New gameplay features include the ability to occupy buildings on the battlefield. This lets key historic landmarks, like the farmhouse of La Haye Sainte, play an important role in the game. Also, Waterloo offers several new unit formations, such as the infantry square (which is critical for defending against cavalry attacks), the four-deep line, and the attack column.
The cavalry units themselves are worthy to note, as they play a much more important role in this game (and this period) than they did in the Firaxis games. Cavalry attacks can completely devastate a poorly arranged defensive line, and the computer often uses these attacks with disturbing effectiveness.
Waterloo does have some problems, mostly in that the game's performance leaves a lot to be desired. Despite the somewhat dated graphics engine, the gameplay can bog down alarmingly when several units are on the screen at the same time. Scrolling around the battlefield causes some visual stuttering as well and can be quite frustrating when you're trying to issue critical movement orders.
Cavalry play an important part in the battles featured in the game
The game is also inconsistent in the way in which it determines possession of battlefield objectives. Often, the computer will be given credit for holding a key ridge or hill, even when your troops are arranged all over the spot and his are still cowering at the foot of the slope. In one instance, a single French cavalry unit claimed a major objective area, despite being surrounded at close range by no less than eight British infantry squares.
Nevertheless, Waterloo should have a long life home on many wargamers' hard drives. The gameplay is generally quite good, even with the graphic slowdowns and the other occasional problems. After all, the underlying game design was already top-notch in Waterloo's predecessors, and the improvements added for Waterloo are impressive. So even though the game engine is definitely showing its age, hard-core strategy game players should still find a lot to like about Waterloo.
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