The Battle of Fontenoy: 11 May, 1745

About this board game

The Battle of Fontenoy: 11 May, 1745 is a historical board wargame for 1–2 players with a playing time of approximately 360 minutes. It brings the Battles from the Age of Reason series to the War of Austrian Succession.

In the main battle, Maurice de Saxe commands French forces positioned behind defensive works, while the inexperienced Duke of Cumberland leads a mixed Allied force of English, Dutch, and Hanoverian troops. The Allies must attempt to breach the French defenses in a tight contest inspired by the historical battle.

Alternative scenarios offer different ways to explore the battlefield. Players can give the Allies options to outflank the French, add forces to both sides, or remove the French defenses for a direct contest across the plains of Flanders.

The game uses the established scale of the series: each hex represents 100 yards and each turn covers 20 minutes. Infantry battalions, cavalry regiments, and artillery batteries are represented at a scale where one strength point equals 100 foot soldiers, 50 horsemen, or two cannon.

The package also includes The Battle of Melle, 9 July, 1745, a complete engagement played on a half-size map. This rare meeting engagement is a fast, swirling battle in which both sides seek their objectives before nightfall, making it suitable for BAR beginners or a full game in one sitting.

• Two 22×34-inch full-color maps for Fontenoy
• One 11×34-inch map for Melle
• 840 half-inch counters, including units and series markers
• Rules, special scenarios, historical commentary, charts, tables, and two ten-sided dice

With its detailed period presentation and multiple scenarios, The Battle of Fontenoy offers a substantial examination of command, defenses, and battlefield alternatives in 1745.