tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1430463007570237159.post7904009500981808384..comments2024-03-28T21:00:41.841+00:00Comments on KEITH'S WARGAMING BLOG: Black Powder - The Minimalist ApproachKeith Flinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12903769462646267048noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1430463007570237159.post-82498134465172326192021-05-31T02:24:06.893+01:002021-05-31T02:24:06.893+01:00Thank you for posting this. I enjoy games with 7 ...Thank you for posting this. I enjoy games with 7 - 12 units (battalions - inf/regiments - cav/batteries art), so this makes BP much more usable for me solo.Captain Nolanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12258683012806342747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1430463007570237159.post-80723028132759820242021-03-19T08:34:45.007+00:002021-03-19T08:34:45.007+00:00I've made very similar changes to the Brigade ...I've made very similar changes to the Brigade morale rules.<br />The main driver was a quest for longer games, through accommodating smaller formations is also welcome.<br /><br />Like many, my opponent and I were dubious about elements of Black Powder.<br /> "Free and easy formation changes!! March THEN shoot!! This is heresy - harumph.<br />The first game showed a flexible and workable system with one problem.<br />The little toy soldiers were prone to marching off when the battle was about to get started.<br /><br />We had brigades of four battalions, so either four or six hits (Easily accomplished with the artillery dice gods on your side) would shake a brigade.<br />A bit more staying power certainly seems in tune with the carnage of battles like Eylau, Borodino, and Waterloo.<br /><br />Finally, brigade morale can be tweaked on a per-army basis to create asymmetric scenarios.<br />Those peninsula French marching hard to break out of a Spanish ambush might fight to the last battalion.<br />Some of the brigades from the wars of the French revolution seemed content to pack up and go home at the drop of a bicorne.<br /><br />It's a toolkit - used wisely you can build a lot of fun.<br /><br />SteveHolmes11https://www.blogger.com/profile/17392212343858957364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1430463007570237159.post-20573302749403838542011-10-31T22:09:46.907+00:002011-10-31T22:09:46.907+00:00excellent report, thanks for sharing...excellent report, thanks for sharing...Capt Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15990089081015713972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1430463007570237159.post-63071877706878554282011-08-13T20:28:30.434+01:002011-08-13T20:28:30.434+01:00Last Husar - thanks for the interesting comments.
...Last Husar - thanks for the interesting comments.<br /><br />Regarding ranges looking odd, the best advice I ever read for 18th century games was to relate musket range to unit frontage. So, taking a typical infantry unit frontage to be around 200 paces, you should relate musket range to that, i.e. effective musket range shouldn't be much greater than your unit frontages, and possibly a bit less.<br /><br />Do you really mean canister range 50-60 yards? The figures I read in most secondary sources give anything from 200 to 500 yards, or even more. I always understood the ability to open up with canister at beyond effective musket range was an important tactical factor from the 18th century through to Napoleonic times.<br /><br />Cheers, Keith.Keith Flinthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12903769462646267048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1430463007570237159.post-29822300525955351122011-08-13T12:42:06.282+01:002011-08-13T12:42:06.282+01:00As I play 10mm I have been able to gt away with a ...As I play 10mm I have been able to gt away with a reduction on measurement* - we merely read cm instead of inches. Hence a 5x3 foot table = 150 x 90cm equivalent to a 12 x 7ft table at the inch scale.<br /><br />*Of course, despite what people say, wargames are almost always figure size dependent. So the question "What scale figures" or "How should I adjust the measuremets for XX mm figures". The only thing to remember is that ranges for shooting can look odd. My ideal 'win the lottery' scenario is using 10mm figures on the original BP inch measures - but that is units of 144 men!<br /><br />As an adjuct to that, we refer to moves as 'paces' - 10 to the cm. "The brigade will advance 150 paces" is more in keeping with the game. This goes with my reserch into frontage and ranges - canister range is equal on the table to 50-60 yards. If I ever get to play 10mm on the Inch measure then ground and figure scale will be closer to equalAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1430463007570237159.post-16900302647347622162011-07-21T14:42:13.007+01:002011-07-21T14:42:13.007+01:00Great article, I really enjoyed reading it.
We a...Great article, I really enjoyed reading it. <br /><br />We are faceing the same issues while we are working on our "Battle of Mollwitz" - project (on a 4x4 Board)and will definitely try out some of your thoughts.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />ThomasAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04859695716793906213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1430463007570237159.post-31332828409221957952011-07-19T19:54:27.596+01:002011-07-19T19:54:27.596+01:00Very well writen Keith !
I played BP on both larg...Very well writen Keith !<br /><br />I played BP on both large and Small tables and it works out realy nice every time as long as you costumise the rules a little bit to the size of the game:)<br /><br />Works fine for Hail Caesar to;)<br /><br />Best regards DalaupprorDalaupprorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05292614404943521842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1430463007570237159.post-88936716956424405442011-07-17T22:41:08.525+01:002011-07-17T22:41:08.525+01:00We've made a few simplifying amendments to BP ...We've made a few simplifying amendments to BP to use with our 6mm based on 2" squares and find them admirable. Fighting big battles on a 6' by 4'.Prince Lupushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13205758324137548941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1430463007570237159.post-51353982286079616842011-07-17T01:54:37.199+01:002011-07-17T01:54:37.199+01:00I took a totally different approach to the size of...I took a totally different approach to the size of the game.<br /><br /> rather than have units made up of many figures I went for single base units. <br /> I have to use a record sheet to make notes of troop loss and place counters to indicate which formation they are in, but I can live with that.<br /><br /> The main thing is I can play BP without needing a huge area to play in, and it don't have to spend a fortune to make my army.<br /><br /> I use 15mm and by doing this I can get a corp level game in smaller than a 4 x 6 level playing area.Shelldrakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719790045474525633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1430463007570237159.post-34917692409298377942011-07-10T20:58:29.078+01:002011-07-10T20:58:29.078+01:00As always Keith, you have made some very valid poi...As always Keith, you have made some very valid points with regards to BP. I found our game at Portbury Knights that you mentioned, to be fun and challenging at the same time; exactly what a game should be in my opinion.<br /><br />When last at mine for a game of Force-on-Force, we all agreed that that the dreams of youth of having Perry sized gaming rooms, have been reduced in middle age to snatching a game or two on the dining table as and when the family allow.Steve J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12143308117853983963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1430463007570237159.post-89994976959699879612011-07-09T11:24:40.664+01:002011-07-09T11:24:40.664+01:00A direct link to my Rule Amendment
http://lasthus...A direct link to my Rule Amendment<br /><br />http://lasthussar.wordpress.com/2011/03/05/black-powder-broken-brigades/<br /><br />To clarify Keith's post. You can only rally units in a 'Broken Brigade' if the 'break' can be recovered eventually by rally - ie more than half are not destroyed.<br /><br />Example with a 6 unit brigade<br /><br />3 units destroyed - Not Broken<br /><br />2 units destroyed, 3 shaken - Broken (5 being more than half). Even though rallying one unit would still not "unbreak" the unit, you still can, because rallying further units would, at some point in the future, bring the brigade back. Thus a 6 unit bridage is not permanently lost until it has 3 units destroyed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com