Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Pikes, Muskets and Flouncy Shirts => Topic started by: H.M.Stanley on May 27, 2012, 06:15:10 AM
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I Know that Sword and the Flame has a variant (.. Forest) but i'm going to try gaming the period straight from the book [20th Ed]
As much as i enjoy This Very Ground as a set of rules, S&F is by far my favourite rules for skirmish games
Regulars as British
Rangers/CdM as Boer
Settlers as Egyptian
Huron as Pathan
Perhaps some minor tweaks; the majority of Regulars must be formed, Settlers cannot form square. Just the obvious stuff.
Any thoughts gentlemen?
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Yes, buy a set of rules that cover the period.
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Yes, buy a set of rules that cover the period.
That's really helpful - thank you.
I have TVG and The Sword in the Forest. I may look at M&T but as i said, my favourite ruleset is S&F. I just wondered if anyone used S&F for FIW
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I have TVG and The Sword in the Forest. I may look at M&T but as i said, my favourite ruleset is S&F. I just wondered if anyone used S&F for FIW
I haven't, in fact I don't recall ever playing S&F, however, with your experience of TVG etc., if you've played S&F, I would think you could quite easily adapt them for your FIW use. Then, you'll be able to evaluate which you prefer ;)
I've just had a set of M&T arrive - all I need now is the time to read them so can't comment much yet - meanwhile, on with the sculpting.
www.gallopingmajorwargames.com
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I haven't, in fact I don't recall ever playing S&F, however, with your experience of TVG etc., if you've played S&F, I would think you could quite easily adapt them for your FIW use. Then, you'll be able to evaluate which you prefer ;)
I've just had a set of M&T arrive - all I need now is the time to read them so can't comment much yet - meanwhile, on with the sculpting.
www.gallopingmajorwargames.com
Need to get you up to Glasgow Lance for a game :D
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Need to get you up to Glasgow Lance for a game :D
8)
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Thanks Lance
I rate TVG, i really do.
A good friend of mine likes a different ruleset for every period that he games. I'm going the other way, S&tF and Black Powder [plus In the Heart of Africa/Death in the Dark Continent as they're damn good] would just about do me for all my games. In theory :)
James
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I like the TSaTF. It was actually the first rule set I ever played way back when with some Esci British and Zulu plastics. However, for FIW I don't think it would be so great. TVG is my favored set for the period and frankly I think TSaTF begins to get pretty ponderous once you have more than 20 British vs 60 Native types. Myself, I'm looking at 50-80 figures per side at this point, so the TSaTF casualty system just wouldn't do. But if you're going to micro skirmish it I'd just as soon use a Legends of the Old West mod. Just my opinion of course, if TsaTF works for you, have fun with it!
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I like the TSaTF. It was actually the first rule set I ever played way back when with some Esci British and Zulu plastics. However, for FIW I don't think it would be so great. TVG is my favored set for the period and frankly I think TSaTF begins to get pretty ponderous once you have more than 20 British vs 60 Native types. Myself, I'm looking at 50-80 figures per side at this point, so the TSaTF casualty system just wouldn't do. But if you're going to micro skirmish it I'd just as soon use a Legends of the Old West mod. Just my opinion of course, if TsaTF works for you, have fun with it!
I quite often run 20 Highlanders and 40 Indians against 100+ Pathan with Cavalry using S&tF without any problem. Mind you, i do use movement trays :D
You can also use "800 Englishmen" if you like your S&tF large
Perhaps you're right. In the same way as i can make an exception for ItHA/DitDC, i can keep with TVG which we all agree is very good and specific to the period
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Sword and the Flame is a fun, simple set of rules and, in my not so humble opinion o_o, the most over-rated set of rules ever. Yes, I play it some times and own it. But it ain't half what some folks try to make it. A great set of rules is Habitants and Highlanders for FIW. And from an old issue of Courier, there is Frontier in Flames (if I recall it right). Not so playable, but a good source book, is Drums Along the Mohawk by Bill Protz (the man behind General Pettygree). I hear you, but I agree - you can do better, much better, with other rules. To really go old school, go with H&H I mentioned. about 40 figures per unit at the skirmish scale. Good rules but GREAT period.
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Sword and the Flame is a fun, simple set of rules and, in my not so humble opinion o_o, the most over-rated set of rules ever. Yes, I play it some times and own it. But it ain't half what some folks try to make it. A great set of rules is Habitants and Highlanders for FIW. And from an old issue of Courier, there is Frontier in Flames (if I recall it right). Not so playable, but a good source book, is Drums Along the Mohawk by Bill Protz (the man behind General Pettygree). I hear you, but I agree - you can do better, much better, with other rules. To really go old school, go with H&H I mentioned. about 40 figures per unit at the skirmish scale. Good rules but GREAT period.
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"...Sword and the Flame is a fun, simple set of rules and, in my not so humble opinion , the most over-rated set of rules ever."
Heresy!! ;)
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You could always try to modify The Sword in Africa variant of TS&TF [ found in the 20th anniversary edition of TS&TF]. It caters for smaller, looser units than the original rules, and has stats for flintlocks and matchlocks.
