Hi,
I'm planning a dabble in the VBCW period - 10mm of course.
I'm thinking around, say, 20 infantry bases per side (2 companies?), plus a few HMGs and/or mortars. Plus random support - artillery, aircraft and tanks/improvised armour. So a battalion/company sized game.
I'm almost exclusively a solo gamer and wonder what rules you guys can recommend? I don't really want anything too complicated. I've mostly played DBA and HotT games.
Regards,
Geoff
Hi Geoff,
I've used BKCII for my AVBCW games as it's a ruleset I'm very comfortable with. The base unit is a Platoon, so a Battalion may have 9-12 bases, plus say a couple of HMG's and a Mortar or two. You can add in air support, tanks and artillery as you see fit. I hope this helps?
Hello Geoff/Elliesdad
Rules for the Spanish Civil War are probably the easiest to modify. You could have a look at the Lardies card activated rules such as Triumph of the Will, IABSM and If the Lord should spare us - https://toofatlardies.co.uk/ (https://toofatlardies.co.uk/)
There's the new grid based version of Peter Pigs Bayonet and Ideology - http://www.peterpig.co.uk/SCWplaytest.html (http://www.peterpig.co.uk/SCWplaytest.html)
And there's always the Perfect Captain's Red Actions (for RCW) - http://perfectcaptain.50megs.com/redactions.html (http://perfectcaptain.50megs.com/redactions.html), this has an attached campaign system and is also FREE!!!
There's also bespoke rules such as a World Aflame https://ospreypublishing.com/a-world-aflame-interwar-wargame-rules-1918-39 (https://ospreypublishing.com/a-world-aflame-interwar-wargame-rules-1918-39)
You mentioned that you were familiar with DBA/HOTT there is also a 1930s game for the Chaco War based on these sets that you could modify - http://freewargamesrules.wikia.com/wiki/The_Chaco_Wars (http://freewargamesrules.wikia.com/wiki/The_Chaco_Wars)
Cheers
GrumpyOldMan
Hi Geoff,
I've also had some great games using BKC2, but for AVBCW I use a lower level organisation of 6 stands to a company, plus a mortar/mmg (if the faction is well equipped) and two guns to a battery for on-table artillery.
For solo play I would say the Two Fat Lardie's I Ain't Bin Shot Mum 3 would work well, as activation is random, based on drawing cards. I've thrown a few random event cards into the deck for AVBCW to reflect guns jamming, vehicles breaking down, militia wandering off for tea etc.
I think both sets do the job, I've even tried running the same scenario using both sets a couple of times. They gave very different, but equally enjoyable games. Personally I slightly prefer IABSM because the card activation gives an extra quirkiness that suits the period.
Of course HOTT works fine if you wanted to give it a try. I have dabbled at possibly doing something along those lines, but then decided to use the movie "Things to Come" based on HG Wells book instead.
Terry
As our American brethren say "thanks y'all" for the recommendations.
I suspect I'll just go with HotT with perhaps a few house rules for the VBCW quirks.
Thanks again,
Geoff
I liked BKC2 - but I was visualising it as a base with four figures equals one "half a squad", a vehicle model is a single vehicle etc.
The rules worked well - everything was some variety of rubbish or worse, and nowt much was a "super unit".
Hi
Also there is a set called 'And Was Jerusalem Builded Here?' from Empress miniatures - http://www.empressminiatures.com/page18.htm (http://www.empressminiatures.com/page18.htm), which is set up for 28mm but if you change ranges from inches to cms then it is a fun game. I believe it was the early basis for 'A World Aflame' rules.
A link for some Chance Cards - https://6milphil.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/chance-is-a-fine-thing/ (https://6milphil.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/chance-is-a-fine-thing/)
Also some simple rules here - https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/vbcf/quick-dirty-vbcw-rules-t491.html (https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/vbcf/quick-dirty-vbcw-rules-t491.html)
Cheers
GrumpyOldMan