R2E Review

Questions, chat, feedback and developments relating to REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE... Wargaming the wars of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Post Reply
Coyote
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 125
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:31 pm
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

R2E Review

Post by Coyote » Mon Aug 02, 2010 4:23 am

It's finally done, my review of Republic to Empire is up on my blog.
http://tyler.provick.ca/?p=1018
Tyler "Coyote" Provick
http://tyler.provick.ca
valleyboy
Command Sergeant Major
Command Sergeant Major
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 8:08 pm
Location: NZ

Post by valleyboy » Mon Aug 02, 2010 4:39 am

Congratulations
that is very nicely written and easy to follow, it reads well and has the added bonus that it tells the truth ie RTE is excellent 8)
User avatar
barr7430
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 5905
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 4:22 pm
Location: EK,Scotland
Contact:

Post by barr7430 » Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:38 am

Tyler,

thank you. This is a balanced and even handed review in my opinion. I also understand that my hobby horses are not everyone's :wink:

cheers
"If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you are probably right"

Henry Ford
toggy
Major General
Major General
Posts: 508
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2009 6:56 pm
Location: Lanarkshire

Post by toggy » Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:20 pm

Fantastic review Tyler, very balanced and nicely worded, also some great shots of the Historicon game.

Hopefully people will start to play R2E more frequently now and will realise how simple the core mechanisms are, once you've played a couple of turns it is very easy to pick up the basics and as you say in your report you worry more about tactics than the rules.

Hopefully you can get a group together locally to enable you to game regularly.

Once again well done

Bob
User avatar
CoffinDodger
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Posts: 866
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 7:10 pm
Location: Motherwell, Scotland.
Contact:

Post by CoffinDodger » Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:18 pm

Tyler,

I've just read the review and I enjoy your writing style. A nice piece of work.

Jim
“I can assure you, Gentlefolk, they look better from a distance."
Jim O'Neill.
Coyote
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 125
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:31 pm
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Post by Coyote » Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:56 pm

Thanks for the feedback. I worked very hard on clarifying my statements and working on my language. Primarily I am a writer and it's nice to know that writing three drafts made a difference. The news item just hit The Miniatures Page.
Let's see how it affects traffic.
Tyler "Coyote" Provick
http://tyler.provick.ca
User avatar
barr7430
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 5905
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 4:22 pm
Location: EK,Scotland
Contact:

Post by barr7430 » Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:07 pm

Bob,

there certainly is an increase in interest over here.. we have 14 confirmed for October already and another 7 enquiries!
"If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you are probably right"

Henry Ford
User avatar
CoffinDodger
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Posts: 866
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 7:10 pm
Location: Motherwell, Scotland.
Contact:

Post by CoffinDodger » Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:32 pm

barr7430 wrote: ...we have 14 confirmed for October already and another 7 enquiries!
"We need a bigger boat, I mean board!" 8)

Jim
“I can assure you, Gentlefolk, they look better from a distance."
Jim O'Neill.
Ed Youngstrom
Corporal
Corporal
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2005 1:26 am
Location: San Antonio, Texas, USA

Post by Ed Youngstrom » Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:12 am

Barry, Clarence, et al.

I got a chance to "play" R2E yesterday. I use the quotes since neither of us had played it before, and in fact it was my opponent's first ever historical game. (He's coming from the Dark Side--GW) But he's learning fast--he already has several Perry and Victrix units!

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The MP system was what I feared, but as Tyler said it was quite intuitive and we were soon thinking tactically and not mechanically.

What caught me unexpectedly was the charge threat/resolve/close combat/fight or flight sequencing. The charts weren't the problem--it was when/how to use them.

Referencing the rule book steps you through, but we both decided a flow chart would help. I've been "nominated" to try to do make one. Anyone have one already? :roll:

However, we did reach a point that showed the need for reserves. At one point, a British battalion charged it's French opposite number. Two rounds of combat later, and the French unit was destroyed to a man. But the British took over 33% casualties doing so...and then looked up to see the gleaming bayonets of the fresh French second line! We concluded the game at this point, but there was no doubt that this battalion was in trouble.

I definitely need a second (or more!) game, and more toys on the table (which we have) to really see R2E shine. I'm looking forward to doing so.

Thanks,
Ed
Coyote
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 125
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:31 pm
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Post by Coyote » Tue Aug 03, 2010 1:13 am

Flow Chart, from memory, hope I don't duff it.
  • Chargers roll to see if you can charge, 4+ they do. STEADY. Otherwise charge fails, abide by morale result
  • Defenders roll to see if they stand. 3+ they do. STEADY or WAVER. If they Waver it occurs immediately. They can go from Waver to Steady.
    • Defenders roll to see how close they allow the enemy before they fire.
      Move chargers to that range, work out Defenders shooting. If the range is extreme, charges don't move until they charge home.
  • If the Chargers take casualties, they check to see if they press home the charge. 4+ they do. STEADY. Otherwise charge fails, abide by the morale result, if they waver they stand where they received shooting and are disordered.
  • If the chargers press home, the defenders check morale at -2 to see if they stand. 3+ they do. STEADY or WAVER. Can improve from Waver to Steady, if this happens with Guard or Veterans, they can counter-charge
Tyler "Coyote" Provick
http://tyler.provick.ca
User avatar
kiwipeterh
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
Posts: 212
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 11:31 pm
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Contact:

Post by kiwipeterh » Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:43 am

A nice review Tyler. So nice I'll be adding a link in my next blog update. :lol:

Salute
von Peter himself
Visit the blog of von Peter himself at http://vonpeterhimself.wordpress.com/
User avatar
barr7430
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 5905
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 4:22 pm
Location: EK,Scotland
Contact:

Post by barr7430 » Tue Aug 03, 2010 1:18 pm

Tyler, Ed, sequence looks good to me!..
"If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you are probably right"

Henry Ford
User avatar
obriendavid
General of the Army
General of the Army
Posts: 2627
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: Scotland
Contact:

Post by obriendavid » Tue Aug 03, 2010 4:40 pm

Players should also remember that they have the option of firing at charging troops, if your own troops are in a bit of a state there is a very good chance they will cause no casualties but you will still have to take a ForF test and that extra -2 on your morale can be a real killer with your troops routing before combat so your best bet can often be to let the enemy get into combat and hope to beat him then.

Cheers
Dave
Post Reply