Rules

Wednesday, 24 April 2024

Some English Civil War painting

Due to a recent cold, there hasn't been much to post about this past week, but I managed to paint up a couple of English Civil War (ECW) infantry bases. They are a mix of MiniFigs and Hinchliffe miniatures with one random model of unknown origin, all recent second-hand purchases.

ECW infantry recently painted

Mainly a mix of MiniFig and Hinchliffe miniatures.

Despite feeling a bit under the weather, or maybe because if it, I've been tinkering with the ECW rules I generally use. Here are a few of changes I've been considering and testing:

  • Having units represented by a single base rather than two bases as I currently do. 
  • With increased numbers of units in the game and to minimise the tracking of hits, combat rules where amended so units are eliminated after their third hit in most cases, but infantry units can endure up to four hits if supported by two other infantry units within 3 inches. The aim is to encourage infantry formations with second lines to provide support. This rule also means losing one unit in a group may compromise the resilience of the other units.
  • Adopting a rule from the book "Wargaming: An Introduction" by Neil Thomas, where if a unit exits the opponent's base edge, two enemy units are eliminated, presumably to safeguard the baggage and lines of retreat.
  • Reducing shooting ranges to 6 inches.

Here are a few photographs of the tabletop setup to carry on with some more play testing. The scenario is loosely based on the Battle of Ripple Field.

Parliaments deployment.

A view of teh tabletop setup for a scenario loosely based upon the Battle of Ripple Field.



15 comments:

  1. Lovely additions to your collection, your table set up looks great as well.

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    1. Thank you. I have another 10 units to paint and I am (very) slowly working my way through them.

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  2. Interesting post. Especially the rule about exiting a unit off the opponent's edge.

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    1. While I like the idea of the rule it will be interesting to see how it works in a game.

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  3. There must be something in the air because I've been sick too, so I hope you feel better soon. I like the idea of making a unit able to take more punishment if supported. It feels realistic, so I'll adopt the idea for my own ECW games. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. great use of time when feeling a little under the weather. too sick to do chores, not sick enough to not paint. 😜😁

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    1. Alas the chores are still waiting and have not gone away.

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  5. Peter -
    Looking at those nice single-based foot units fills me with a certain wistfulness. Had my present 30YW project begun just a few weeks ago instead of a few decades, I would have gone the same route. I even worked out a single-base tercio (12 pike and 12 shot) on a 9cm wide x 10cm deep base. Alas, that is not to be.

    I'd like to know more about your town buildings, their provenance. They look superb!
    Cheers,
    Ion

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  6. Lovely looking units and table Peter - I look forward to seeing how your play testing of the new ideas went.

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    1. Some ideas are landing better than others. As always.

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  7. Great addition to the painted figures pile Peter!
    Great looking game and I hope you are feeling 100% soon and get to those chores 😂

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    1. Thanks and the chores are still waiting for me.

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  8. Hi Peter - I like that Neil Thomas rule as I feel it moves the game along nicely. Hope you are feeling better. There is a bug moving through my house as well.

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    1. I do like the idea of this rule as it encourages some depth to deployment. I may well change it from the whole base 6 foot edge to the centre 4 foot of the base edge marked with supply carts.

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