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Author Topic: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)  (Read 6242 times)

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #15 on: March 14, 2018, 09:44:54 AM »
It would probably play very fast that way; a whole bn would either be able to activate or it wouldn't. Hmm actually that's not unlike the Pikeman's Lament rules I have been playing for ECW...
I am going to build a wargames army, a big beautiful wargames army, and Mexico is going to pay for it.

2019 Painting Challenge :
figures bought: 500+
figures painted: 57
9 vehicles painted
4 terrain pieces scratchbuilt

Offline robh

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3379
  • Spanish offworld colonies
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #16 on: March 14, 2018, 01:59:31 PM »
Republic to Empire is specifically designed for 1:20 Napoleonics with big battalions. No need to try and fudge something else.

Battles can go up to mega multiplayer multi day affairs, but the base design is for a Division or supported Brigade level game.
4-6 Battalions.

The rulebook is currently on overstock sale for just £10 direct from League of Augsburg:
https://www.leagueofaugsburg.com/shop/products-cat-1.html

Superb book, even if you don't use the rules the sections on organisation and force lists are well worth that money. Not to mention the wonderful pictures. Possibly the prettiest Napoleonic rulebook you will ever find.

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #17 on: March 14, 2018, 05:11:23 PM »
Thanks robh I will grab one of these.  ;)

Online has.been

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 8232
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #18 on: March 14, 2018, 08:31:46 PM »
Vodkafan, I am sure I have a copy of Paddy Griffith's 'Napoleonic Wargames for fun' 
I will try & find it, (but you know how 'untidy' my filing system is at the moment)

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #19 on: March 14, 2018, 10:52:37 PM »
Vodkafan, I am sure I have a copy of Paddy Griffith's 'Napoleonic Wargames for fun' 
I will try & find it, (but you know how 'untidy' my filing system is at the moment)

It will give you something to do, and you know you will find lots of other "lost" things along the way!

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #20 on: March 16, 2018, 01:38:58 PM »
Republic to Empire is specifically designed for 1:20 Napoleonics with big battalions. No need to try and fudge something else.

Battles can go up to mega multiplayer multi day affairs, but the base design is for a Division or supported Brigade level game.
4-6 Battalions.

The rulebook is currently on overstock sale for just £10 direct from League of Augsburg:
https://www.leagueofaugsburg.com/shop/products-cat-1.html

Superb book, even if you don't use the rules the sections on organisation and force lists are well worth that money. Not to mention the wonderful pictures. Possibly the prettiest Napoleonic rulebook you will ever find.

robh, I have tried several times two days running but can't reach the website, it keeps timing out.

Offline robh

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3379
  • Spanish offworld colonies
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #21 on: March 16, 2018, 02:52:12 PM »
robh, I have tried several times two days running but can't reach the website, it keeps timing out.

Strange, link seems fine as far as I can tell, goes straight to the books section of the store. You could try deleting the "/shop/products-cat-1.html" bit and go via the home page, or drop Barry a line at:

wordtwister AT hotmail DOT co DOT uk

Online armchairgeneral

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Mastermind
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  • Posts: 1731
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #22 on: March 17, 2018, 11:45:16 AM »
Could I suggest a slight rethink?

24 figure battalions still look pretty cool in 28mm so why not try for a small division of 8 battalions of 24 rather than 4 battalions of 48?

The former would give a much better game and wouldn’t take too long with rules like Black Powder? It would still be do-able on say a 4 x 6 foot table.

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #23 on: March 17, 2018, 01:02:45 PM »
Could I suggest a slight rethink?

24 figure battalions still look pretty cool in 28mm so why not try for a small division of 8 battalions of 24 rather than 4 battalions of 48?

The former would give a much better game and wouldn’t take too long with rules like Black Powder? It would still be do-able on say a 4 x 6 foot table.

Thanks General but not cool enough....the problem with 24 figure battalions is that I can't represent the national differences in company strengths and organisation, which is what interests me both visually and how it may play, if I can find some good rules...why do you say it would be a much better game?

Offline Baron von Wreckedoften

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 860
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #24 on: March 17, 2018, 02:17:36 PM »
It sounds like this is what you are looking for:-

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12630/complete-brigadier
No plan survives first contact with the dice.

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #25 on: March 17, 2018, 02:39:01 PM »
That looks interesting , but again the battalions are small and I doubt that I would be able to find this anywhere, looks like a single print run 36 years ago...and no dice, some of the comments say combats are a bit predictable

Offline LawnRanger

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 199
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #26 on: March 18, 2018, 07:36:00 PM »
Hi Vodkafan
    I would go with General de Brigade i play it with War of 1812  and having a brigade or 2 max on the table is fine the games dont last long with  4-8 units  you can push through the turns quick , and its nice to see 36-40 fig units on the table in 28mm... so with in 2 hours you will have a result.
      What i do is take the casualties off as we go as well so you get the feel that  them units are taking a pounding 8)
    I hope you stick with your project happy gaming hope this helps LR.   

P.S General de Brigade is a great set of rules .

Offline Mattias

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 72
    • Northern Wargaming
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #27 on: March 19, 2018, 06:44:29 AM »
Interesting subject. I would like to try rules of that scope myself.
GdB would probably work.
Depending on the detail you want Sharp Practice might work with a few amendments. I imagine the rules would play fine with one company played as a Group per the rules, and having a battalion as a Formation. In order for a battalion commander to command a six company battalion you  should probably introduce a house rule. For instance that a Big Man that is a battalion commander may command any number of groups as long as they are a part of a single Formation (i e battalion, and
regardless of the normal limit - that a Big Man can only command a formation with as many groups as his Status Level).
Good luck and keep us posted!

Offline vodkafan

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  • Posts: 3510
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #28 on: March 19, 2018, 10:40:20 AM »
Thanks Mattias. I do agree that Sharp Practice could give a good Battalion level game with some modifications.
It has rules for formations that put it a bit above most skirmish rulesets.

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Brigade level Napoleonic games (using big battalions)
« Reply #29 on: March 19, 2018, 10:46:32 AM »
Hi Vodkafan
    I would go with General de Brigade i play it with War of 1812  and having a brigade or 2 max on the table is fine the games dont last long with  4-8 units  you can push through the turns quick , and its nice to see 36-40 fig units on the table in 28mm... so with in 2 hours you will have a result.
      What i do is take the casualties off as we go as well so you get the feel that  them units are taking a pounding 8)
    I hope you stick with your project happy gaming hope this helps LR.   

P.S General de Brigade is a great set of rules .

Thanks Lawn Ranger that is good to know that it plays well at the Brigade level. Did you have the Brigade Commander as the top level of command and have the ADCs assigned to battalions instead?  And 2-3 hours is the right amount of time for a game for me, time is always in short supply for me! Yes I will stick with it , I have bought a few hundred figures already over the last couple of years. Time to get painting..