Franco-Prussian War...

[Leman]

The 1860 helmet had a squared off peak and a line of brass metal running from the spike to the rear brim. This was not on the 1870 helmet, which also had a curved peak - and yes this does show up in the 10mm figures. The good news is that I received a book on Wissembourg and Woerth today and the cover shows Prussian troops from the same unit wearing both styles.
DP

[nikharwood]

maciek - thanks for the links - some good reading for the weekend there 

[Hertsblue]

maciek - thanks for the links - some good reading for the weekend there 

Yes, have a look at the paper on the Mitrailleuse. Debunks a lot of nonsense written about the weapon. 

[nikharwood]

I'm moving closer to succumbing to this...Last Hussar's Black Powder FPW thinking hasn't helped to be honest [here: http://lasthussar.wordpress.com/tag/franco-prussian-war/ with links to BP orbats & a nice scenario]...so this is what I think I'll go for [unless anyone wants to give me feedback & tell me better / otherwise etc!]:

I'll be basing these with 4 inf figures to a base, 6 bases per unit & 2 cav figures to a base, 6 figures per unit - most likely with inf & cav onto 25x25 [poss cav onto 30x30] bases.

French:
1870 Winter Army Pack [with Garde cmd; 2 Line greatcoat; 1 Zouave; 1 Chasseurs; 4pdr arty; 1 Hussars]
2 x FPW3 Hussars
2 x FPW8 Line greatcoat
1 x FPW22 Mtd officers
2 x FPW24 Garde Mobile
2 x FPW32 Line greatcoat
1 x FPW33 Zouave in caban
1 x FPW37 Napoleon III etc

This gives:
C-in-C
3 Commanders
10 Line infantry
2 Zouave infantry
1 Chausseurs light infantry
1 Foot artillery
3 Cavalry
1 Horse artillery

Prussian:
1 x 1870 Winter Prussian Army Pack [with 1 Landwehr; 4 Line greatcoat; Krupp arty; 1 Dragoons]
2 x PPW1 Dragoons
1 x PPW6 Mtd Officers
2 x PPW10 Line greatcoat
1 x PPW12 Cmd greatcoat
1 x PPW14 Landwehr greatcoat
1 x PPW15 Krupp 64
1 x PPW29 Wilhelm I etc

This gives:
C-in-C
3 Commanders
10 Line infantry
2 Foot artillery
3 Cavalry
1 Horse artillery

Thoughts, comments etc? 

[Steve J]

A nice mix of troops. I'll be keeping a keen eye on your progress on this Nik. Armies finished by next weekend? .

[Leman]

Bearing in mind that Napoleon III was captured at Sedan, Sept. 1870 - but handy to have if you later plan to game some of the imperial phase battles.
DP

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Should be a good list.
Are my figures about to get an inferiority complex then?

[nikharwood]

Bearing in mind that Napoleon III was captured at Sedan, Sept. 1870

Oops  Did I mention I've not researched this fully yet? 

A nice mix of troops. I'll be keeping a keen eye on your progress on this Nik. Armies finished by next weekend? .

Unfortunately not Steve - am lurgied up at moment & work is bonkers too 

Should be a good list.
Are my figures about to get an inferiority complex then?

Nah 

[Shecky]

Well now y'all have gone and done it. I bought my first packs of FPW last night. I only bought 1 French line pack and 1 Prussian line pack to start. I have to finish my AWI project first (bought more of those last night as well), but I wanted to see how they paint up and give myself more time to figure out what I need before I make the big purchase.

For rules, I will probably go with a heavily modified version of Might & Reason and mount 12 figures on a 2" x 1" base.

[Chad]

Shecky

I assume that when you refer to rules, you are modifying Might & reason for AWI and not FPW!?

Chad

[Shecky]

No, I'm modifying it for FPW. There is already a mod in French on the M&R yahoo group. I'd basically use the same mechanics but just add a few different modifiers and such to make it more like FPW.

[Chad]

I would have thought you would need considerably more than a few modifiers to adapt what is a set of 18th game rules to a late 19th century conflict.



Chad

[Shecky]

To explain a bit further my thoughts about modifying M&R for FPW...

I would keep the command and control concepts essentially the same. I would change the shooting ranges for infantry and artillery and also make artillery stronger. I'm also thinking about introducing a morale mechanism as I prefer to see units fall back and regroup instead of fight to the last strength point and disappear. The basic units would be regiments so a division would normally have 4 units plus support. I also have to figure out a way to deal with battalion sized jagers and chasseurs.

So to be honest, the final product may not look anything like M&R. 

[Chad]

Shecky

I see where you're coming from, but with so many sets geared to the period it seems a lot of work to modify a set that is basically so far away from the late 19C in concept.

Chad

[tzen67]

As a Brigade level game (brigades being the smallest tactical unit) i've always felt that with the right modifications Might and Reason would lend itself to most horse and musket periods including the Franco Prussian war. Might and Treason (i think thats its name) was an ACW variant that looked good.
Cheers,
Andy