Minden Rose - Russians versus Prussians

Game today trying Minden Rose rules again as I was looking to see them in action with a large number of units.

I fielded Russians with 3 Infantry and two (poor) Cavalry Brigades backed by 1 heavy and 1 medium battery of guns with two small Cossack units (24 units).
Stephens Prussians had 4 (smaller but with several better quality units) Infantry and 2 Cavalry Brigades (1 of very good quality units) backed also by 1 heavy and 1 medium gun batteries (22 units ?).

Pretty much a line them up and go at it game but we certainly give the rules a good airing.

I like the simple orders system as you chose between Attack or Hold (with Retreat being an enforced 'option') making it easy to implement.

Shooting, melee, movement and morale/command tests are also very straight forward and plausible but with a lot of dice rolling (a standard 4 Stand unit of Infantry firing first volley rolls 20 dice) but with the Hits Per Stand system it works fine.

Couple of aspects of rules lack full definition such as 2 vs 1 melees and we disliked the emergency square option for Foot (just not SYW).
But easily enough to change by dumping this option and cutting the +2 dice per stand for  Foot charged in Line by Mounted.
We also disallowed Foot to charge Mounted in any circumstance.

I had a Brigade of Foot behind temporary earthworks but again was not 100% clear just what this counted as when shot at etc.
We eventually agreed they are hard cover ie a difficult target for shooters which made them quite tough but we would force these to be deployed at outset so easier to avoid if desired.

Combat is pretty decisive in MR not so much through lost stands but the impact of of hits on Morale Tests which can see units Fall Back or Rout.
Also if a unit manages to charge or counter charge and can Rout its opponent this can be pretty lethal as Routers disorder any supports they interpenetrate who are then hit at halt (cannot react) whilst disordered by a quite likely still fresh pursuing unit which can then keep pushing back or routing units turn after turn.
Seemed a bit jarring initially but certainly decisive and in the scheme of the game it worked fine.
So a viable, playable quick play set with only a couple of minimal tweaks certainly as good in many ways as much more involved and certainly more expensive rule sets.
Actually bit surprised these did not garner more support as a rule set ?






The battlefield (Prussian would set up on nearest edge)

Russians arrayed

The Russian Brigade behind earthworks

Russian left wing

Prussians refusing their left

Cavalry 'scrum' on my left with my several poor Russian mounted already in Rout mode

Central Prussian advance

All quiet on my right although I have just changed Orders to attack on extreme right

Cavalry melee continues whilst my Infantry suffers a morale collapse (poor Command Test) after a unit Routs and goes onto Retreat orders (I did recover to Hold later)

My right begins to advance as Prussian mounted change to Attack also.

Russian unit forms column to move to support colleagues

Both my Cavalry Brigades now under real pressure

King Of The Battlefield and MInden Rose solo games

Having just use Maurice rules for a SYW bash I thought I would give King Of The Battlefield and Minden Rose rules a go using same table layout but with larger forces.

Another very enjoyable set couple of sets of rules that I really ought to use more.

This and last post make it sound like I had loads of time on my hands last few days but actually most of this was done in chunks of 30-40 mins very early or very late ie before or after work shifts. Hence the somewhat erratic nature of the photo quality !!

With KOTB I really like the way Cavalry Melees can potentially grow and grow in a turn if either side has units available to reinforce in attempt to break enemy.

Whilst the lack of actual firing (its effect is reflected as a Morale Test on target units) as such in initially jarring/odd it makes for a quickly resolved combat method.

Another fast play set that allows games with large forces in reasonable time.

Minden Rose I did get too much time with but again found this another decent set of fast play rules that are easy to play with low rules overhead.

A fairly bloody set when it comes to shooting/melee (a 2 base battery of Medium Guns get to throw 8 D6 needing 4-6 depending on range when firing) but this makes for fairly decisive outcomes and speeds up game.

I like the simple but effective Orders system (note I was using Gen De Brigade chits so Engage is actually Attack in MR)

Another SYW game with Minden Rose rules

Had another outing with Minden Rose rules today at Stephens with Prussians and Russians going at it again. We realized we had done a couple of things wrong last time (only 'major' error was units recovering from Disorder far too easily) and we added a couple of minor house rule/clarifications such as restricting Artillery targets so no concentration of batteries and deciding that units can only make a single manouevre each turn (not specified clearly in rules) which seemed more in keeping with the period than our last game. Once again a very fun game with this set of what amount to straight forward, streamlined and fast playing rules that retain decent period flavour and yet easily tweakable if so desired. Writing could be a bit tighter in places but nothing occurs that common sense and reasoning cannot sort out.

Several others sets to try but I can see us coming back to these as good for 'bring an army and have a quick fun game of an evening/afternoon'.   

Russians deployed (rings denote Infantry 1st Volley bonus unused)

Prussians (beads denote 1st Volley bonus unused)

Prussians occupy town

Prussian left wing

And their right wing 

Advancing Prussian Brigade (green counters denote Disorder) backed by Artillery

And sweeping left wing Infantry and Horse

Russian Left wing at start

And with some disorder caused by Prussian guns

Russian right wing pushes forward

Russian center on hilltop

Russian Horse on right wing 

Russian left at deployment

Oh and almost forgot ! this arrived but no time to check it out yet !!

SYW game with Minden Rose rules

Played a game with my Seven Years War Russians against usual Prussian opposition today using Minden Rose rules (which I believe are now free as a PDF ?). A most excellent game it turned out to be as well. The rules are straight forward and deceptively simple but we found they flowed really well giving a fast game and yet engendered a nice SYW feel. Each turn is nominally represents an hour (which is pretty much how they played in real time) and so the reasonably free maneuvering seemed ok and the decisive nature of melee and shooting also felt ok (as representing more than single volleys/charges potentially). The 'traffic light' order system (Attack, Hold and Retreat) worked well in combination with the Command Test and Morale Test system. Only real beef we had was that whilst Brigadiers are key for purposes of Command and Control and to Rally Troops of effect Morale tests they have no other bearing on game in that they cannot be targeted nor used to join units to effect combat. Works fine in game but we are used to more direct input by and risk to our Commanders in other rules. All in all a fun game and decent set of rules which we well give another run out in the future.

The Russian deployment

Prussian opposition 

Prussian center (with new roads, buildings and fields on show)

Russian center

Russian Light Cavalry Brigade

The Russian 'heavys'

Opposing Heavy Cavalry Brigades face off (the Ivans were totally routed !!)