Smaller battles rules for the period?

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barr7430
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Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by barr7430 » Wed Nov 30, 2011 1:55 pm

The March of Eagles Napoleonic rules which I wrote for Victrix are based around smaller actions and having a very fun game lasting 60 -90 minutes on average. I recently developed a set of cards for the game which are based on the card system I created for use with Disposable Heroes. (Not commerically available and only used with the LoGW up to this point)
The concept, principles and cards (the game is not card driven but card stimulated) suits very well the Grand Alliance period with a firm focus on smaller actions with larger units and maybe only 4-6 battalions or Horse squadrons per side.

My love of smaller actions : Tangier, the Turkish Front, Jacobite battles such as Killiecrankie and Newton Butler, siege of Limerick, Sedgemoor, Drumclog, Bothwell Brig, King William's War etc are encouraging me to complete this rule system specifically for the period 1660 - 1721. The units themselves vary in size from 8 to 48 models. The use of personality types (as in TMoE) such as Heroes, Officers, Ensigns, Sergeants, Drummers, Trumpeters, Pioneers, Master Gunners each with a specific role to play in the game is a fairly major feature of the system. There is also (surprisingly for me) a points system!!! so units can be formed from scratch and even or scenario based games created.

The increasing scope of the WARFARE MINIATURES range is encouraging the 'personality usage' development and pushing me towards doing something formal with the rules.

I just wondered if you folks think there is a demand for such a rule set. BLB based units can be used and expanded or amalgamated to make larger units in the game system.

In summary: 90 minute game, 4-8 units per side, variable sized units, alternate(by unit) activation, card incident supported, character figure led,period specific.

Interested in any comments before I go running down blind alleys and can't turn round :roll:
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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by footslogger » Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:29 pm

Sounds interesting to me.

Card stimulated vs. card driven sounds like an interesting distinction. I guess Maurice will be more of a card driven game. Maurice-lite is out now and I've downloaded it but haven't tried doing anything with it yet. Personalities are a valuable add to games in my opinion. Personally I've become more interested in games that are about leadership than fire and melee mechanics. So to the extent including personalities lead to games that are more about leadership, I'm for it!
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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by Mats » Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:33 pm

Where's the smiley with the clapping hands when you need it? :D
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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by EvilGinger » Wed Nov 30, 2011 3:44 pm

Great minds think alike

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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by quindia » Wed Nov 30, 2011 4:58 pm

Footslogger, the difference is that the cards are not needed to issue orders, move, fire, etc. and are not necessarily in use every turn. The cards may modify the actions of your officers and units, create problems for your enemies, or trigger events...
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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by barr7430 » Wed Nov 30, 2011 5:08 pm

In other words... help you and screw up the other guy! :lol:
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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by obriendavid » Wed Nov 30, 2011 6:17 pm

barr7430 wrote:In other words... help you and screw up the other guy! :lol:
And they have added a huge amount of fun to the WW2 and NAM games that we have used them in and the idea could easily be adapted to virtually any period of history.
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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by markdo » Wed Nov 30, 2011 8:04 pm

I'm all for anything Jacobite so it's an exciting prospect.
However... when you say units of 8+ figures, does that mean breaking up the 6 figure per base unit I'm gluing together now (well, I would be if the PO didn't require 48 hrs to get a van from my house to the depot a mile away)?

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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by barr7430 » Wed Nov 30, 2011 8:29 pm

No rebasing! My golden rule always, I just mean unit sizes can vary and won;t be the standard 18 Infantry 6 Horse that BLB has... units can pretty much be any soze you want eithin the points value agreed
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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by john_de_courcy » Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:33 pm

I am definitely interested in this.

Although I decided to start small and paint units from the battle of the Boyne ;) smaller battles would be a good gateway attract some of my friends into starting in the period The people I know are more used to ww2 skirmish and the like
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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by Captain of Dragoons » Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:12 am

Points systems, Characters, Hero's with special attributes :shock:

Sounding very Warhammerish of you Barry :| \

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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by barr7430 » Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:38 am

well now Edward, that's 'fightin' talk where I come from :lol:
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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by Captain of Dragoons » Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:52 am

all in good fun Barry :)

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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by quindia » Thu Dec 01, 2011 2:01 am

Wait 'til you see the Magic Phase... :mrgreen:
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Re: Smaller battles rules for the period?

Post by yar68 » Thu Dec 01, 2011 5:02 am

It sounds very interesting to me, and I'm sure I'd be one of the first in the queue to buy them!! They'd fit in perfectly with what's going on in the wargames world at the moment, just look at all the hype and interest in Gripping Beast's new set of rules "Saga", they are selling like hotcakes and are introducing many gamers to the Dark Ages period, mainly because they are only for small actions, you only need roughly 48 figures per side. So this could really push sales of the Warfare minis, like it has with GB figs.
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