WATERLOO

     Many players consider WATERLOO (Avalon Hill 1962) to be from the ancient age of war gaming,i.e pre Advance Squad Leader,but this mature classic has incredible appeal as a competitive battle of minds. It also has just enough flavor to give you the "you are in command" feel of the battle in question. I've gone into a bit more detail on the games charms here- https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1011490/waterloo-positional-classic (also reprinted here- http://amoreelegantweapon.tumblr.com/post/109739198475/waterloo-a-classic-reconsidered-i-remember-3 ) . Waterloo is one of a trilogy of Avalon Hill "classics",the other two being the truly challenging STALINGRAD and the fun,freewheeling AFRIKA KORPS. 
   All three present the players with an abstract picture of the historical battles,but really shine as "games".That is,they are abstractions with their own realities,quirks,ahistorical errors and laws. After chess,they provide an ideal playground for two minds to match wits.

The three fronts in Waterloo from the french and...PAA perspectives.

   In the case of WATERLOO,the french player is presented with the problem of establishing 3 "fronts" to expand the PAA line and deplete his forces. The fronts in question are known,west to east as: Nivelles,Quatre Bras and then "the Tilly corridor". 

The numbers initially favor the french but british,and later,prussian reinforcements come to the PAA players aid.
  For the PAA,the main concern is limiting 3-1 (or higher) attacks and maintaining a line that includes "doubled" defensive positions (i.e. hilltops,behind rivers).
   The french player must carefully decide his points of attacks,hunting for high odds attack that he can create with low odds "soak off" attacks, (the game is quite liberal in the rules in this respect-soak offs can be done at any odds no matter how low and suicidal). Both players use cavalry units as screens,and to be blunt,in the case of the PAA,as "speed bumps" to slow the french advance and deny him access to tactical positions he can exploit to advance up the map.

 Victory is achieved (by the french) by pure elimination of forces with the french player being given the option of exiting between the 2 roads in the north causing Double the number of PAA factors to be eliminated by "defection". Obviously the PAA player does not want any french forces to slip by him. The PAA has only to deny the french player victory in order to achieve a win.
              In Waterloo Part II, I present the first few turns of a game I'm currently engaged in to further shed light on this classic game...