Balance of Power - Franco Prussian Rules

[Leman]

The S base represents the skirmish element in a brigade or division. This is precisely why I have two FPW scales, so that I can play the small scale stuff at battalion or company level. I tried playing the FPW with every battalion represented using the 1870 rules. It was an impossible and eventually self-defeating task. To do it everything else had to go on the back burner whilst troops were painted, only to end up playing a slow and ponderous game. The only battle that actually made it to the tabletop was  Wissembourg, the smallest scenario in the book. You can't actually play Wissembourg with BBB. TBH my experience of playing FPW has become so much more enjoyable since discovering BBB and my chasseurs and jagers still get out on the table in both scales.

[Stevie D]

Thanks for the feedback on the rules Leman. I've recently picked up BBB mainly because they seem to be based on Fire & Fury and look forward to trying them out soon. I'll probably also take a look at the new streamlined version of the 1870 rules when they come out.

Cheers

Steve 

[Steve J]

I read them but could find no reference to skirmishers or their use.

If you look on page 3 under 2.7 Attributes, you'll see 'S-Skirmisher' near the bottom of the page. It explains the benefits of having them and the penalties of not etc.

I'll probably also take a look at the new streamlined version of the 1870 rules when they come out.

Yep, they look interesting from the draft copy that I've seen. Bruce admits that BBB is easier to play than his earlier variants, hence the move to a more streamlined game in '1870' (or 1871, I can't remember which!).

[Leman]

Does the new book still contain al the extra info?

[Chris Pringle]

I bought these rules. I read them but could find no reference to skirmishers or their use. How you can wargame the period covered by the rules without skirmishers is beyond me.

Chad

Chad, I assume you're talking about the 'Balance of Power' rules which is what this thread is about, right?

(But if you did mean BBB, then as Leman says, they're very much in there; it's all in the 'S - Skirmisher' attribute.)

Chris
Bloody Big BATTLES!
https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/BBB_wargames/info
http://bloodybigbattles.blogspot.co.uk/

[Nosher]

I highly recommend the rules Nosher. Dave Fielder and I have been having some great games with these rules and have found nowt wrong with them .

Do you need the European Supplement for FPW Steve?

[Nosher]

Caliver Books have it here

https://www.caliverbooks.com/bookview.php?4a26d93b868abce0c06efe88cd442bfa&id=23060

Nice one Ithoriel - sadly I have vowed never to use Caliver Books after a few poor experiences of ordering from them.

[mollinary]

Do you need the European Supplement for FPW Steve?

No, the Basic rules have nine FPW scenarios to keep you busy for a while, and there are others on the files section of  the Yahoo group. But there are some great scenarios in the supplement too, just not FPW.

Mollinary

[Chris Pringle]

Nice one Ithoriel - sadly I have vowed never to use Caliver Books after a few poor experiences of ordering from them.

Sorry to hear that, Nosher. Apart from Caliver, the only UK dealer I know of was Irregular Miniatures, who I think have sold out of BBB and not (yet?) restocked. So you might have to try Brigade Games or On Military Matters in the US.
http://brigadegames.3dcartstores.com/Big-Bloody-Battles-Wargaming-Rules_p_4211.html
http://onmilitarymatters.com/pages/dfsearch.php?term=keywords&data=bloody+big+battles&submit=Search

I have dropped a note to my publisher, Scott, at SkirmishCampaigns to ask if there are any other UK dealers. If there are, I'll let you know.

Chris

[Leman]

The supplement includes the Crimea, Franco-Italian War, 2nd Schleswig War, Austro-Prussian War, Russo-Turkish War. the Yahoo group page includes Napoleonic, extra scenarios for the above, coloured maps for battles in both the books, as well as later esoteric periods and the start of WWI. an alternative supplier is Irregular Miniatures.

[Steve J]

Does the new book still contain al the extra info?

AFAIK it will contain all the normal extra info and IIRC, the scenarios are mainly from 1871, with a few from 1870.

[Chad]

Chris

Yes Balance of Power

Chad

[Leman]

Cat and pigeons come to mind.

[d_Guy]

Nice one Ithoriel - sadly I have vowed never to use Caliver Books after a few poor experiences of ordering from them.

I'm sorry to hear that also, Nosher. I've had pretty good luck with Caliver Books. Perhaps a dozen orders and they get to me in a couple of weeks. Maybe you need to move to the States?

[Leman]

I have also never had anything but great and friendly service from Dave, and I've ordered plenty from him over the years, including both BBB books.