Comparison: Empire vs From Valmy To Waterloo (FVTW)

 Empire vs From Valmy To Waterloo

Today is a comparison between 2 “old school” Napoleonic rules. Both caused a stir back in the 80s and 90’s, although Empire has a larger following overall. Both rules systems are aimed primarily at a simulation and are extremely chart-heavy and packed with detail. I personally invested a ton of time with both systems in the past, but prefer less complicated rules now.

1. Table appearance (do the unit sizes and organization look like a battle?) Both systems have a similar basing system, although FVTW has a separate option based on the Napoleon’s Battles rules. Both look similar on the tabletop. I personally prefer beefier looking units. So a Draw here.

2. Command and Control (Is C/C challenging and realistic?) Both systems are very complex when it comes to Command and Control. C/C is obviously critical to both games. Although both systems are very complex, Empire is a bit easier to understand. FVTW is so detailed in this area, it’s still hard to digest after all of these years. Empire has the edge here; very detailed but a bit more workable. 

3. Flow of the turn (Is it clunky or smoothly elegant?) Empire features the Time Telescoping Concept for grand-tactical movement while tactical movement is still going on. I always found it a bit clunky though, especially since each Maneuver Element rolls to see how many tactical turns they are active. FVTW uses a cheat sheet book that matches the turn sequence. FVTW definitely has a more streamlined turn sequence, so it gets the nod in this area. 

4. Mechanics (Are the mechanics easy to pick up? Do the mechanics have enough detail? Do the mechanics slow the battle down?) The mechanics of both are very complex, especially when compared with modern rules. Both rules systems sport a huge amount of detail. I will say that Empire forces players to move and fire skirmish companies, whereas the Skirmishers are ingrained in Fire Discipline in FVTW. There is much more math when playing Empire, as Fire results are calculated per figure. There is an effort with FVTW to streamline this process, while keeping as much detail as possible. FVTW gets the win in this area.

5. Historic results (Do the results seem realistic? Are there wild swings of outcomes?) Both systems pride themselves on recreating historical outcomes. Both rules do a great job in this area. This is a Draw. 

6. Historic tactics (Do historic tactics work? Does the system reward the use of historic tactics?) Again, both systems excel in this area. FVTW explains tactical philosophy in a more clear way, empathizing the Napoleonic impulse system. But frankly, both systems have done their homework and this a strong area of both rules. The artillery rules in FVTW are especially some of the finest ever written, emphasizing the beaten zone of a bombardment. Again, a Draw is in order.

7. Morale (Does morale feel right on the unit or brigade/divisional level?) Again, both systems feature realistic morale outcomes for units, and higher formations. Another easy Draw.

8. Playability (Do the rules provide for a fun game, or is it mired in too much detail, etc) Both systems suffer from overly complex detail. Modern gamers run away screaming when taking a peek at both systems’ charts. Although FVTW packs a bit more detail into the charts, the turn sequence is smoother than Empire and actually plays a bit faster. FVTW has the slight edge here.

9. Ease of setup (what does pre-scenario work look like? Is figure basing too specific? Do the rules require very specific basing?) Both rules are scenario-based and do not feature a points system for units. Both systems have exhaustive addendums for leader and unit ratings that make them extremely valuable to have even if not playing. A Draw.

10. End of battle (Do the rules give results that can be useful if conducting a campaign? Are Victory objectives taken account? Is Victory defined by the rules?) Neither system really discusses the post-Battle results or Victory conditions. Because both are geared for researched scenario play, it’s up to the scenario designer to establish victory conditions. A Draw. 

Both Empire and From Valmy To Waterloo have reputations for intricate and complex detail. Both systems still have many fans. In our comparison, FVTW won 3 categories and Empire won 1. In the other 6 categories, the results were about even. I cut my teeth on Empire when I was a young Wargamer, but was exposed to FVTW by the rules author, William Keyser, and was hooked. From Valmy To Waterloo was an evolution of the principles laid out by Empire. Both systems are legendary and are important cornerstones of Napoleonic wargaming.