Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: TheMarquis on November 18, 2018, 09:52:59 PM
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Hello folks,
I've been looking for rules that would suit some nineteenth century colonial games, 1st Afgan War, Sikh Wars, the mutiny etc.
I'd be very grateful to hear about fun experiences people have had with any rule sets for this era. I already use Sharp Practice for skirmish games, but for bigger battles I've been using Maurice and Black Powder. Sadly I don't have much time for long games, so I've been hunting for something even quicker and simpler than these.
So if anyone has found any sets that are particularly straightforward or just very good fun I'd be thrilled to hear about it!
thanks
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Highly recommended, easy to learn and quick/fun games!!
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61vHVlNDGtL._SX369_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)
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I would go with the reigning champion,
The Sword and the Flame.
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Highly recommended, easy to learn and quick/fun games!!
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61vHVlNDGtL._SX369_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)
Seconded :)
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I would go with the reigning champion,
The Sword and the Flame.
Fully agree. TSATF rules ok! and if you want to try something different, the rules by the guys who invented this website are a lot of fun - check out Triumph and tragedy here: https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?board=25.0
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Another vote for ‘Me. who Would Be Kings’ - definitely rekindled my love of colonial gaming in the last few years.
Written with skirmish scenarios in mind (40-100 figures per side) but we’ve found the core mechanisms are remarkably robust and can handle much bigger games with few changes, and are readily tweaked if you want to add some campaign-specific supplementary rules. There’s a well supported FB group as well.
I really like Sharp Practice and, like many others, have my own set of draft adaptations for colonial games but, like you, I enjoy MWWBK for faster moving, easily set up and larger games.
I don’t think you’ll be disappointed getting a set to try - usually heavily discounted on Amazon.
Depending on where you’re based, TSATF seems very popular in the USA but never gained a real following in the UK. Can’t say anything bad about a ruleset that has inspired so much interest in the colonial period for 30-odd years but the rules are a product of their time and seem quite ‘clunky’ compared to more recent sets.
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I use (and very highly recommend) Triumph & Tragedy for 1st Afghan, Sikh and Ashanti Wars games, excellent rules, really enjoyable and very easy to adapt with special events/characters depending on how individual you want to make the games.
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Another for TMWWBK.
I've played Zulu vs British, British Vs Boer, Boer vs Zulu, British vs Sikh and Risorgimento (😳) with them and not broken them yet. All have been good games and the tribes have won as often as the regulars. I'm planning on Sudan and quite possibly Crimea too.
I have played TSATF and T&T too, (in fact I submitted some ideas on how the British should be organised and behave when the latter were being written). All three are good but TMWWBK edge it and capture a flavour of "the movies" which the others don't quite get.
Lastly TMWWBK are easily available and fairly cheap, so if you don't like, you've not wasted much. Based between either set is interchangeable, so you're safe there too.
Good luck.
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"The Sword and the Flame", the only Colonial era rules IMHO.
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Never been a big fan of the Sword & the Flame (but that may have been coloured by playing the original version with the very deterministic casualty tables).
The Men Who Would be Kings is quite fun, if a bit random.
Black Powder is OK but never really gave a good flavour for the period for us.
We've found Death in the Dark Continent to be a very good Colonial set; always gives exciting games and is interesting to both sides.
We've also tried Victorian Steel, which has some interesting ideas but is not a very tightly written set; we ran into lots of situations not well covered by the rules.
The Horns of the Bull is a fun set for Zulu War games, but perhaps a bit too driven by the cards for my taste.
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Another vote for 'TMWWBK'
We have used it for Indian Mutiny (see Flatpack's posts- The Ambassador's residence)
and we plan to use a, slightly, modified version for our up coming WW1 East coast Africa
(working title= Askari).
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I use (and very highly recommend) Triumph & Tragedy for 1st Afghan, Sikh and Ashanti Wars games, excellent rules, really enjoyable and very easy to adapt with special events/characters depending on how individual you want to make the games.
