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Post by Cromwell on Apr 8, 2018 8:43:24 GMT
I recently purchased on e-bay a set of the English Civil War rules Regiment of foote by the Rules for the common man team via Peter Pig. They are the original version not the newer one which uses a grid system for measurement.
I have played 5 games using them now and I have to say I am very impressed. The activation rules are very good and the game plays quickly with what seems to be accurate and realistic results. My only concern is the number of die that need to be rolled. Some melee (assaults as the rules call them) you can be rolling up to 15+ die.
Units are made up of bases and there are no individual figure removal. 1 hit a unit gets a wounded marker, 2 hits it gets a dead marker and a base is removed. The dead marker however remains in place until the units morale is checked.
The rules allow for the use of combined pike and shot units, shot units, pike units,cavalry both Trotter and Galloper, dragoons, forlorne hope and artillery.
The rules suggest each unit is made up of 3 to 6 bases, I use 3 bases per unit as this moves the game along nicely.
The length of the game is done by a count down from the number 23. At the end of the defenders turn a D6 is rolled. The score is deducted from the 23. When that gets down to 0 or less the battle is over
Included in the rules is a wonderful pre-battle campaign system. This has the players working through marches, camps, hostile areas whilst dealing with disease, desertion, and the local gentry who can either help or hinder your progress. All this can result in units arriving for battle under strength or not at all! But they may well turn up later in the battle. In fact the campaign system would work very well with my own home grown rules or DB-RRR.
These rules are well worht looking at.
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Post by timurilank on Apr 8, 2018 10:16:34 GMT
The length of the game is done by a count down from the number 23. At the end of the defenders turn a D6 is rolled. The score is deducted from the 23. When that gets down to 0 or less the battle is over Included in the rules is a wonderful pre-battle campaign system. This has the players working through marches, camps, hostile areas whilst dealing with disease, desertion, and the local gentry who can either help or hinder your progress. All this can result in units arriving for battle under strength or not at all! But they may well turn up later in the battle. In fact the campaign system would work very well with my own home grown rules or DB-RRR. These rules are well worht looking at. That is an interesting approach which would result in an indecisive engagement with both sides withdrawing to fight another day or elsewhere. |
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Post by Cromwell on Apr 9, 2018 7:16:01 GMT
The length of the game is done by a count down from the number 23. At the end of the defenders turn a D6 is rolled. The score is deducted from the 23. When that gets down to 0 or less the battle is over Included in the rules is a wonderful pre-battle campaign system. This has the players working through marches, camps, hostile areas whilst dealing with disease, desertion, and the local gentry who can either help or hinder your progress. All this can result in units arriving for battle under strength or not at all! But they may well turn up later in the battle. In fact the campaign system would work very well with my own home grown rules or DB-RRR. These rules are well worht looking at. That is an interesting approach which would result in an indecisive engagement with both sides withdrawing to fight another day or elsewhere. Indeed at the end of the battle it can be indecisive. This is more often the case if using early war army lists as it was in the real ECW. I tend to use late war lists with Parliament fielding the New Model Army. Victory is decided in the rules by totalling up number of units routed or destroyed, generals lost and units which failed to turn up as reinforcements and those lost during the campaign stage due to desertion or disease. The rules then set out a comparison of the points awarded give indecisive outcome, marginal victory, or outright victory. |
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Post by timurilank on Apr 13, 2018 20:23:47 GMT
Thinking further about the length of game using a ‘countdown’ system, this would be an ideal way to represent a cavalry skirmish the day before a general engagement. The Battle of Hormozdgān (224AD) was preceded by skirmish on the day before battle which proved indecisive. However, Persian tribal cavalry did desert Parthian camp during the night to join the Sassanid force led by Ardashir I.
I would go so far as to adjust the ‘clock’ to reflect the amount of daylight hours in a given season making winter battles brisk affairs.
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Post by Cromwell on Apr 14, 2018 7:08:43 GMT
Thinking further about the length of game using a ‘countdown’ system, this would be an ideal way to represent a cavalry skirmish the day before a general engagement. The Battle of Hormozdgān (224AD) was preceded by skirmish on the day before battle which proved indecisive. However, Persian tribal cavalry did desert Parthian camp during the night to join the Sassanid force led by Ardashir I.
I would go so far as to adjust the ‘clock’ to reflect the amount of daylight hours in a given season making winter battles brisk affairs.
