Die Kriegskunst a solo retry

Despite having some issues with rule clarity I decided to give these rules another outing with a solo run through using my Prussians and Russians.

Still some of same issues arose and I stuck couple of queries on the DKK forum but not holding my breath for an answer as not a lot of activity thereon.
However if Stephen and I can agree how we will play the rules well then that is how we will play the rules :-)

Even with the outstanding clarifications the game flowed well and went fairly fast (always does once over initial learning hurdle).

Had not really noticed last game but musketry is fairly impotent (certainly compared to Honours Of War) and so I can see why a per 10% casualties Morale Test might indeed be correct.
Generally only 1 or 2 casualties caused (frequently none) unless rolling 10+ (on 2D6) so an attritional model as such.
Conversely Morale Tests can have severe outcomes especially for Brigade Tests.
A Brigade of 2 Unit Cavalry Regiments ceratinly can prove to be brittle as having one unit Retreated/Routed gives a -3 to Brigade Test (for 50% broken).
Nice touch is Prussians getting +1 Morale boost for being on Attack (ie the most aggressive) orders whilst Russian Infantry get +1 for being on Hold orders (least aggressive) simulating their respective aggressive and stoic qualities.

Some pics

Die Kriegskunst game played

Game played today against Stephen using Die Kriegskunst rules Austrians versus Prussians.
These are a derivative of General De Brigade for Seven Years War.
Last tried these in 2013 (3 yrs ago !!!! yikes !!! really !!!) .

A set with a lot of good ideas (from GDB) such as the orders system but lacking a lot of clarity at times.

Simple things like 'Uphill' are mentioned on QRS but not defined in rules.
Not a biggie as such but not sure we can be bothered sorting out basic stuff like this.
Another was that in rules units are noted as Testing Morale after taking 10% casualties but QRS shows 25% (which we went with deeming it better level) ??
Others included when do Follow-up Melees occur same turn or next ?
When do recover from Faltering 'next movement phase' (possibly in same turn) as Morale rules state or 'movement phase of next turn' as QRS states ?
I think the author expects players to have an in depth knowledge (that we lack) of GDB to play this set.

Game was slow initially as we got grips with the rules but sped up once we got basics down despite the having to look up a lot of stuff as mentioned.

Shooting, moving, charges and melees all fairly straightforward (in fact charges are exactly that).

We both sort of felt the rules had a lot to like in them but that they are too much hard work without house/local rulings and there are just as good workable sets (Age Of Reason. Field Of Battle, King Of The Battlefield, Die Fighting, Principles of War of Honours Of War to name but a few)
Will we play them again ? maybe but I fear that without constant use we will continue to find them frustrating.

A few pics

Die Kriegskunst Seven Years War game

Played a Seven Years War miniatures game today at Stephens as we tried out the 'Die Kriegskunst' (need to be careful how one pronounces that !!) rules from the 'Gen De Brigade' stable of rules.
I fielded my Russians in 3 Infantry Brigades 2 Cavalry Brigades and a Grenadier Brigade with a mixture of Average and Poltroon type Brigadiers. Stephen used his Prussians which were smaller but which have several key advantages in the rules such as better Order changing, ability to move and fire and suchlike.
We used the nominal points system included in the rules with 1600pts apiece.
We also used the basic Terrain Generation which seemed to work fine.
Rules are quite decent with nice Orders system and straight forward Movement, Shooting, Melee and Morale methods.
But we did find that the rules are not very tightly written with several differences between rules and playsheets and even between similar rules (nothing major or insurmountable but tad annoying).
A lack of definition by the authors of several concepts left use 'house ruling' a few things. For instance units get a +1 Morale boost for 'Supported Flanks' if units within 6cm (using 15mmscales) but nowhere is this clearly defined or illustrated as to just where units are required to be to provide such support.
Biggest beef we had was the ability of Cavalry to shoot not so much the concept (as they did mostly use Carbines) but the fact that other than reduced range they are pretty much the equivalent of a unit of Musketeers !! we cut available factors, cut the number of figures firing in half and other tweaks but in the end just binned the ability altogetheras a much simpler solution .
Despite the foregoing we did enjoy the rulesbut maybe not just enough to make it our default/go to set for the period.
At least another couple of plays required methinks.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas (well ok my birthday)

Just turned 49 (aaarrrrgggghhhh how did that happen !!!!!) last week and managed to obtain a few goodies to minimise the pain.