+1, great set of rules.
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In one of the TooFatLardies Christmas Specials there is a set called They Don't Like it Up 'Em. This was written for the Sudan but would readily transpose. It's great fun and very easy to learn.
You might also take a look at Battles for Empire II.
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In one of the TooFatLardies Christmas Specials there is a set called They Don't Like it Up 'Em. This was written for the Sudan but would readily transpose. It's great fun and very easy to learn.
You might also take a look at Battles for Empire II.
Timmo, could you let me know what Special that was. I have most but can't seem to find these rules. Probably the one ( or two) I'm still missing.
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Thanks for the very full responses! Looks like I'll have to look into all of these.
I'll certainly pick up TMWWBK as it's so cheap, and explore some of the other sets for bigger battles
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A set of Rules is above all a matter of taste. I can't say: 'this is the best ruleset for this period. It depends on the player. Some players want to play fast, some others want a more detailed set... I prefer "The Men Who Would Be Kings" because it is simple, realistic [more or less] and it gives very funny games in a reasonable time. I also tried Victorian Steel for some time. It is very realistic as a representation of the period, but it proved too complex for my taste. Yes, I think I belong to those guys who love to play with "the men who would be kings"
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The Sword and The Flame.
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What die size does The Men Who Would Be Kings use to resolve fire combat? Die size for Melee? Is movement distance a fixed rate for each type of unit? Or is movement distance somewhat random, as with the movement dice thrown in TSATF?
I ask because I've liked the d10 or d20 used for firing in TSATF for more than a decade & a half, and consider d6 inadequate to account for varied firing quality & target cover/conditions. I don't like the way so many modern rules use only d6.
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TMWWBK is all d6 based. You role 1 dice per figure (generally) for shooting and melee
You have to activate to move, so movement isn't certain. IIRC running is a random amount of extra movement. Too long since I've played.
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Thanks, fred!
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TMWWBK is my go-to set. But I am biased because I was one of the play testers!
It is a very cinematic rule set, so quite 'Hollywood', but it does give balanced games when you get the scenario right. The unit activation mechanic is good and the various upgrades/downgrades let you customise forces to any theatre very easily. It's a ruleset that rewards player interaction with it; that is, the basic rules work really well, but what you put into it by customising the forces to suit your given theatre and the way you design your own scenarios is what makes it work so well.
If I wasn't playing TMWWBK I'd be playing Triumph and Tragedy. That's a great set too!
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A few recommendations for Triumph and Tragedy!
Is it still commercially available?
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A few recommendations for Triumph and Tragedy!
Is it still commercially available?
Empress Miniatures dude
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Cheers
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I have to put my vote in for "The Sword and The Flame". Been playing them since they were first out. Have enjoyed every game I have played.
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Timmo, could you let me know what Special that was. I have most but can't seem to find these rules. Probably the one ( or two) I'm still missing.
Hi Willie,
Yes – sorry I should have noted it. December/Christmas 2008. There's also an El Teb scenario to complement the rules in the same issue.
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Another vote for TSATF, The Sword And The Flame. My go to rules set.
They are fun, fast, and easily adaptable to different theatres and campaigns.
http://www.sergeants3.com/
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jffnxNYk_Ds/WiCVKu9KyKI/AAAAAAAACHw/YZh_EF9VfTkjf142hINiGErLXcFy7_BbQCLcBGAs/s1600/TSATF%2B-%2BTools%2Bof%2Bthe%2Btrade%2B-1.JPG)
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Now you, sir, are a gamer after my own heart. (I think it's the choice of refreshments that did it... lol)
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TSATF is great. Love that the basic engine is flexible enough to handle a lot of modification.
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A few recommendations for Triumph and Tragedy!
Is it still commercially available?
Send a request to Driscoles here in the Forum, he is the publisher. I talked to him some weeks ago and he is still in it. Maybe he has copies for sale.