It seems to me that the original rules weren't meant to cater for battalion sized battles, which is the way most players went. Keep it small, and it's still a great game...I think.
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I have the 20th Ed incl Sword in Africa and the latter never grabbed me at all for some reason. Probably because In the Heart of Africa/Death in the Dark Continent does that era so well
On balance i'll keep to TVG for FIW and save S&tF for my NWF adventures
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I have the 20th Ed incl Sword in Africa and the latter never grabbed me at all for some reason. Probably because In the Heart of Africa/Death in the Dark Continent does that era so well
On balance i'll keep to TVG for FIW and save S&tF for my NWF adventures
I think that is a good choice, I have played TSaTF over the years for Maximillian adventure, colonials including Boer War but it can bog down a bit. Boots bugle etc isnt too bad but there is a nice one on one of the yankee forums for plains indian warfare which uses the same mechanism but with some interesting querks for indians etc
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@ Lowtardog,
Funnily enough, I've got Bugles, Boots etc but could never get away with it. You don't have the address of that "yankee plains wars forum" that has its variant handy, do you?
Many thanks
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Perhaps some minor tweaks; the majority of Regulars must be formed, Settlers cannot form square. Just the obvious stuff.
Any thoughts gentlemen?
It's your game. If you enjoy TSATF for your FIW gaming than who are we to tell you differently? It looks like you have a good handle on how to "tweak" your lists already.
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It's your game. If you enjoy TSATF for your FIW gaming than who are we to tell you differently? It looks like you have a good handle on how to "tweak" your lists already.
Oh, i wasn't seeking permission ;)
Just looking to steal ideas. Someone somewhere will have done the same. And the spadework :D
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What's wrong H.M.S. more than one set of rules too much to cope with?
For variants of TS&TF its worth checking the yahoo group.
The Sword in the Forest is what you are after- its in the "files" section old boy.
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What's wrong H.M.S. more than one set of rules too much to cope with?
For variants of TS&TF its worth checking the yahoo group.
The Sword in the Forest is what you are after- its in the "files" section old boy.
Yes yes GoK. Its alright for you youngsters ..
The Sword in the Forest is what you are after- its in the "files" section old boy.
I can never get anywhere with the Yahoo sites. I do have Sword in the Forest; its a little fussy IMO
I've talked myself back into using TVG
PS. Dried out yet?
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I've talked myself back into using TVG
Very wise old chap, an excellent set of rules. Have you considered Muskets and Tomahawks? Seems to be gathering a following.
& yes quite dry - thanks ever so for asking.
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Have you considered Muskets and Tomahawks?
Bagger Orf!! lol
PS For those not in the know, GoK sent me hurtling down the path to Colonial India with a similar comment, when i was happily toddling along with a small African Explorer project :)
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@ Lowtardog,
Funnily enough, I've got Bugles, Boots etc but could never get away with it. You don't have the address of that "yankee plains wars forum" that has its variant handy, do you?
Many thanks
Here you go it was Jacksons wargamers, I think it is actually better than the Bugles/boots etc version
http://www.angelfire.com/games3/jacksongamer/tomahawk.htm
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Ohh nice link ... now what did i do with all that 7th cavalry i had [Note to Self: no no no, do not ...]
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Ohh nice link ... now what did i do with all that 7th cavalry i had [Note to Self: no no no, do not ...]
Tell me about it I sold off all my plains indians and 7th cavalry last year, I had been collecting them over the years for this set of rules but couldnt face it after painting shed loads of FIW indians and aztecs, inca and Amazonian indians ;D
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There is also this set, which I had planned on using with a long ago sold collection of the dire Old glory Maori, I have also avoided the Empress ones luckily ;D but they do tempt me
http://home.earthlink.net/~cyberkiwi/soldiers/rules.html
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Tell me about it I sold off all my plains indians and 7th cavalry last year, I had been collecting them over the years for this set of rules but couldnt face it after painting shed loads of FIW indians and aztecs, inca and Amazonian indians ;D
Nice link - plenty of ideas there.
I have a mound of FIW civilians, animals, wagons etc to be painted up for a campaign day in September. Fingers crossed I'll still be motivated by then.
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John the OFM has posted on this issue (actually, almost this issue) on The Miniatures Page several times. He uses TSATF for the American Revolution, preferring it to any of the modified versions. Here are links to a couple of his posts:
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=175393
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=240187
(I've tried the same thing in another period, and have a similar period: I think TSATF right out of the box is superior to The Sword in Gaul for the classical period.)
Rick
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John the OFM has posted on this issue (actually, almost this issue) on The Miniatures Page several times. He uses TSATF for the American Revolution, preferring it to any of the modified versions. Here are links to a couple of his posts:
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=175393
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=240187
(I've tried the same thing in another period, and have a similar period: I think TSATF right out of the box is superior to The Sword in Gaul for the classical period.)
Rick
Thanks Rick
It was John the OFM that i had in mind. I searched his posts to see how he rated each party but couldn't trace the FIW thread that i'd seen before
James
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And when i stopped looking i found it ...
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=255604