Stratego Waterloo

My dad and I are always trying out new games in our father-son weekends that occur every few months.  In our last one, we decided to unwrap and play Stratego Waterloo, which recreates the Battle of Waterloo, fought way back on Sunday, 18 June 1815.  On that day, the French army under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated by a British-led allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington and a Prussian army under the command of Field Marshal Blücher.

Playing the original Stratego against my dad is one of my first memories of playing boardgames, and I was excited to try this version and refight the Battle of Waterloo. I played Emperor Napoleon, and my dad took the Duke of Wellington.  The winner in this version of the game is the first player that succeeds in severing the lines of retreat of the opposite player (occupying the flank of the opponent).  The game is also lost if a player loses his commander and commander in chief.

The French took a heavy toll on the British early game, but once the Prussians entered the fray, the artillery of the French was quickly destroyed in flanking maneuvers.  Cavalry succeeded on both sides winnowing down opposing forces.  In the end, Napoleon was hunted down and defeated by an elite English infantry unit, and the battle was lost for the French.

Stratego Waterloo is a light wargame, but more heavy than the original Stratego.  You definitely experience the give and take feel of the lines of battle and your use of cavalry to make thrusts into the enemy lines is a key factor in success.  The French made good use of its cavalry early game, but once the Prussians entered the battle, it turned the tide of battle.  Vive La France!