For those who like card driven games the new Battle Command - Muskets to Rifles 1700-1900, from the Piquet stable, are available as a download, at $25. One gets quite a lot for this: 118 page rulebook, including separate army ratings and rules for a variety of periods, including WSS, SYW, AWI, Napoleonics, Crimea, ACW, FPW, Sudan and others. There are also QRS sheets for each of the periods included plus downloadable card deck and backs. The cards need to be printed for each army, although there are only 9 available for each army. Similarly a QRS can be printed for each player.
Many of the mechanics will be familiar to those who have played Field of Battle, but the initiative and command decisions are different. Once initiative has been decided, the holder can act on one or two cards (or more if a card costing no action points turns up), then the opponent can act on the same number of cards, then initiative is determined again. The cards also have a main action and several secondary actions. The command dice is rolled against a D6 and this determines how many actions can be taken by how many units, thus giving the commander many decisions to make. With each player getting a maximum of 9 cards, and usually getting to play most of those cards in a turn, the game moves more swiftly than the previous versions of FoB (although the author stresses that this is NOT FoB4). Although this system creates a fog of war in face to face games, it is also a useful system for solo players. It strikes me that one gets a fair ammount for $25 without all the hassle of postage and duties.
Thanks for that
I own the hard copy and the deck of cards but have yet to play it. FoB3 is my go-to set for the 19th century, I will have to give Battle Command a go at some point.
Sounds interesting
What size of game is this aimed at, and high big are bases and what do they represent?
There is one adjustment in the Unit Ratings that makes Infantry with Breechloaders considerably more potent at all ranges than in FOB3. We reverted to the FOB3 card that distinguished short range fire from long range fire for Breechloaders and found it a better method.
Overall the use of multiple actions available on the cards as dictated by the relevant die roll gave a more enjoyable game than being restricted to the single action specified on the Cards used in FOB3.
The rules are battle level and base size agnostic. All illustrations feature 28mm figures.
A force has a C-in-C, and several sub commanders (between 3 and 6 are mentioned). Infantry and cavalry can be in units of four smaller bases or two larger bases (I prefer 4 for flexibility). Guns are in units of two models. A unit can represent a regiment, batallion, company. I prefer to play mostly at batallion level with brigade commanders.
Recommended base sizes are too big for my 10mm armies - 1 1/2 inch frontage for 3 28mm infantry. I use 30mm x 20mm with four or five infantry or 3 cavalry for the 1859 period onwards. My SYW armies have more figures on 25mm x 25mm bases. 10mm artillery work for me on a 25mm x 40mm base. These days I usually use a 2/3 size ruler for rules that work in inches and set out scenarios using 12 inch squares as 8 inch squares. It really is a case of make the rules work for you, rather than being dictated to by a particular rules convention.
Finally, these opinions suit my domestic arrangements, as I no longer belong to a club with its own premises and massive tables. Many of my games are now fought on 5x3 areas rather than 6x4. Even then one of my favourite scenario books has been written with 7x5 tables in mind, but I shall stop there before going down another interesting rabbit hole of discussion - big is not always beautiful.
Thanks - that is useful to give a feel for the size of the game - and good that there is a fair amount of flexibility in the rules.