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

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

Quote from: Dour Puritan on 05 June 2011, 03:36:05 PM
Bearing in mind that Napoleon III was captured at Sedan, Sept. 1870

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

Quote from: Steve J on 05 June 2011, 06:35:07 AM
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 

Quote from: mad lemmey on 05 June 2011, 03:52:56 PM
Should be a good list.
Are my figures about to get an inferiority complex then?

Nah 

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.

Shecky

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

Chad

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.

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

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. 

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

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

I'm really finding myself increasingly unhappy with the existing FPW rules -- the more I learn about the conflict the less it seems like either the American Civil War or colonials, which are the two main baselines for 1870 rules.  I am working (slowly) on my own project for large battles http://mlt6x4rules.blogspot.com/ and I may well do the same for the small tactics end of the equation although first I plan to see what I can do using regimental fire and fury as a base.

The problem with small scale games is that everything is in artillery range at the start of the game and, depending how much artillery is present, the game can become dominated by it.

I am intending to give Zouave II a run through.

Chad

We use BP in cm scale.
This means even the longest ranged field artillery has a range of 60cm, most Prussian stuff is 48cm, which work nicely on a 6' by 4' table.
It also means two or three turns under fire before closing, quite historic.

Quote from: Chad on 08 August 2011, 02:20:55 PM
The problem with small scale games is that everything is in artillery range at the start of the game and, depending how much artillery is present, the game can become dominated by it.

Well, that's not unrealistic.  In small scale, however, it is easier to represent dead ground and reward its use.  And for really small scale (ambush, reconnaissance and screen skirmishes, that sort of things) there would frequently be no or few guns.

Quote from: Chad on 08 August 2011, 02:20:55 PM
I am intending to give Zouave II a run through.

Let us know how it works -- I had thought it was middling high level - stand = 300 men or so per stand. 

Alternatively have a look at Field of Battle; I've posted our 1866 house rules (FOB with tweaks) on the FOB bit of the Piquet Yahoo Group site here; http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Piquet/
you will need to sign up to the group then go here http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Piquet/files/Field%20of%20Battle/ for the house rules and the custom cards; I'm hoping to do house rules for 1870 before Christmas. For me FOB is perfect for this period, have a look and see what you think.

Cam/Lentulus

Have tried FOB and quite enjoyed it. Downloaded the cards from the group site.

Zouave II appealed to me as well. It will be the last set I buy for the period. I am not sure when I will be trying them out, but will give a review when I have.

Next game is Marlburian using BP, getting scenario ready for a local show. About 600 figures per side.

Cheers

Chad

If anyone would be interested I will post an overview of the Zouave II rules on the rules section at the weekend.

Chad

Hi Chad.
        I hade a game with Zoave when they first came out. Very interesting rule set with great ideas. Very different from other games which meant it was a bit confusing for the players but I think you'd get used to it pretty quickly. Have got version 2 buy not tried them yet. The Rondel looks intriguing.
       I'd be very interested in your views.
Cheers,
Andy

Madness has finally set in.  I have now convinced an equally unhinged friend to join me (actually to do most of the work!) in preparing a set of rules which might allow me to use my Pendraken FPW figures for a new scale of game. I have done and reported on Gravelotte St Privat on a 1:60 man scale, but there are few other battles of that scale to do. So the idea is to look at doing a divisonal scale game on a 1:10 man scale, and 1" = 25yards.  A Prussian battalion would be up to 100 figures, which would allow company scale manouevres, and we would concentrate on a very different level of command, but still do a game with lots of figures and a number of players.  It might be some 1200-1500 figures a side, should look the bizz, and be very, very, different.  I'll let you know if it proves to have legs!


Mollinary