For any Black Powderers out there (is there such a phrase?) who game the SYW, these are the stats I'm currently using, placed in the tables available from The Last Hussar's website (see my favourite links). Note I use First Fire to represent the better fire discipline of Prussian line infantry, and the hand to hand stats of the Austrian cavalry are all reduced by one as they appear to have been generally inferior to their Prussian counterparts.
To discourage successful cavalry charges against line infantry (and successful charges in general) I am now using a modifier of +2 for closing fire. Cavalry do not get the +1 for charging frontally vs infantry unless the infantry they are charging are shaken, disordered or not supported.
9 comments:
Thanks for sharing these, Keith. I'm planning on using Black Powder for the SYW as well.
Cheers
Adam
As the link leads to the Homepage, (and I write all sorts of rubbish!) to save your readers the frustration, a direct link to the QR is here
http://lasthussar.wordpress.com/2010/02/19/printer-freindly-black-powder-qr-sheets/
(also feeling smug - #1 hit if you Google Black Powder QR!)
Some interesting thoughts- I will email my WSS opponent about stealing them.
Is the +2 closing just versus Cavalry?
Lots of people use Fire THEN move, do you? - I will suggest this to Graham: maybe Command-1 if fired that turn
Yes, the +2 is against everything, as there seemed no logic (in historical terms) to only having a +2 against cavalry. I have not felt the need to change the move sequence: the game as written works fine for me. Indeed, I am reluctant to use any house rules, as I am trying to give them up. This is as a result of starting to game in a club environment where it gets confusing and sometimes argumentative (in a polite way) when a number of people are using there own house rules. However, the nature of BP finds the gamer positively encouraged to develop house rules, so I am in a cleft stick. Un fortunately, the SYW, WAS and WSS are largely ignored in the demo games in the book. I have the feeling the authors didn't spend much time thinking about what tweaks might be relevant for those periods.
Best wishes, Keith.
BP does seem a Napoleonic game 'stretched'! Our concerns are to try and de-Napoleon them. Somewhere on my blog is a list of house rules we use - click the Black Powder tag for all BP posts.
The chief amendments are to have the move only in forward or rear quarters allowed (the same as the limits placed on when in 12 of the enemy) and only line and road column allowed. Units can form skirmish only to pass through woods - strictly speaking columns of platoons - and are very vulnerable while they do, especially as it takes an entire move to change, and can not do inside the woods.
We like the idea that steady infantry can not be charged frontally by cavalry.
I'm also generally leary of changing rules to any great extent, but we are considering not only Fire then move, but -1 command for any unit that does so. Initiative would come before firing. The continuing aim is to make the game more 'slow and stately' that the Naps.
I have to disagree about the Austrian cavalry. They were quite as good as the Prussians. Certainly much better in the earlier campaigns of the WAS.
Although I do give some Prussian hussars the 'hvy cav +1" combat resolution bonus since they seemed more inclined to charge in rather than skirmish.
James, thanks for posting. On the subject of Austrian cavalry, consider this quote from Duffy's 'Instrument of War':
'The Austrian horsemen were still decisively superior to those of the Prussians at Mollwitz (1741), and yet by the closing campaigns of the Seven Years War the ascendancy of the Prussian cavalry was nearly absolute.'
He goes on to explain the various problems, with the overall theme being that the Prussians had overtaken the Austrian cavalry decisively by the SYW. One particular aspect of this was the Prussian training to charge at the gallop, which the Austrians lacked.
This assessment is the main basis of my stats.
Fair enough.
although by the end of the SYW the Prussians were pretty worn down and the Austrians were learning from past mistakes. (much to Frederick's annoyance.)
Perhaps give the Austrians only a hvycav+1 and the Prussians get a hvycav +d3 modifier? Will have to ponder.
But once you get past the German national myth building of the 19th century making Fred into a warrior saint, one finds the honours are pretty even between the two armies.
I find that it's the one period were I really admire both armies and both sets of commanders.
Owen from Holland:Am currently using Black Powder for SYW and Malburian.Our two own houserules:Can move up to 3 moves and fire,but drop one shooting dice after second move,2 dice third move.Encourages agressive play.Also excellent C-in Cs within command range of brigade Comm.+2 on command roll,Good C-C's +1 on
Command roll.
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