tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927188814636059936.post8978002708825224175..comments2023-08-02T09:04:27.679+01:00Comments on Rear Guard Action: Big Battles, Big ChallengesJurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00159781200263742361noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927188814636059936.post-86168931770372303452016-05-10T15:00:26.913+01:002016-05-10T15:00:26.913+01:00Hi Guys,
Sorry I have only just found your blog. ...Hi Guys,<br /><br />Sorry I have only just found your blog. I play larger games about once a month and will set aside a whole saturday to do so. I really enjoy them as I feel you get a better game when you are not restricted to a short time frame and a small table. However I have often found the problem encountered above with rule sets failing to deliver when it comes to big scenarios. Especially those often written in the back of books/supplements to the sets.<br /><br />I think one of the major problems is that often the battles that were fought in history were terribly one sided. Almost no general, unless forced by circumstance or poorly advised, attacks an enemy he doesn't have an advantage over. And the way rules are written along with players knowing exactly what the other side should have a where, pretty much takes almost all the fun out of the historical scenario. <br /><br />That said I do still play them, although our group has taken a heavy shift to the what if camp, with only the game organizer in possession of all the facts!<br /><br />Ed :)E Gilheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03734915696230386124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927188814636059936.post-75643330554909880842015-09-02T20:53:22.815+01:002015-09-02T20:53:22.815+01:00Anything with fast play in the title sounds hopefu...Anything with fast play in the title sounds hopeful. But I wouldn't touch Grande Armee (Slow Play?) with a wooden pole.Jurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00159781200263742361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927188814636059936.post-6669792259633031522015-09-02T20:51:06.961+01:002015-09-02T20:51:06.961+01:00Nice suggestion. Will have a look!Nice suggestion. Will have a look!Jurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00159781200263742361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927188814636059936.post-54636223344924628702015-09-02T20:50:31.356+01:002015-09-02T20:50:31.356+01:00I think initiative moves and free moves are a bit ...I think initiative moves and free moves are a bit too complex for a big/multiplayer game because of the dependencies. And any ruleset will work with veterans with fire in their bellies. Those are, however, in short supply most of the time.Jurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00159781200263742361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927188814636059936.post-46939266827423236262015-09-02T19:49:35.416+01:002015-09-02T19:49:35.416+01:00I'm still a fan of Fast Play Grande Armee.I'm still a fan of Fast Play Grande Armee. <br />napoleonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00856785558316755386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927188814636059936.post-37159886745128050042015-09-02T08:19:08.737+01:002015-09-02T08:19:08.737+01:00The Fire and Fury for Napoleonics is Age of Eagles...The Fire and Fury for Napoleonics is Age of Eagles. An excellent set of rules. Easy to learn and quick to play.Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06886793739554752546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927188814636059936.post-34933611047646297262015-09-02T08:18:59.761+01:002015-09-02T08:18:59.761+01:00The Fire and Fury for Napoleonics is Age of Eagles...The Fire and Fury for Napoleonics is Age of Eagles. An excellent set of rules. Easy to learn and quick to play.Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06886793739554752546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927188814636059936.post-38706686238236253662015-09-02T06:57:44.653+01:002015-09-02T06:57:44.653+01:00As I have experienced it, most scenarios are writt...As I have experienced it, most scenarios are written primarily to accomodate historical accuratesse (are all the right regiments there where they should be?) and/or everyone's desire to have one's own figures on the table. <br /><br />Few writers actually spend work on the scenario mechanics. Thus they avoid answering questions like is my army at all able to cross the table in the course of one game, let alone come to grips with the enemy? Or what is the width of the entire battle front and do we even have enough room for wings and flanks? Or is there even more than one way to play this game? <br /><br />You cannot actually write an interesting scenario without some calculation on speed and chance. Saying that, I think Black Powder (which I have played a lot) is eminently capable of delivering (I also think you mistyped there :) ) such a game. But you have to spend work on the mechanical side of the scenario and be prepared to tell people that no, they cannot field all of their six 48-men regiments even if they have painted them all especially for the occasion. <br /><br />Specifically for BP Command ratings of 8 are fine for a 2-player game, but slow down big games too much. Initiative moves and free moves (like the one for columns or limbered artillery) are crucial to move your army fast enough. And of course there must be room to move at all (hence my preference for smaller scales than 28mm).Pijliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11324793724108433109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927188814636059936.post-74583995241997411302015-09-02T06:24:34.154+01:002015-09-02T06:24:34.154+01:00Could be that Fire & Fury works, I remember Ne...Could be that Fire & Fury works, I remember Newbury Fast Play doing the job as well. So maybe I was a bit too harsh on commercial rules. But I think most are designed to recreate a maximum of diversity in a 2 player game and try to cover too many historical exception, making them clunky and slow.Jurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00159781200263742361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927188814636059936.post-78759419554530888382015-09-02T05:15:35.726+01:002015-09-02T05:15:35.726+01:00As a matter of fact we have played a number of mas...As a matter of fact we have played a number of massive ACW battles with Fire & Fury, a rather simple set which nevertheless gives a good period effect (attacks are bloody messes, defence is strong, fear the cannon!) using just the guidelines you set out here. Most important are indeed time pressure (limited turns and limited time to play one), the fact that generals order but don't move troops, the table should offer (a lot) more room thanis needed to just put the figures down, there should be an umpire and his word is law.<br /><br />Unfortunately a lot of people love tons of figures on too small tables which may look good, but does not usually -in my opinion- make for an interesting game. <br /><br />But since they appear to mightily enjoy such a spectacle it is perhaps just a matter of taste after all. Pijliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11324793724108433109noreply@blogger.com