I like the idea of adjusting the count down to reflect the amount of available daylight! For the ECW this would be comparatively easy for any given date. As for cavalry skirmish I am looking to refight Powick Bridge, we know the time of day roughly and the date. The actual engagement only lasted about 15 minutes so I don't expect the count down to go anywhere near the end! |
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Post by wyvern on Nov 8, 2018 18:55:35 GMT
Hi Cromwell, I'm intrigued by Regiment of Foote. I have one question: how do you find the pre-game campaign mechanism? Is it easy to do solo? I take it its a good game to play solo or else you wouldn't be playing it?
Best Wishes, Paul.
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Post by Cromwell on Nov 9, 2018 8:29:55 GMT
Hi Cromwell, I'm intrigued by Regiment of Foote. I have one question: how do you find the pre-game campaign mechanism? Is it easy to do solo? I take it its a good game to play solo or else you wouldn't be playing it? Best Wishes, Paul. <iframe width="21.800000000000068" height="3.8799999999999955" style="position: absolute; width: 21.800000000000068px; height: 3.8799999999999955px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none;left: 15px; top: -5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_42734978" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="21.800000000000068" height="3.8799999999999955" style="position: absolute; width: 21.8px; height: 3.88px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 1032px; top: -5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_55360674" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="21.800000000000068" height="3.8799999999999955" style="position: absolute; width: 21.8px; height: 3.88px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 15px; top: 134px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_30424495" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="21.800000000000068" height="3.8799999999999955" style="position: absolute; width: 21.8px; height: 3.88px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 1032px; top: 134px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_14493697" scrolling="no"></iframe> I have no problem with the campaign side playing solo. I play my side as normal. The opposition I play using a dice to randomise any decisions the opposing general has to make. If it is a straight 50/50 choice 1,2,3 = Yes 4,5,6 = No. If one choice is more obvious I weight the die. I.E. 12345 = yes 56 = No |
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Post by hammurabi70 on Nov 9, 2018 9:14:18 GMT
Thinking further about the length of game using a ‘countdown’ system, this would be an ideal way to represent a cavalry skirmish the day before a general engagement. The Battle of Hormozdgān (224AD) was preceded by skirmish on the day before battle which proved indecisive. However, Persian tribal cavalry did desert Parthian camp during the night to join the Sassanid force led by Ardashir I.
I would go so far as to adjust the ‘clock’ to reflect the amount of daylight hours in a given season making winter battles brisk affairs.
I like the idea of adjusting the count down to reflect the amount of available daylight! For the ECW this would be comparatively easy for any given date. As for cavalry skirmish I am looking to refight Powick Bridge, we know the time of day roughly and the date. The actual engagement only lasted about 15 minutes so I don't expect the count down to go anywhere near the end! I have used a countdown/countup of the number of days in the month for battles in campaigns with monthly campaign turns. However, using a D6 gives a wide variation in the number of turns. I find it better to mark progress in the battle by key events with a slight variation by die roll: +1 or +2 |
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Post by wyvern on Nov 9, 2018 20:20:23 GMT
Hi Cromwell, I'm intrigued by Regiment of Foote. I have one question: how do you find the pre-game campaign mechanism? Is it easy to do solo? I take it its a good game to play solo or else you wouldn't be playing it? Best Wishes, Paul. <iframe width="21.800000000000068" height="3.8799999999999955" style="position: absolute; width: 21.800000000000068px; height: 3.8799999999999955px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none;left: 15px; top: -5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_42734978" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="21.800000000000068" height="3.8799999999999955" style="position: absolute; width: 21.8px; height: 3.88px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 1032px; top: -5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_55360674" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="21.800000000000068" height="3.8799999999999955" style="position: absolute; width: 21.8px; height: 3.88px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 15px; top: 134px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_30424495" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="21.800000000000068" height="3.8799999999999955" style="position: absolute; width: 21.8px; height: 3.88px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 1032px; top: 134px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_14493697" scrolling="no"></iframe> I have no problem with the campaign side playing solo. I play my side as normal. The opposition I play using a dice to randomise any decisions the opposing general has to make. If it is a straight 50/50 choice 1,2,3 = Yes 4,5,6 = No. If one choice is more obvious I weight the die. I.E. 12345 = yes 56 = No Thanks for that. Cheers, Paul. |
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Post by wyvern on Nov 10, 2018 15:33:46 GMT
Have you tried Simon Millers' For King and Parliament? The activation system would be super for solo gaming. I have played To the Strongest which is great. The good thing is it's a grid system game too,so one can use any basing system.
