Currently, the focus of my wargaming activities are very much on the English Civil War. I'm still messing around and tweaking a set of rules to suit larger battles, while making changes I have been revisiting the book "Edgehill - The Kineton Fight 1642" for ideas and reference on how the armies fought, and finally one more infantry unit left the painting table.
A recently painted base of infantry, a mix of Hinchliffe and MiniFig miniatures.
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| Currently re-reading |
The bulk of my time has been testing out rule changes. Initially, I started tweaking my existing homemade ruleset, but as the rules evolved more and more towards larger battles I have been influenced by the SPI ‘s board-game “Musket and Pike” a Thirty Years War Quad Game. This pretty much confirmed the approach of using of single bases in the games, previously I used two bases for a unit.
Some other rule mechanisms which seem to be working in the test games are:
Variable Hits
Adjusting the number of hits a unit can sustain to 1, 2, or 3 based on the unit type before being routed. For example: dragoons are routed after a second hit, whereas infantry and cavalry rout after a third hit. However, certain circumstances allow units to withstand more hits before being routed. Such as dragoons in cover or supported infantry. This can mean a dragoons can get committed to defending once engaged, with no option for retreat if they surpass their standard hit limit. Similarly, infantry that become unsupported with 4 hits will immediately rout. With these changes the combat mechanisms are simpler and no longer have adjustments for cover as it is addressed in the unit’s hit limit.
Example of infantry support - An infantry unit on the right is able to take an additional hit (3 hits) because there are 2 friendly units within 3 inches. 
Example of cover - Dragoons in cover can take an additional hit before being routed. Normally they would be routed on thanking their second hit.
Reduced Shooting Range
Reducing shooting ranges to 6 inches has proven effective. The range reduced from 12 inches means units are moving closer for combat allowing for more manoeuvrability for cavalry on the flanks on my 6 by 4-foot tabletop.
How to Win
Unless playing a scenario with victory conditions. Victory is achieved whenever one army’s infantry and cavalry units combined number is less than half of its original strength. The dragoons and artillery are not included in the count.
Exiting the tabletop - For every cavalry unit exiting the tabletop on the enemy side, the enemy immediately withdraws two of their units closest to the cavalry unit’s exit point. All 3 units are counted as lost. The average cavalry commander of this age having defeated his opposing cavalry would pursue his foes, attempt to capture the enemy baggage and prevent reinforcements.
Combat
I'm still experimenting with the rule combat mechanisms and haven't settled on one yet. The current approach involves opposing dice rolls a method I have rarely used.
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| The closing turns of a game. |
I am a big fan of single element basing. Ironically, my 30mm ECW armies are multi-stand BMUs. In pursuit, are the two units removed cavalry only or the two nearest regardless of troop type?
ReplyDeleteI like both multi and single bases and generally go with what looks best. With the ECW armies I like both looks. In terms of the units removed, it is the two closest units regardless of type. They may have panicked see the cavalry cut off their lines of retreat. The rule is a variation of a Neil Thomas rule from Introduction to Wargaming.
DeleteOne more question...
DeleteOn variable hits, if a supported infantry has sustained three hits does it rout if that support is removed?
Yes. The loss of one of the supporting units can have a cascading effect which I quite like.
DeleteA very nice new unit for your collection, the Hinchliffe and Minifigs mix well. Interesting to see your tweaking of your rules, you certainly seem to be getting there.
ReplyDeleteThe ranges do mix well, both being the more traditional 25mm size. As for the rules I sometime think I am going around in circles, but I do enjoy the process.
DeleteInteresting, I like the infantry support rule - will keep the b*ggers bunched up nice and tight.
ReplyDeleteI felt the loss of 2 units if an enemy cavalry exited off your baseline a but harsh - I can't recall accounts of units being sent off the field of battle to go to the defence of the baggage - have you got some?
I would probably keep it to a campaign effect along the lines of baggage looted if after the battle a d6 roll scores less than or equal to the number of cavalry units that got into your rear. If the baggage was looted the army must go to a friendly town to regenerate their logistic support. Just a thought.
The infantry certainly do stick together and it is hard to breakdown their centre. As for the unit removal when enemy cavalry exit the base edge it is from a morale view point rather than leaving the field to provide support. I do need to consider a campaign if these rules end up working for me. Although not as long as my last ECW campaign of 40 odd games.
DeleteThat is really interesting Peter. With the variables hits allowance can a unit commit to being in cover after taking initial hit(s) in order to stay on the table longer?
ReplyDeleteYes, so dragoons than would normally be eliminated (routed) after 2 hits would if in cover be able to take a third hit before elimination. They are then committed to defence of their position.
DeleteHi Peter I like where you are going with this (hardly surprising). One of the reasons I like "Tilly's Very Bad Day" is because the Pike and Shotte are singly-based. My original plan was to play "In Deo Veritas" with the single based regiments but will likely get a game of Tilly's on the table "one day" :)
ReplyDeleteI kind of like the variable hits because it speaks to the strengths of some units over others.
Good luck with your pike and shotte games. At the moment I have just used the variable strengths for conditions such as cover and support. There are other opportunities to apply them such as the unit quality.
DeleteAll good, I like the ideas behind support.
ReplyDeleteThe rule seems to be working well with groups of units becoming quite vulnerable once they loose their cohesion.
DeleteThe new unit looks great Peter.
ReplyDeleteAs others have said, I like the idea of the support adding to additional hits and combining the morale value or rolls within the number of hits taken. I can imagine a cascading rout as one unit falls and others lose support and then rout as well. From memory, this seems to have happened in these sorts of battles.
Thanks. I hope to be able to keep the support rule in the rules as I continue to mess around with them.
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