Hougoumont: Key to Waterloo

Hougoumont: Key to Waterloo is a compact Napoleonic Wars board wargame from Decision Games covering the fight for Château Hougoumont during the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815. The position anchored part of Wellington’s Allied line, and its loss could have seriously weakened the Allied defense before the Prussians arrived.

Using a variation of the Musket & Saber QuickPlay system, the game emphasizes unit quality, reserves, leaders, and coordinated arms rather than raw numbers. Infantry does most of the hard fighting, artillery can open gaps but must be protected, and cavalry is best used at the right moment against weakened or broken enemies.