TO commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Waterloo a group of enthusiasts recently recreated the entire battle - only a somewhat smaller scale.
The game was organised by John Lavender, fulfilling a life-time ambition, who played Napoleon and was played out using figures in 6mm scale on an accurately recreated terrain board.
He was joined by gamers from around the area including Simon Ashton from Redditch who took on the role of Wellington.
After two days of solid fighting with many twists, turns and needless to say rule clarifications, the game ended in victory for the French.
However, the group of men were so depleted by the allied army and, along with the arrival of the Prussians, the final result would probably have been the same as in history.
After the game Mr Ashton said: "It was definitely a near run thing and although we repulsed the French Old Guard, their good overall strategy and tactics enabled them to carry the day."
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on June 18 1815, near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by the armies of the Seventh Coalition, comprising an Anglo-allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington combined with a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard von Blücher.
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