N: The Napoleonic Wars - Sample Turn Video (Turn 1)

This is a video showing one full turn of play of N: The Napoleonic Wars, a game published by White Dog Games in 2017. The turn shown here is Turn 1 (1792-1794).
Note: I published a short video with corrections to Turn 1. The Turn 2 video will follow soon.

[@Texscripter]

I appreciate this video. I just bought the game and though I'm a wargamer, I'm not much for Napoleonic games normally - at least, not at a highly detailed level. This game seemed perfect for me as it's high level but with enough detail to keep things interesting. Your video helped pave my way for learning it - thank you!

[@Gryfont]

Very interesting game. Even more intriguing when you are a Napoleonic Historian (which I am!). Nice work, and can't wait to see the next episode. Also glad to see that you are alright after the storm.

[@StukaJoe]

Thank you, Gryfont. Hope to do better as the Coalition in the next video. Hope you like it, too.

[@donatist59]

It will definitely make a difference in the long run if you are using the casualties rule correctly -- especially if you are also using the cavalry reaction rule. That will "endanger" your French cavalry units much more often, which in the long run is awful for the French.

[@Gryfont]

Dont tell anyone but deep down inside, I'm cheering for the French, but am enjoying this nonetheless!

[@donatist59]

I noticed a couple of little mistakes in your gameplay (nothing shocking for one's first time with a new game). One that stood out was that you had an Exchange result in combat (losing all but the strongest French) but you didn't put the lost French units in the Casualties box. This would have endangered any "red dot" French units at the end of the turn when you roll for permanent losses. I'll go through the video again and see if I can find anything else helpful! Great job -- always fascinating to see someone else's take on my work.

[@donatist59]

Follow-up at 16:25, when you conduct a Minor War, any pounds added for influence must be spent from the Minor Wars fund, not from the Treasury.(rule 4/9, step "1").

[@donatist59]

Follow-up to my original comment: At 47:40 you do your battle in Germany which results in an Exchange. All but the strongest French unit should go to the Casualties Box, including the red dot French Cavalry (Junot and Dupont). When you do your next turn, slip in a Casualty roll (rule 11/7); there is a 1/3 chance that you will permanently lose a unit.

[@StukaJoe]

Thank you so much. I decided to film Turn 2. I will be correcting the mistakes, including rolling for possible permanent French casualties. I also noticed that the Abdication Level was not supposed to be reduced by one in the Abdication Phase, since the French did have casualties (that should have been placed in the Casualties Box). Cheers.

[@donatist59]

D'oh! I missed that one too. :-) Very glad you're enjoying the game. These videos of yours are fantastic and I'm promoting them on the BGG page.

[@SK-lt1so]

What a map! Even a spot for "Napoleon's Bed" and "The Jews of Europe"! Wow!

[@cjazerjay]

Great job, Joe. This game looks great. But that background noise combined with low volume voice recording is difficult to tolerate....

[@StukaJoe]

Thanks. I increased the gain in the microphone for the next video. Please let me know if the sound improves. Because of the power outage, I monitor my videos in my iPhone. I found that the voice was a bit low, hence, I increased the gain on the mic for the next video.

[@JoelC724]

Cjazerjay+ Clean your ears!

[@ryangarritty9761]

I can just imagine the reaction in London : ' Bloody hell Metternich, you complete ass ! '

[@ryangarritty9761]

@Cole Fabian Eh ?!

[@brianlong9100]

Per 14/0 Switzerland shouldn’t you have added Ireland to the High Politics cup after drawing Switzerland?

[@tomtonkyro7209]

1792-1794 and France has a Grande Armée running amok in Europe, invading Germany, Italy, Spain...and Napoleon is just another lieutenant. Lots of historical terms and figures but this has very little relation to history. At this point France was in turmoil and its armies were armed mobs fighting on the defensive while they chopped off heads in Paris and elsewhere. Beautiful presentation, as always.

[@StukaJoe]

Thanks, Tom. I know what you're saying about the French armies in this first turn. I think I may have contributed somewhat to their success, by overspending pounds for the Minor War roll. Looking back, I should have spent more pounds to debate French diplomats in Germany and Spain. Each diplomat attracts a French corps. Also, having more pounds to spend, I could have purchased more Duchy forces. But yes, the French army is very strong in this 1792 turn in this game.

[@Gryfont]

The concept that the French Army was not much more than a mob is only somewhat correct. The fact that it was not just a mob is what surprised the European armies so much in the first place. However, while there was a huge number of raw recruits in the army, the officer corps, which had been decimated with defections and decapitations, was replaced rather quickly with experienced NCO's. Additionally, the Artillery, which was the deciding factor in the first few battles on 1792, was the least affected by officer desertions, and remained extremely proficient. Finally, as Stalin would say much later, quantity has a quality all its own. And while these were raw recruits, they were extremely fired up with "elan" and patriotic fervor. All this combined to make the French victories, especially at Valmy very disheartening to Austria and Prussia. Yes, it was a mob, sort of, but much better organized and led than the popular story goes.

[@donatist59]

France did invade both Germany and Italy during '92-'94. The invasions failed of course. :-)

[@johnsy4306]

Rats. I thought you were playing the GMT Games Napoleonic Wars. :)

[@jaxxmason5081]

You all prolly dont care but does any of you know of a way to get back into an instagram account..? I stupidly lost the password. I appreciate any tricks you can give me!

[@dantekyle6252]

@Jaxx Mason Instablaster :)

[@jaxxmason5081]

@Dante Kyle thanks for your reply. I found the site thru google and Im in the hacking process atm. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will reply here later with my results.

[@jaxxmason5081]

@Dante Kyle it did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. I am so happy:D Thank you so much, you really help me out :D

[@dantekyle6252]

@Jaxx Mason happy to help =)

[@JoelC724]

Is this a solitaire game Joe ?

[@StukaJoe]

Yes. Solitaire, indeed.

[@gillesderais3848]

Pronunciation of 'but' (goal): kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmjCpHuLmputd9U

[@StukaJoe]

Thanks, Gilles. I'm close. I have to pronounce the "t" a little stronger. Please let me know how I do in the next video. Cheers.

[@donatist59]

Very strange -- every French speaker I know says [by] (i.e. the "t" is silent) and my French dictionary also says the "t" is silent. Mind you, I'm not a native speaker of French although it is my best foreign language.

[@donatist59]

OK, we now have a definitive ruling on this question! www.question-orthographe.fr/question/prononciation-du-t-dans-le-mot-but/ -- The "t" should be silent except when followed by a vowel in the next word of the phrase. But (no pun intended) this seems to be a genuine disagreement among Francophones, with some always pronouncing the "t" and others not.

[@gillesderais3848]

No native French speaker either, but I also thought at first the 't' was silent in most cases, well, never trust the internet, I guess.

[@donatist59]

No, I get the impression that most French speakers (at least today, and at least in France) pronounce the "t". I learned it without the "t" but I am also not a native speaker. One site said that in Quebec nobody pronounces the "t". Oh well... How do you govern a country that produces 246 kinds of cheese? (-- Charles de Gaulle)