What the last rules set you played in 2022

Started by pierre the shy, 15 January 2022, 10:03:09 PM

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Steve J

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? - 'Live Free or Die' by Little Wars TV.
2) What armies were confronted? - British vs Americans.
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - Very, considering it was my first game using them.
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - Yes.
5) How many players were in the game? - Solo
6) What went well? - The rules are very intuitive, so things flowed along at a nice pace. Nothing really jarred.
7) What could have been improved? - The QRS doesn't include the morale section of the rules, but easy enough to copy this and put it in the QRS envelope. As with any ruleset, as you play them you then find the answers tucked away in a sentence here and there, but nothing major to cause any problems.

All in all very impressed with them.

FierceKitty

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? Ten More Sons!
2) What armies were confronted? - English vs English, 1643
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - Very
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - no
5) How many players were in the game? - two
6) What went well? - Lee was careless enough to let things turn into a cavalry action before her foot came up, and wasn't properly deployed.
7) What could have been improved? I was too casual about scouting, and was lucky that an ambush didn't really hurt me.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

T13A

Hi Steve

Regarding the 'Live Free or Die' AWI rules, I have only played two solo games myself and did like them. The only thing that did 'jar' a bit was the morale rules. Which, unless I have not been playing them correctly, means that a unit taking a morale test that is down to it's very last 'stand' (i.e. it could be down to well over 50% or more of its original strength) has exactly the same chance of passing the test as a unit taking a test for losing it's first stand. Is that how you read the rules? I'm trying to think of a simple 'house rule' so that a unit has less chance of passing a test as it progressively loses stands but haven't thought of anything straight forward and simple enough yet. Grateful for any thoughts you might have. :-\

Cheers Paul   
T13A Out!

Steve J

It did seem slightly strange that a few units that were down to their last stand would carry on fighting, without any impact on morale. However in my trial game they would have soon been hors de combat due to being heavily outnumbered to their front. I think some more games are required to fully appreciate the morale rules.

It is worth remembering that they were designed for quick and easy play at conventions for newcomers to wargaming. I think it wouldn't bee too difficult to tweak them to reflect the declining morale of a unit, such as may a 6+ required to pass a test, or one less die rolled etc, down to a minimum of one.

Westmarcher

Quote1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? - 'Live Free or Die' by Little Wars TV.................

On reading the review on your blog, Steve (and many thanks for that), I see some 178 bases are required to re-fight Monmouth (some 500 - 700 figures depending on how many figures per base?). Not having anywhere near that with my own modest "toe in the water" venture into skirmish level AWI using Pendraken figures, I'd be interested to know how many bases are stipulated in the rules for the smallest scenario.
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.

Steve J

Eutaw Springs for example has about 40 bases for the British, 50 for the Americans. IIRC in one of the scenarios a 4th Class American unit consists of 9 bases! Personally I will be gaming either a section of the larger battles or bath tubbing them somewhat, but mainly using the rules for some of the Grant & Asquith scenarios from their books.

Westmarcher

Thanks, Steve. Whew! That's still a lot of bases for me. I've just re-visited the LittleWarsTV video, Learn to Play Live Free or Die, and they say you normally require at least 50 bases to re-play most of the battles of the AWI. They also say each base represents 50-75 men with regiments expected to be between 3 and 10 bases strong so definitely agree with your envisaged bath tubbing approach. It's a pity but in view of this, I reckon I'll stick to my skirmish level Rebels & Patriots games for the time being and only if I expand my collection, will I then consider Live Free or Die.
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.

T13A

Hi

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? - Age of Honor (SYW).
2) What armies were confronted? - French v Hanoverians/Hessians/British.
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - Pretty much although haven't played them for a few years.
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - No
5) How many players were in the game? - Two, introducing a friend to the rules (on the quest to find a SYW set of rules that ticks all our boxes).
6) What went well? - The 'see-saw' effect of the cavalry battle and the rules seemed to flowed nicely and intuitively.
7) What could have been improved? Probably (as usual) too big a game for an introduction to the rules but that was my fault.

The Allied centre:


A French brigade advances through a cornfield:


Hanoverians hanging on against French foot but about to be flanked by successful French Cavalry:


Cheers Paul
T13A Out!

Steve J


fred.

A great looking game - I can understand why you want to get lots of figures on the table!
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pierre the shy

Great stuff Paul.

Your "big battalions" certainly give the impression of a mass battle. Reminded me a bit of those pictures of masses of 30mm SYW figures out of "Charge!" or "The Wargame".

Good luck with your rules quest...plenty of choices these days! 
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
we are not now that strength which in old days
moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are.

paulr

Lord Lensman of Wellington
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T13A

Hi

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? - 'Live Free or Die' by Little Wars TV.
2) What armies were confronted? - British vs Rebels.
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - Pretty much.
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - No
5) How many players were in the game? - Two with me umpiring/coaching and introducing them to the rules.
6) What went well? - As previously mentioned there are a couple (IMHO) of issues with the rules but nothing that can't easily be house ruled. Managed to finish the game, the batlle of Hobkirk's Hill scenerio.
7) What could have been improved? - The QRS doesn't include the morale section of the rules (as Steve already said).





Cheers Paul
T13A Out!

FierceKitty

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? IACTA ALEA EST!
2) What armies were confronted? - Late Roman republican vs Jugurtha's Numidians
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - Very
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - no
5) How many players were in the game? - two
6) What went well? - Well, one unit of Lee's light horse didn't manage to escape when they tried to buzz a legion. And OK, it was a fun game.
7) What could have been improved? Not much, unless the real secret is to deploy in a single long, thin line of heavy infantry and systematically sweep over the field in unison. The elephants might be a problem, but they can't be everywhere.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

T13A

Hi

1) What ruleset did you use in your last game? - 'Post of Honour' (SYW) not published but draft copy available for free via the Honours of War website.
2) What armies were confronted? - Prussians v Austrians
3) Did you feel comfortable with the ruleset? - First try out game.
4) and... was this the first time you used this ruleset? - Yes.
5) How many players were in the game? - Two.
6) What went well? - Seemed to flow well and after just one game to test out the mechanics feel they have a lot of potential.
7) What could have been improved? - Not a fair question really as they are only in draft but see above.

Cheers Paul
T13A Out!