From: "Steve Jones" <sjones@hydroseal.com>
Subject: Re: Looking for Easy Wargame GDW Agincourt

> What can you tell me about it?
> 
> Scott Orr
> 

Simulates an engagement between Henry V of England and the French in, if
memory serves, about 1415.  The battle is also well known as it was
memorialized by the "The Bard" in his Henry V, you may be able to use that
in your experiment, which you are quite uninformational about with us of
the NG. 

The game recreates the conditions of the conflict well in that there is
little room for fancy manuever.  The French start at one side of the map in
a mass four or five hexes deep.  Their forces consist of mainly men-at-arms
who must close to adjacency with their target to resolve melee combat.  The
French also boast of some mounted knights and some second class archers and
clearly possess numerical superiority in close combat strength. 

The French object is to penetrate the English lines, kill as many leaders
as possible with, I believe a bonus for the destruction of Henry's unit. 

The English force consists of longbowmen and men-at-arms.  They benefit
from the presence of staked palisades to hinder the approach of mounted
knights and men-at-arms.  

The English win by avoiding French victory. 

The fun part of the game begins as soon as the French begin to advance
toward the English.  True to the actual battle, the long range and power of
the English longbowmen soon began to cut down masses of the French.  When
the French do finally close, it is melee with many casualties.  Usually the
French have suffered too much to be able to win, but it often is close. 

Set-up can be long for the French player as a beginner has no concept of
what to expect.  English set-up is pretty much dictated. I would suggest
having the board already set-up. 

I like the game because it provides elementary illustrations of some basic
military principles.  For example,  If the French conduct a general advance
of the entire line, they generally lose.  But if they advance in column or
phalanx, thereby limiting their exposure to the fire of the archers, they
generally win.  Provides a solid example of concentration of force.  

Also like it because it gives a very accurate feel of hand-to-hand, line
warfare.  Players frequently get caught  up in the emotive forces of the
combat.  As the English, you face an enormous force, hence, you despair. 
As the French, you have vastly more units, and it is easy to feel a bit
cocky.  But when you begin to see those men-at-arms fall with such
regularity as the English shoot them down, well you get the idea. 

Whoever wins, it is easy to bring home another point:  The enormous
casualty rate of warfare. 

Hope it works for you, 

Steve