the Voltigeurs for a skirmish screen. Cheers Steve