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Post by Cromwell on Mar 14, 2019 7:43:55 GMT
Have you tried Simon Millers' For King and Parliament? The activation system would be super for solo gaming. I have played To the Strongest which is great. The good thing is it's a grid system game too,so one can use any basing system. I have now! I purchased Simon Miller's "For King and Parliament" English Civil War Rules and was immediately impressed. As you say the activation system is ideal for solo play. In fact I was so impressed I went on to buy his "To the Strongest" Ancient and Medieval rules which use the same activation system and very similar rule mechanisms. Again impressed. I have fought some fantastic War of the Roses battles using them. I have also used them with my Early Imperial Romans, Ancient British and Parthians. I also like the fact you can download an excel spreadsheet for both rule systems which allows you to enter in your commanders and their forces, the spreadsheet then calculates the army's points value and number of victory medals (system by which winning/losing is decided). Well worth looking at these rules. |
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Post by Simon on Mar 14, 2019 7:51:25 GMT
The ancient/medieval ruleset Sword and Spear also has an innovative activation system and is supported with build your own army online spreadsheet army. I also like the fact that using one element to a unit means that you don't need a lot more than a DBA army.
Simon
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Post by wyvern on Mar 15, 2019 7:31:44 GMT
Have you tried Simon Millers' For King and Parliament? The activation system would be super for solo gaming. I have played To the Strongest which is great. The good thing is it's a grid system game too,so one can use any basing system. I have now! I purchased Simon Miller's "For King and Parliament" English Civil War Rules and was immediately impressed. As you say the activation system is ideal for solo play. In fact I was so impressed I went on to buy his "To the Strongest" Ancient and Medieval rules which use the same activation system and very similar rule mechanisms. Again impressed. I have fought some fantastic War of the Roses battles using them. I have also used them with my Early Imperial Romans, Ancient British and Parthians. I also like the fact you can download an excel spreadsheet for both rule systems which allows you to enter in your commanders and their forces, the spreadsheet then calculates the army's points value and number of victory medals (system by which winning/losing is decided). Well worth looking at these rules. Glad you are enjoying the rules. I'm building up some greek forces to play TtS which are being based for DBX. Since you are a solo gamer too, which do you find most suitable for solo wargaming, DBA or TtS? I would be very interested in your opinion, since you seem to have a lot of experience as a soloist. Cheers, Paul😁 |
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Post by Cromwell on Mar 15, 2019 8:28:41 GMT
I play solo DBA and FK&P/TtS differently.
With DBA I use De Bellis Solituris. Which basically has a system for deployment. Then during your opponents turn you roll 2 die, one the pip die the other a tactic's die. 1,2 on the tactic dice play consolidation moves, 3,4, Manoeuvre and 5,6 attack/bring into shooting range any element you can. the Dice roll is modified by minus 1 for each element they have lost. Plus 1 for each of your elements destroyed. If there are a number of options available I use a further dice to decide what they will do, 1,2,3, No 4,5,6 Yes I plus 1 if there is an obviously better option than the other, but this way you can get some interesting situations. You expect the AI side to do one thing and it does another!
With the AI side in TtS and FK&P I dice for which command activates first. I then play that command, again using a dice to decide which of two situations or activations to do. Again weighting the dice to the more obvious one. I then dice for which command will go next etc. When a unit is activated I play it the best way I can, again if more than one option exists I dice for which and weight the roll towards the most obvious.
If I am playing against historical commanders such as Prince Rupert or Cromwell I add an extra weighting toward the most obvious choice as they were good commanders, however if against Earl of Manchester or Lord Goring I weight towards the least wise choice.
This slows the game down very little but gives a great many challenges during the battle.
As to which is easier I would say TtS and FK&P
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Post by wyvern on Mar 15, 2019 19:46:28 GMT
The ancient/medieval ruleset Sword and Spear also has an innovative activation system and is supported with build your own army online spreadsheet army. I also like the fact that using one element to a unit means that you don't need a lot more than a DBA army. Simon Hi Simon, I haven't played Sword and Spear but saw the youTube tutorials. I was a little confused by the combat mechanic where one unit only contacts the enemy unit with half a base and does't line up. I like the idea of small armies though  Do you think it plays well? Cheers, Paul. |
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Do you think it plays well?