I am a member of several Facebook groups, including the one devoted to 19th (1815-1914) CENTURY WARFARE AND WARGAMING. Yesterday one of the other members – Paul Mooney – posted a short report of a recent battle he had fought set during the 1st Schleswig-Holstein War. He had used my PORTABLE WARGAME rules, 10mm-scale figures (a mixture of Irregular Miniatures and Pendraken Minatures figures), and the hexed game board from the game HOLD THE LINE.
The results looked very interesting ...
... and after a request for more information, Paul wrote the following:
Please note that the photographs featured above are © Paul Mooney.
The results looked very interesting ...
... and after a request for more information, Paul wrote the following:
For this game, I used two infantry bases (frontage 30mm) for each infantry unit and one base for cavalry and artillery. Each side had 12 units and two commanders. I used the strength point option with exhaustion levels of 1/3 and an army break level of 1/2 of total strength points. The game was fought to a conclusion in about two hours. It was decided that cavalry winning a close combat could follow up against any troops, while infantry could only follow up against other infantry or artillery; artillery, of course, could not follow up in any situation. Elite units were limited to one unit per side, but if this option was chosen, one other unit had to be classed as poor.Paul has made some interesting minor changes to the rules so that they fit the specific period somewhat better than the generic rules, and as this is a period that I hope to cover in a future book, the alterations have given me some ideas that I might well include.
Next time, I intend to use one base per unit and use the sudden death option. This will allow a really big game with 30+ units/bases per side. For skirmishers, I might experiment with allowing them to move 2 hexes and still fire but give target units that are hit a +1 on the results table, making it harder for skirmishers to inflict a kill. Skirmishers will be unable to initiate close combat and will receive a -1 if attacked in close combat.
Please note that the photographs featured above are © Paul Mooney.
It must be very satisfying to see people enjoying the rulesthat you wrote Bob.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Pete.
Pete.,
DeleteI great a lot of satisfaction from the fact that people are using and enjoying my rules ... but I get even more from the fact that they are developing their own versions of my rules to suit their own needs.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteI rather like those ideas for use with skirmishers - also the close combat follow up rules make sense.
The great thing though is that the core system happily accepts any such tweaks.
All the best,
DC
David Crook,
DeleteI also liked the skirmisher ideas and the suggested changes to the Close Combat follow up rules. It certainly shows that the basic rules are simple enough to tweak without them breaking.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, that the 'basic rules are simple enough to tweak them without breaking' must be one of the great advantages of the PW system. It is also possible to adapt them for different levels of action - from large battles to mere skirmishes - Another - or is that but another aspect of the same point?
DeleteI think I've suggested before that your Napoleonic/early 19th century PW rules should contain rules for the 'traditional' tabletop battle between opposing divisions/corps, in which a unit is a battalion (or even a grand division/half battalion) and for army-level engagements, with a unit being a regiment/brigade (or even a division or corps for very big battles). Similar to Paddy Griffith's Napoleonic Wargaming for Fun.
Regards,
Arthur
Arthur Harman (Arthur),
DeleteI suspect that you are right with regard to the basic PW system, which might go some way to explaining its popularity.
I have taken on-board your suggestions regarding the planned Napoleonic PW game, and as GRIDDED NAVAL WARGAMES has shown, a book with several sets of rules covering different aspects of a subject can be popular. Whilst the book will not seek to copy Paddy Griffith's approach to Napoleonic wargaming, it will certainly be written in the same spirit.
All the best,
Bob
Lovely looking game and interesting amendments,thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteTradgardmastare,
DeleteThe game has an attractive simplicity, and I particularly like the use of a commercial playing surface. The latter reminded me of the boards that come with BATTLE CRY!, etc. The suggested amendments were also very useful, and I can see them being incorporated into my own rules at some time.
All the best,
Bob