We tried a 3 Brigade game (700pts each) with Stephen using his 1815 British/Allied troops and I the French.
We used 1 Pace = 20mm on a 6.5' x 5' table and this seemed to suit well with our 15mm figures and their basing.
Must say we both enjoyed the game much more than before as we simply accepted that 'Extended Line' is awesome in the rules but essentially evens out for both sides.
This formation is a strange hybrid as it is still nominally Line but can deploy its own skirmishers, moves faster than Line, fires volleys same as Line, can charge same as Line and can interpenetrate/be interpenetrated with no detrimental effect and seemingly only downside is -1 Dice if defending in a melee. So they sort of operate like 'super' skirmishers but also screen other units from shooting.
Skirmishing overall is fairly abstracted/simplified but kind of works at scale of game.
We found artillery potentially deadly as no chance to save any hits via discipline tests.
The card system is very good with the variety of each card and choice of Orders, Special Events and Rallies and indeed it generated reasonable terrain and pre-game stuff.
As with all of the authors (Warwick Kincade) rules there are lots options with plethora of traits and special rules and variable sized units (based around a points system that seems fine).
We played 3 full turns but had lot of discussion over the Army selections and unit types and the various options available on cards and orders, but (like any set) things will speed up once we absorb these basics (such as Reserve Brigades only viable in a 4-5 Brigade game).
As a points based 'balanced' pop up light style Napoleonic game it has certain attractions and is comparable to Lasalle 2 in complexity and scope and we are hoping to give it some further mileage (at least until GDA2 appears).
Will also be interesting to try some of the historical scenarios that are appearing for it.
Enjoyed your report and your comments about the rules.
ReplyDeleteCheers
DeleteWith "Extended Line" are they trying to model the 2 deep line of the later British infantry? That would account for its superhuman powers!
ReplyDeleteI personally really dislike the Black Powder/Hail Caesar rules family approach of base rules, followed by variable traits that youjtack onto the units, then have to remember what units have what traits, what effects they have (and to account for those things that are often not on the QRS). That was one of my quibbles with Valor and Fortitude as well (clearly in the BP family) - about 5 pages of rules, and 2 pages per army of lists and traits, etc.
We are really not sure what Ext Line is representing but it is only applicable to specified Light Inf units for all nations but yet they have own skirmisher as well. I suspect it is a game mechanism to allow screening of following units with a sort of not quite skirmish unit and in that regard it works I guess.
DeleteAgree somewhat with use of Traits/Special Rules (we tend to minimize their use) but they do (at least in theory) allow some nuance between similar troop types. The 'buckets of dice' aspect of melee in BP system is less to my liking but it does work in its own fashion. V&P has some nice ideas but simply not rounded out enough for me and no real improvement on BP bar maybe being faster ?
SON does not have unit traits as such (well only a couple for commanders and the extended line) but has lots of optional one off special event types on the cards which is easier to implement. Cant say I am sold on them but did actually enjoy trying them and nice to have an option for a points based game when prep time is limited.