FEEDBACK PAGE
A feedback form is available at the bottom of this page, but please read through the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) before commenting, since popular questions can be weeded out.
10 Frequently Asked Questions
1. I downloaded one of your scenarios and noticed some serious historical inaccuracies in the Order of Battle. I know for a fact that General So-in-so's brigade should be larger and shouldn't have skirmish capability. Also, Marshal So-in-so's corps should have two more 8-pounder batteries available, but not until 3:27pm. Are you going to make these corrections?
Answer: No.
2. I read your FAQ and you don't seem to care about historical inaccuracies very much. What's up with that?
Answer: Believe it or not, I do spend time researching to ensure historical accuracy, but I'm not a Napoleonic expert and despite my best efforts, plenty of errors still exist in the scenarios. I'm much more concerned with playing a great game with friends than fretting over minor historical mistakes.
3. I'd like to use your scenarios, but how can I adapt them to a set of rules other than "Age of Eagles?"
Answer: The OOBs are easy to adapt if you read the "Scale" section included with each scenario. Typically, one stand of infantry represents 360 men, one stand of cavalry represents 180 troopers, and one battery of artillery is 6-12 guns. As a general rule, my scenarios are closer to 12 guns per stand, simply because I don't have tons of painted batteries to use. One inch of the ground-scale equates to about 150 yards. In case you're terrible at math, this means 12" on the tabletop represents roughly one mile.
4. What is the best scenario on the list to play?
Answer: First Polotsk (1812) or the Mincio River (1814). But that's just my two cents. I think most of the scenarios are great, with only a few exceptions. So the better question would be, which are the worst scenarios? The only scenarios I dislike are Teugen-Hausen (1809), Raszyn (1809), and Weisseritz (1813).
5. I have a scenario I'd like to add to your page. Do you accept submissions?
Answer: I'm happy to post your scenario, so long as it meets the following criteria: (1) The formatting is identical to mine; (2) It's well written; (3) You didn't rip the scenario off from someone else; (4) You've cited at least two credible sources in the "Sources" section at the end; (5) You include a full "after action" report to show that you've playtested the scenario.
6. Why don't you have scenarios for the British/Swedes/other nationality?
Answer: Because no one in my club has the models for it. I only bother researching scenarios we can play in our group. So if you'd like to offer a scenario for the Spanish peninsula, refer to FAQ #5.
7. Any good links you'd recommend to other Napoleonic sites with scenarios and free stuff?
Answer: If you haven't found Rafael Pardo's site yet, you must not be looking hard enough. The Age of Eagles YahooGroup also has some free scenarios written by players, although the quality of presentation is sometimes poor. For those who want to design their own scenarios, there's no better place to start than George Nafziger's free tome of OOBs.
8. Is it worth spending the money to buy the offical Age of Eagles scenario book?
Answer: Yes. Some of the scenarios are too big for my club, but the book very well written and researched. That's why I don't offer free scenarios for Kulm or Gross Beeren, among others already covered in the official scenario book. If you enjoy the battles of 1813, buy the book!
9. Can I join your local gaming club for a battle sometime?
Answer: Absolutely. We're delighted to meet new players anytime. Check the "Meet Our Club" page for details, including a list of the other historical periods we play. We generally gather Monday nights in York, Pennsylvania.
10. My friends and I just played one of your scenarios and would like to submit our own "After Action Report." Will you post it?
Answer: Most gladly! Send quality pictures, as well as the same information our group typically includes in our reports.
Answer: No.
2. I read your FAQ and you don't seem to care about historical inaccuracies very much. What's up with that?
Answer: Believe it or not, I do spend time researching to ensure historical accuracy, but I'm not a Napoleonic expert and despite my best efforts, plenty of errors still exist in the scenarios. I'm much more concerned with playing a great game with friends than fretting over minor historical mistakes.
3. I'd like to use your scenarios, but how can I adapt them to a set of rules other than "Age of Eagles?"
Answer: The OOBs are easy to adapt if you read the "Scale" section included with each scenario. Typically, one stand of infantry represents 360 men, one stand of cavalry represents 180 troopers, and one battery of artillery is 6-12 guns. As a general rule, my scenarios are closer to 12 guns per stand, simply because I don't have tons of painted batteries to use. One inch of the ground-scale equates to about 150 yards. In case you're terrible at math, this means 12" on the tabletop represents roughly one mile.
4. What is the best scenario on the list to play?
Answer: First Polotsk (1812) or the Mincio River (1814). But that's just my two cents. I think most of the scenarios are great, with only a few exceptions. So the better question would be, which are the worst scenarios? The only scenarios I dislike are Teugen-Hausen (1809), Raszyn (1809), and Weisseritz (1813).
5. I have a scenario I'd like to add to your page. Do you accept submissions?
Answer: I'm happy to post your scenario, so long as it meets the following criteria: (1) The formatting is identical to mine; (2) It's well written; (3) You didn't rip the scenario off from someone else; (4) You've cited at least two credible sources in the "Sources" section at the end; (5) You include a full "after action" report to show that you've playtested the scenario.
6. Why don't you have scenarios for the British/Swedes/other nationality?
Answer: Because no one in my club has the models for it. I only bother researching scenarios we can play in our group. So if you'd like to offer a scenario for the Spanish peninsula, refer to FAQ #5.
7. Any good links you'd recommend to other Napoleonic sites with scenarios and free stuff?
Answer: If you haven't found Rafael Pardo's site yet, you must not be looking hard enough. The Age of Eagles YahooGroup also has some free scenarios written by players, although the quality of presentation is sometimes poor. For those who want to design their own scenarios, there's no better place to start than George Nafziger's free tome of OOBs.
