Picketts Charge rules tried

Game at Stephens today using his newly acquired 'Picketts Charge' rules for ACW by Dave Brown (with input from Too Fat Lardies ?).
These are a Regimental Level set and we played the introductory scenario 'The Bloody Lane' set during Antietam battle of 1862.
I was Confederates positioned in defence along said lane and Stephen had Federals assaulting.

The rules are fast playing and quite easy to pick up as I was able to garner most stuff from the Quick Reference Sheets and of course a few look ups in Stephens rules.

Command and Control is nicely done by use of Staff Officers sent out by the CinC (a Divisional or Corps leader).
You get one staff officer per Brigade basically but must roll a 3-6 to have these available each turn.
There are varying numbers of Staff Officers required for several tasks (essentially orders) such as Attaching (allowing a failed Brigade activation re-roll), a mandatory attachment for Faltering Brigades (woe betide you if insufficient officers available), Rallying and several other tasks some of which may require more than one officer (ie Rallying requires 3 to attempt to recover hits once per Brigade per game).
Brigades also require activation again on a 3+ without those failing classed as Hesitant (no charges or advancing).
After then establishing Initiative for the turn its Player A then B declares charges then A then B conducting the charges.
Then A/B Move then A/B shoot.
The movement and shooting systems are quick and easily picked up, charges are as always a tad more involved  due to multiple possible outcomes and so forth but nothing too difficult.
One quirk we discovered was that whilst Cover (walls etc) modify shooting not so when it comes to charges.
However most (it seems anyhow) charges result in one side retiring or routing with only occasional actual hand to hand occurring, which feels correct.
Whilst foot in line move 15cm/6" any that are forced to Retire or are 'Whipped' fall back 30cm/12" (in 15mm 'scale').
Two units Whipped causes a Brigade to Falter or having a single unit Rout.
Faltering Brigades have a separate Command Table to roll on with possible outcomes ranging from Obey Orders through to Quiting The Field type results, all based around unit quality etc.
Units vary in size from small (3-4 bases) to standard (4-5 bases) up to large (6+ bases) sort of like Black Powder and with the number of actual figures per base being of no import.

Overall we enjoyed these rules and indeed Stephen is having another game on the morrow with his brother (the owner of the Confederates).
Am no Civil War expert but felt the rules gave a flavoursome and plausible game.
I could be tempted to collect a Rebel force and most certainly am tempted to obtain the rules.

I also obtained a couple of interesting rule sets from Lance Flint but not read either yet

And made a pre-order of latest from Battlegroup series (a large scale re-print of the mini rulebook with some additions)

Warfare In The Age Of Reason 3rd Edition game

Game using newly published 3rd Edition Warfare In The Age Of Reason rules today against Stephen.

I used my Russians against Prussians in an encounter type game after rolling for terrain table set up as per the campaign system.

Not a great deal has changed in rules mainly some streamlining and clarifications type stuff.

We had a ding dong battle with Prussian foot showing their shooting and maneuvering prowess (they get to move half move at no effect and full move at -1 dice compared to others who suffer -1 dice if move half maximum and they also get +1 firing when Fresh).
Only the fact that the Russians had an extra Brigade of Infantry saved them as their right wing Cavalry were crushed by Prussian Cuirassier.
Sadly their own Cuirassier failed miserably to defeat the weaker Prussian Dragoons on left !

We enjoyed the tactical aspects of Age of Reason despite the lack in inertia.

To be tried again

Another game this time 'Over The Hills'

Game against Stephen today at his abode to let him try the 'Over The Hills' rules (of which he purchased a set at Derby show).

We played a points based (300 each) 'pick up' style game with Stephen using Russians and I the French.

A very enjoyable game once Stephen got the basic concepts of the rules and quite fast flowing as well.

We both feel they are a good set for Divisional size battles with enough period fluff/chrome to satisfy without being overly complex being slightly less involved than General De Brigade.

We used all optional rules with exception of the Orders section.

Again only real gripe was finding relevant rules and keeping abreast of the Basic vis Optional rules although the latest version of QRS and my reminder sheet both helped.

Not best pics as poor light and phone camera.

Field Of Battle 2 - Seven Years War game

Hallelujah !! I managed to get a miniatures game in today with my son Steven.

I set up a Seven Years War Prussian vs Russian bash and used Field Of Battle 2 rules as they are so easy to teach the mechanics to a new player.

Game turned into a cracker with plenty of action and events.

Prussia had the ascendancy initially as their superior cavalry arm saw of their Russian opponents in short order.

However Russian foot proved devastating with their shooting and Prussian losses mounted with several units routed in a single turn of horror and bloodshed.

Prussians tried to turn Russian right flank but fell foul of a Major Morale check after running out of Army Morale Chips and the game ended.

Great to get back to gaming after an enforced hiatus.

Combat Commander: Normandy 2 more scenarios played

My time enforced gaming 'hiatus' continues but did manage a brief sojourn to my Dads where we played two more Combat Commander: Normandy games.

First was behind Utah beach with US assault on Crisbeq battery and the second a FFI (with unique SAS Commando unit) encounter with some Osttruppen near a Chateux in Brittany.

Both allied wins.