I bought a copy of Frank Chawick and Greg Novak's VOLLEY & BAYONET Grand Tactical wargame rules soon after it was published in 1994 ...
... and purchased their BATTLES OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR source and scenario book in 1995.
I remember reading them with considerable interest, but as at the time my wargaming was going in a somewhat different direction, they were added to my bookshelves and - until recently - almost completely forgotten about. In fact, I was convinced that I had put them into a storage crate that was pretty inaccessible until I found them whilst looking for something else.
My old friend David Crook has recently been blogging about VOLLEY & BAYONET and finding my copies has led me to read them again. I particularly enjoyed reading the designer’s notes in the rule book as they give a valuable insight into the thinking behind the rules. As I am currently jotting down ideas for my own grand tactical/army-level version of the PORTABLE WARGAME, such design notes give me something to compare my own thinking with.
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There are certainly some solud and sensible ideas behind them. It was last century when I last played them but they gave a good game, were practical, and you were definitely the General not a battalion commander.
ReplyDeleteRoss Mac,
DeleteThanks for the positive feedback. It’s very helpful … and I like rules that put you in the role of a general rather than as a lower-level commander.
All the best,
Bob
Not played V&B for a long time, always enjoyed the games though. Reject Richard will be using them soon hopefully for his 6mm Revolutionary Wars figures.
ReplyDeleteRay Rousell,
DeleteThanks for your positive response … and I look forward to reading more about Richard’s wargame.
All the best,
Bob
Frank Chadwick's notes on his rules design are always worth reading, whether you play those rules or not.
ReplyDeleteI ordered my copy of VnB blind without any idea how radical they would be.
FC had written a set of "black powder" rules which were given away in Command Decision (CD) so I was expecting a development of those.
He has in the last few years developed a set of C20th operational rules which he has "showcased" at US conventions but not yet released ( supposedly as a kickstarter). Entire WW2 battles, stands as battalions or detachments, 3 day and 1 night turn very grand tactical.
Neil
Neil Patterson (Neil),
DeleteI have always found Frank Chadwick’s design notes very helpful, and reading them helps me to understand the how’s and the why’s of his rules.
His 20th century rules sound somewhat akin to Tim Gow’s MEGABLITZ and my HEXBLITZ, and I look forward to buying them when they are published.
All the best,
Bob
Hello there Bob,
ReplyDeleteThey are, in my opinion, a really ground breaking set of rules that really make you think about things from the perspective of an army commander.
Certainly something to explore further (and I am!).
All the best,
DC
David Crook,
DeleteThanks for the valuable and useful feedback. I’m currently looking at the ACW book as a possible sources of ORBATs for PACWW scenarios.
All the best,
Bob
Likewise I remember seeing them .. it seemed Frank Chadwick was churning out rules across all periods then, he always did his homework and I respected the way he would capture what a unit would probably be capable of - historically .. rather than what the should be capable of at a maximum, artillery indirect rate of fire and ammunition expenditure comes to mind from Command Decision.
ReplyDeleteGeordie an Exiled FoG,
DeleteFrank Chadwick remains one of the foremost designers of wargames, and as you comment, his rules always seem to exhibit historically accuracy.
All the best,
Bob
I've heard interesting things about these rules but haven't managed to secure a copy as yet. I do agree that reading design notes really helps to get a handle on the why the rules are as they are. Neil Thomas does a good job of that in his "Wargaming 19th century Europe" book. There are some design notes for Volley & Bayonet online here for anyone that's interested:
ReplyDeletehttps://volleyandbayonet.wordpress.com/design-notes/
Donjondo,
DeleteThe rules come up for sale on the second-hand market every so often, and thanks very much for the useful link.
Design notes are very useful, and I try to explain the thinking behind my rules in my books.
All the best,
Bob
I'm keeping my eye out for them. But no luck as yet.
DeleteI appreciate every insight in to a designer's thought process. Keep up the good work!
Donjondo,
DeleteGood luck with your search … and I’ll keep trying to explain the thinking behind my rules.
All the best,
Bob
I enjoyed the rules as like a lot of big battle rules they were less "fiddly" than the old 1:20/1:50 divisional rules, also when I acquired "Civil War Battles" I was pleasantly surprised to find that the campaign system and map were taken from "A House Divided" which I already owned and had been playing for a while so I already had a map and a set of movement counters.
ReplyDeleteHoping this finds you well,
Take Care,
Tony.
Unknown (Tony),
DeleteThey are certainly an ideal set of 'big battle' rules, and have a lot to commend them.
I was unaware that the campaign map in the second book was copied from one of Frank Chadwick's other games ... but it does not surprise me as there would be very little point in him reinventing something that he had already devised ... and that worked!
Keep safe and keep well,
Bob