8. Is it worth spending the money to buy the offical Age of Eagles scenario book?
Answer: Yes. Some of the scenarios are too big for my club, but the book very well written and researched. That's why I don't offer free scenarios for Kulm or Gross Beeren, among others already covered in the official scenario book. If you enjoy the battles of 1813, buy the book!
9. Can I join your local gaming club for a battle sometime?
Answer: Absolutely. We're delighted to meet new players anytime. Check the "Meet Our Club" page for details, including a list of the other historical periods we play. We generally gather Monday nights in York, Pennsylvania.
10. My friends and I just played one of your scenarios and would like to submit our own "After Action Report." Will you post it?
Answer: Most gladly! Send quality pictures, as well as the same information our group typically includes in our reports.
FEEDBACK HALL OF SHAME
1. "I was checking Wikipedia and realized that you just steal your 'research' sources from the Wikipedia bibliography sections. PROOF: For Caldiero you lifted FC Schneid's reference straight from Wikipedia. Thats so lame. Anyone can rip this stuff from Wikipedia." -- Jason K.
MY EMAIL RESPONSE: "Your proof is pretty condemning, Jason. Did you receive your criminal justice degree from the University of Phoenix online? I cited Schneid's Napoleon's Italian Campaigns because it's the single best source I have for Caldiero--not because I 'stole' Wikipedia's reference. PROOF: I own the book. In case your powers of deduction are failing you, that link is a picture of me, holding my copy."
2. "Can you post the Mockern scenario from the Age of Eagles scenario book? Thanks man keep rocking!" --Andy S.
MY EMAIL RESPONSE: "I'm glad you're enjoying the site, Andy. But no, I definately cannot post Wilbur Gray's scenario for free on this site. His scenario book is well worth the money, and posting his work for free would be...well...wrong."
3. "Please start posting these scenarios as WORD files. I had to spend an hour retyping your Golymin scenario to correct the spelling of multiple Russian names. It's GOLITSYN, not Gallitzin. And the name is spelled SCHERBATOV, not Tcherbatov." --Benny W.
MY EMAIL RESPONSE: "I'm very sorry to have inconvenienced you with so many spelling errors, Benny. I don't usually respond to feedback criticizing such mistakes, but I feel terrible about making you retype everything. Just between you and me, I don't even speak Russian, so I basically make this stuff up as I go. You caught me...But honestly, all mocking and belittling aside, I've seen most of these names spelled three or four different ways, depending on the translation. If retyping the OOB eases your mind, please feel free to do so."
MY EMAIL RESPONSE: "Your proof is pretty condemning, Jason. Did you receive your criminal justice degree from the University of Phoenix online? I cited Schneid's Napoleon's Italian Campaigns because it's the single best source I have for Caldiero--not because I 'stole' Wikipedia's reference. PROOF: I own the book. In case your powers of deduction are failing you, that link is a picture of me, holding my copy."
2. "Can you post the Mockern scenario from the Age of Eagles scenario book? Thanks man keep rocking!" --Andy S.
MY EMAIL RESPONSE: "I'm glad you're enjoying the site, Andy. But no, I definately cannot post Wilbur Gray's scenario for free on this site. His scenario book is well worth the money, and posting his work for free would be...well...wrong."
3. "Please start posting these scenarios as WORD files. I had to spend an hour retyping your Golymin scenario to correct the spelling of multiple Russian names. It's GOLITSYN, not Gallitzin. And the name is spelled SCHERBATOV, not Tcherbatov." --Benny W.
MY EMAIL RESPONSE: "I'm very sorry to have inconvenienced you with so many spelling errors, Benny. I don't usually respond to feedback criticizing such mistakes, but I feel terrible about making you retype everything. Just between you and me, I don't even speak Russian, so I basically make this stuff up as I go. You caught me...But honestly, all mocking and belittling aside, I've seen most of these names spelled three or four different ways, depending on the translation. If retyping the OOB eases your mind, please feel free to do so."
WORTHY QUESTIONS DESERVING A SERIOUS ANSWER
1. "One quick question (actually 2)...On some of the maps (Vauchamps for example) there are several "circles". Are these intended to be hills or are they deployment boundaries? Also, there are several scenarios with Cossack "brigades" . . . sometimes they're IR cav and other times they are simply LC. Is that intentional (meaning in some scenarios they are subject to the Irregular force rules and if not listed as such, are simply Light cav?" --Mark P.
MY EMAIL RESPONSE: "Fair question about the map circles...they are hills. My map making skills are...well...a bit lacking! 90% of the maps have the hills represented by dark gray circles. Some of the newer maps have hills represented differently, but when in doubt, gray circles are hills. Deployment areas are always marked by a colored box (blue for French, black for Austrians/Prussians, green for Russians).
Cossacks are "brigaded" for ease--though historically they rarely fought in large, brigade-level formations. They should be rated "Irregular" in all scenarios (as per Age of Eagles rules). I think most of the scenarios do list them as LC, but that's confusing and my fault. Always rate them Irregular."
MY EMAIL RESPONSE: "Fair question about the map circles...they are hills. My map making skills are...well...a bit lacking! 90% of the maps have the hills represented by dark gray circles. Some of the newer maps have hills represented differently, but when in doubt, gray circles are hills. Deployment areas are always marked by a colored box (blue for French, black for Austrians/Prussians, green for Russians).
Cossacks are "brigaded" for ease--though historically they rarely fought in large, brigade-level formations. They should be rated "Irregular" in all scenarios (as per Age of Eagles rules). I think most of the scenarios do list them as LC, but that's confusing and my fault. Always rate them Irregular."