TMWWK for wars in Europe?

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Hi

Wonder if anyone has tried to adapt the ruleset The Men Who Would Be Kings to game conflicts in Europe/America. The system is very flexible, but I am not sure how well would represent wars like the Franco-Prussian or Austro-Prussian Wars.

[Emir of Askaristan]

I have played a couple of games with my Garibaldi and Neapolitan armies. The rules worked fine after all the y are correct for the period if not the setting. The former were irregular veteran infantry with obsolete rifles representing a mix of training and equipment and a fervent revolutionary desire. The Neapolitans were regular, unenthusiastic with obsolete rifles (representing troops badly led and motivated) except for a unit of light inf who were regular with modern rifles (a better class of soldier with better kit). There's are a few piccies on my blog.

There is plenty scope by using the regular and irregular units, weapon type (modern chassepot vs obsolete dreyse?), Fierce Zouaves, 1870 French with high leadership scores (more likely to stay put and fire from "positions magnifique", Prussians with low scores - easy to manoeuvre and react, etc. Those are just my ideas I'd go with whatever you felt works. 

Keen to hear what others think!

[Sunjester]

I've had some successful games using TMWWBK for the 1912 Balkans War.

[vtsaogames]

I've been considering the Republican phase of Franco-Prussian War with veteran Prussian regular infantry, well-led with obsolete rifles vs. poorly motivated/trained irregular French Gardes Mobiles, maybe the odd regular squad with modern rifles.

[joroas]

This would work for ACW then, Confederates with smoothbores VS Federals with rifled muskets?

[Goliad]

I have thought about using TMWWBK for 1914. I would have a command system with a "CinC" (Company captain?) able to do a limited number of failed action rolls based on quality (Germans might get a bonus re-roll too). The free action of the Germans would be decided at the beginning of the game as either "fire" or "move" with "Stand to" depending on commander's intent/scenario (free move = the relentless forward movement of the Germans to reach objectives). The free action of the French would be "Attack" with "Stand to" to reflect the particular "Furia Francais" tactical doctrine of 1914. There seems to be a lot of scope to mod the rules.

[Belisarius]

We have played several games using these rules , last year . The  Babbage section  also works really well if you fancy teaming up with your partner and fighting against the Artificial Intelligence in a scouting action or similar .

[Sunjester]

As Goliad says, the combination of varying discipline and shooting/fighting qualities, plus the starting Leadership score, make these rules extremely flexible.

I'd just add, from my experience, I would be wary of over-using the Sharpshooter option. Units that hit on 4+ for shooting have a far greater effect than units that hit on 4+ for melee, but it costs the same points. 4+ shooting can be devastating and easily unbalance the game. I haven't used the magazine rifle option with my 1912 Balkans War forces for the same reason. I did keep well-crewed machine guns on 4+, the fact they are only 4 figures strong mean that they are quite vulnerable which balances the superior shooting.

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Thanks for the ideas. I have a few Austrians and Prussians, but not enough for big battles, so I thought a game like TMWWBK could give me the chance to use them in the tabletop.

Problem, of course, is that now I am thinking about new projects: Crimea, Carlist Wars, Franco-Prussian War, 1870s World War What-ifs... 

(No, I will be strong and keep focused in the current projects! I already have too many ongoing, to be honest! )

[Jericho]

With your Austrians and Prussians you're already set for the Austro-Prussian War of 1866.
Just buy some Danes and you can fight the Second Schleswig War of 1864 too. 

[Sunjester]

Then add some French and you can fight the 1859 Franco-Austria War/Italian War as well as the Franco-Prussian War.