David R. Moody - 11:21am Jan 3, 2001 PST (#9649 of 9662) Currently playing: Terrible Swift Sword (SPI/TSR), ASL Grand Campaign (currently fighting in Norway), Advanced Civilization (AH computer version) Out of the Wrapper: La Bataille d'Orthez, from Clash of Arms. The eleventh installment of this long-running tactical level Napoleonic series features a fairly obscure battle--Orthez, fought in February 1814 in southern France between the Anglo-Portugese army of the Duke of Wellington and a French force under Marshal Soult, Duke of Dalmatia. It is a fairly small battle--only a few divisions on either side, and almost no cavalry (the ground makes it difficult to employ cavalry, so historically Orthez was primarily an infantry battle) so it is ideal as an intro to the system. You get two beautiful El Carto maps, a rule book (adding yet another rules set to the La Bataille mix, though these rules are designed only for Orthez--you can play the game with the Regulations of the Year XXII if you wish), numerous charts and tables (including that same old Combat a Feu and Assaut a Melee chart that has been in every La Bataille game since La Bataille d'Auerstadt), and a couple countersheets. The components are gorgeous, as is typical of both CoA and this series. The counters are in the same style as the Lutzen game, and in some ways even better looking. The El Carto maps are his usual high standard, minor problems noted above notwithstanding. And I also saw no problem at all with the rulebook, but consider it a great reflection on the fine people at CoA that they still want to replace it with a better copy. As for the rules themselves (from a cursory scan late last night), it looks like Eric Lyons (the designer this time around) really tried to clean up and clarify some parts of the rules. Only two Major formations (introduced in the Lutzen incarnation of the rules), and these are really easy to remember--column and line. Everything else is a Minor formation. There is also an extended example of play at the back, which hopefully should clear up any questions. Scenarios cover parts of the main battle and the full battle, which looks like a British romp, though there are variants you can try to make it a bit easier for Soult's boys. Looks good all in all. Can't wait to give it a try, but unfortunately there's lots of other games on the playlist ahead of it.