Starting out in WSS

[old smokie]

Starting out in this period anyone recommend rules, uniform guides and army lists for this period as I know absolutely nothing about it  Looking to start with two small armies and expand.

how comprehensive are the Pendraken figures that cover the period.

I have the Polemos WSS rules, but don't like the Tempo bidding bit.

any help appreciated

[Fenton]

Hi

The Baccus site has some good painting guides on them for most of the major powers

As far as I can see the range has everything you should need

[GordonY]

Might and Reason by Sam Mustapha should give you the rules you want.

Basing is simple 60x30 in two ranks, 2 bases per unit, number of figures is up to you.

Its only available as a PDF these days but its fairly printer friendly and from memory its about £11 from his website.

[Fenton]

Is the WSS supplement for M&R still available?

[mollinary]

Sam Mustafa's "Maurice" also covers the period with an interesting twist.

Mollinary

[GordonY]

Sorry Andy, my bad, M&R covers the WAS and SYW not the WSS.

[Fenton]

There is a free supplement for M&R that is still available for download from his old website ( I finally looked)

[Chad]

There are an interesting set on the Warflag site
you can download. Maurice works well

Chad

[sunjester]

We have got on very well with Black Powder, using our own modifications.
http://lasthussar.wordpress.com/2011/02/01/war-of-spanish-succession-for-black-powder/

The original rules as they stand are a bit too "mobile" for the WSS.

[Hertsblue]

You might try these. They have the advantage of being free to download.

http://rulesdepot.net/page65.html

As far as uniform guides are concerned, there are several Osprey titles you can try. The Wild Geese and The Army of Louis XIV are both useful. The Funcken Lace Wars Vol 1 is also a reasonably good guide to uniforms and colours.

[Grenadier]

I have the Polemos WSS rules, but don't like the Tempo bidding bit.

  OS, I'm curious as to why you don't like the bid system.  I believe it to be an outstanding method of determining initiative and limiting the 'god like' power to move every unit to your will.  The requirement to spend your precious CP's wisely and judiciously forces the CinC to focus on only a limited portion of the field-he can't be everywhere! BTW, I prefer the GNW version of Polemos as it is more comprehensive and has a few mods to the WSS version.
If simultaneous movement with written orders and activation rolls is more your bag then look into "Capitain-General" by the Pike and Shot Society or the excellent "Beneath the Lily Banners 2" from the League of Augsburg.
  In general, I don't like I go, u go rules as they take battlefield initiative swings out of the picture and the player is simply reacting to what his opponent has done.
  I have an issue with "Black Powder" and it's activation rolls which are completely determined by a die roll. If the first unit you roll for fails, then that's it, no more rolls for the rest of your army which is ridiculous and completely arbitrary.
  "Maurice" is an interesting, innovative and fun system but it is too much of a card game and not enough of a simulation for me.
As to reference material, it is extensive but expensive in some cases.  The Hall CD's are a treasure trove and cover just about everything but you'll soon be out of a few hundred dollars.  The Baccus site is good and free as well as a few other web pages.  This is a great period, have fun.

Brian

[Hwiccee]

We also play Polemos (we use the updated GNW rules) but sometimes without the bidding system. We just roll for initiative with the CinC's rating as a modifer - highest has initiative for the turn.

[Chad]

The views on Black Powder are an over-simplification of the Command System. These are some of the points not stated.

1. Commanders are rated as to their ability and the higher they are rated the greater chance the issue of orders will succeed.
2. The circumstance outlined only occurs where there is a single commander in use.
3. BP recognises the command structure of C-in-C and Brigade. Brigade commanders issue orders to their units or to the brigade as a whole. If the order fails it only affects
    that brigade The C-in-C can issue orders in their own right.
4. There are iniative orders and free moves which do not require an order test.
5. There are rules for Charge and Rally orders and 'Follow Me'.

It is not a simulation. These are quotes from the authors within the first few pages:

"The Black Powder game is first, foremost and most decidedly an entertainment."

"..no pretence is made to simulate every nuance or detail, dril or the psychology of warfare."

".. a game played between friends in a spirit of mutual empathy."

Chad

[Wkeyser]

Captain General from the Pike and shot society.

It is written by a couple of real enthusiast for the period and is one of those unique products that comes from an incredible depth of knowledge of the period and a fantastic design that captures the feel of the specific period. Not a Black Powder Clone but a real look at the period.

The order system and use of command points means that you are constantly losing control of your units, the order options is fantastic and really captures the difficulty of doing anything "fancy".  The brigade commanders also have points that you need to use to do things like charge or rally, you also need them to change formation or for certain maneuvers, it really puts you into a straight jacket and playing the game is like reading some of Duffy's books on the period.

The combat is interesting there are no casualties removals, so the unit is there or not and when it routs you start getting to huge problems on filling the holes unless you have a second line a safe distance from the first line.

The difference between rank firing (deep French Formations) and shallower platoon formations (british, dutch, danish et) is subtle but shows the advantages and disadvantages to each.

The army lists are fantastic and the changes of the armies during the period from the Great Northern war thru the War of Spanish Succession.

So if you are looking for a great game that is not just clone of some generic rule set you should look into these.

William

[Last Hussar]

I'm lovely to you

http://lasthussar.wordpress.com/2011/05/21/french-in-the-war-of-spanish-succession-painting-guide/

http://lasthussar.wordpress.com/2011/02/01/war-of-spanish-succession-for-black-powder/