In search of rules...

[BaronVonJ]

Fellow lost souls,
I going to preface this by saying I love the pike and shot era, and am a complete snob when it come to rules. I like easy to learn, relatively fast rule sets with a flavor of the period, and have yet to find one that suits my taste. I also game with a large group, so 1 on 1 doesn’t work either. I also have to be able to explain to a group fairly quickly so we can get a game done in a night.
I’ve found my rules for every other period, but alas, my favorite goes unfound. I lean toward the TYW or ECW end of the spectrum
Here’s what I’ve tried and left by the wayside:
I apologize in advance if I offended any writers of these sets out there. These are my opinions only.

1644: The granddaddy, the one that got me hooked, but has single figure removal and way too many figs for me.

God, King and Country: Love the card mechanics (I currently use Canadian Wargames Group Medieval rules) but stands were too small and even with a roster too fiddly.

Father Tilly: Started out with great ideas, by the end of the rulebook, I had moved on.

WECW: Hate “I go/You go” and rolling to hit, then wound, then save”

Forlorn Hope: An entire page for the turn sequence isn’t for me

Polemos: Poorly written/edited. Like the one base, pike and shot together, and not separate groups like everyone else.

Armati: Too much like DBA with hit points

DBR: Snore…..

Renaissance Warfare: Don’t like a lot of markers cluttering up the battlefield.

Spanish Fury Actions: Closest I’ve come so far. Lot to like but not big enough scale.

Every variation of another period rule set (Warmaster, Fire & Fury, etc): Never get the period right because they weren’t written for the period.

Here’s some of my likes/dislikes:
Whole stand removal not single fig, worked too hard painting to pull off the table
Tons of figures, I’ve got too many players to paint that many miniatures.
Love the period and looks great in 28mm.
Hate battlefield clutter.
I await your slings and arrows,
-zee Baron

p.s. I already know the answer. “Write your own”.

[Tom Reed]

Y'know, it seems like my local group is having the same problem. We have tried various rules sets for the ECW and have mostly found some part that we didn't care for. One of the guys took it upon himself to take the Volley and Bayonet rules and rework them. So far them seem to work ok (of course I don't have much experience with the ECW, so who knows if they really work as they were suposed to or not).

[Aaron]

I *think* basic baroque might fit your pistol. I have not played them myself, but from what I have read they meet most of your requirements. They are based on the Impetus/Basic Impetus rules which many people seem to love. http://impetus.forumsland.com/impetus-forum-13.html for the Basic Baroque stuff and http://www.dadiepiombo.com/basic2.html for the ancient/medieval version.

[Froggy the Great]

You can't go wrong with Eureka's "And One For All!"

[nagrombor]

Hi,

Have a look at the 'No Quarter Given' rules free from http://www.quindia.com/studioarticles.htm

or look at the John Curry reprint of 'With Pike and Shot' by Charles Wesencraft, details from http://www.johncurryevents.co.uk/index.htm

Regards,
Rob

[Gluteus Maximus]

'With Pike and Shot' by Charles Wesencraft, details from http://www.johncurryevents.co.uk/index.htm

Regards,
Rob

My first set of Renaissance rules. Very "Old School" but lots of fun.

There is also "Renaissance Principles Of War" :

http://www.principlesofwar.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=POWREN2&Category_Code=RB


pic from POW website.

POW and Napoleonic POW are two of my favourite sets for playing large-scale games. They work very well for very large games - we have played multi-player demo games of virtually every big Nap battle over the years, including Leipzig and Borodino and the rules cope very well. The Renaissance are equally good, though I've only ever played smaller games with only 20 or so units a side with them. It's mechanics are based on the earlier sets mentioned above, so have been thoroughly play-tested over many years and are proven to work.

They are element-based, usually 3 per unit, quick and easy to learn, fast play and tend to give accurate results even though the mechanics appear quite abstract at times. The number of figures per element is not really important, so you can load them with figures if you like. There is some record-keeping, but it is minimal, consisting of marking reduction of "strength points" on the unit  rosters. They are written primarily for 15mm, but we have done large 28mm Colonial games with them in the past, notably Puebla at Salute many years ago which was a great spectacle. Don't be tempted to lump them together with DBR as despite some similarities, they are far superior and are almost "anti-competition game" rules.

There is good 'net-based support at the POW Yahoo Group.

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/principlesofwar/?yguid=201695851

Fair enough, I must own up that the writer Tom Penn is a friend, but even so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the POW family of rules.

[nagrombor]

Hi again,

I misquoted the title from Quindias offering- it should have been 'Victory without Quarter'. 
Apologies for that

Rob

[answer_is_42]

“Write your own”

Or, take a set you only had a few problems with, and edit it.

When I'm Prime Minister, I'm going to bring about a law stating that there may only be one ruleset for each scale/period. On pain of death.
Tough but fair.

[Leapsnbounds]

Have you tried the "Piquet" miniatures rules system "Band of Brothers" for the Renaissance and "Anchor of Faith" for the English Civil War.  I enjoy them very much.  They give the flavor of the period and keep everyone on their toes.  They are a stitch to play and they put the fun back into Wargaming.

[BaronVonJ]

You either love or hate Piquet. I would be one of the latter.
-J

[BaronVonJ]

Forgot two others: "Regiment of Foote" (like the mapless campaign system), and an oldy "Dutchman, Spaniard, Switzer, Swede".
I'm going to look at POW Renaissance and the freebie "Victory w/o Quarter".