"Release of new rule set "Battles for Empire II" "

[wrgmr1]

Chris Leach, Author of "Battles for Empire", Co-Author of "Shako 2" and Scenario book for Shako "Fields of Glory"
Is presenting for the first time publicly at Enfilade next weekend his new revised rule set, "Battles for Empire 2"

More streamlined for easy fast play with innovative systems, it will be great success for Colonial Gaming.
Zulu Wars, Boxer Rebellion, Sudan and Afghanistan will be the main focus for these rules but they can be used for any colonial time period.
A World War 1 supplement is planned.

I've personally played these rules many times and find them a fun, fast set you can play in a few hours.
Keep and eye open for this game Saturday morning.

[TheBlackCrane]

Interesting...what with Blue Moon Boxers on the agenda (well, they've at least been mentioned) I am keeping an eye out for a suitable rule set. Anyone have any experience of, presumably Battles for Empire 1, and care to let me know how they run?

Any more information about the new version available anywhere?

[carlos marighela]

So what are the innovative systems? I'm always a little dubious about such claims. What scale does it play out at, 1 stand equals a section/ platoon/ company etc?

[wrgmr1]

European trained regulars are 4 stands which represents a company.
Massed units such as Zulu's and Dervish are 2 stands for a Massed unit.
Boers and Pathans are skirmish stands of 4 per unit. Again representing a company or equivalent.

Innovative systems.
8 hits per unit with markers to show how many hits per unit. Fire degradation when the unit takes losses of -1 or -2 on the firing tables.

Movement charts for each faction:
European trained, Boers, Pathans, Dervish or Zulu's. Each has a Good Order chart or unit Shaken chart, with fanatic charges for Zulus and Dervish possible.

A unit that is Shaken has more difficulty with movement and Melee.

MG's for a number of dice decided by the player. If over half those dice fail to hit, usually 4, 5, 6 then the gun jams and it does no hits that turn. It can fire next turn normally.

These rules will be available for download only.
I really like them, they are fast and fun.

[CptJake]

What are the unit sizes (in figures)?   How are they based?

Thanks

Jake

[carlos marighela]

"Innovative systems.
8 hits per unit with markers to show how many hits per unit. Fire degradation when the unit takes losses of -1 or -2 on the firing tables."

Hmm very innovative circa 1972. Just goes to show there is nothing new under the sun whan it comes to gaming rules. Still that's not necessarily a bad thing.  Eight hits per unit and casualty markers. My enjoyment of Command Decsiion improved considerably when they went from multiple, progressive hit markers to a more elegant system that incorporated the odds within the troop type vis a vis results. Same results, less clutter and keeping track of bloody casualty chits.

Fire degrdadation due to hits has been a factor of pretty much all systems from the beginning of time.

[wrgmr1]

There is no mandatory basing scheme for BFE2, any consistent basing scheme is usable with these rules.

Recommended frontage basing is as follows, using a per figure measurement.

25mm Drilled foot 15mm x 4 stands
15mm Drilled foot 8mm x 4 stands
25mm Skirmishing Boers 23mm x 4 stands one is horse holder
15mm skirmishing Boers 12mm X 4 stands one is horse holder
Drilled dismounted cavalry same as Boers.
25mm Native Massed foot 30mm x 2 stands
15mm Native Massed foot 15mm x 2 stands
25mm Drilled cavalry or camels 20mm x 4 stands
15mm Drilled cavalry or camels 10mm x 4 stands
25mm Boer mounted same as massed foot
15mm Boer mounted same as massed foot
25mm Native Massed Mounted 40mm x 2 stands
15mm Native Massed Mounted 20mm x 2 stands

Depth:
25mm foot 30mm
15mm foot 15mm
25mm mounted 50mm
15mm mounted 25mm

Thus on a Drill foot unit we have 3 figures per stand, 15mm each totals 45mm per stand 4 stands per unit.
Massed we have 6 figures per stand 3 in the front row, 3 in back, mixed up a bit.
The stand is 90mm wide and 60mm deep. 2 stands per unit.

As long as your basing is fairly consistent with the number of stands, these rules will work.

[TheBlackCrane]

Movement charts for each faction:
European trained, Boers, Pathans, Dervish or Zulu's. Each has a Good Order chart or unit Shaken chart, with fanatic charges for Zulus and Dervish possible.

So... is the Boxer Rebellion a focus for the rules or not then? If it has factions but doesn't mention any of these? I mean, fair enough European trained for the Europeans, but interesting how Boxers, Imperial Chinese etc might be characterised in the rules.

[6sided]

Think Chris has missed the boat really.  His rules were in vogue at one time but through lack of anything further for years, games like Black powder have filled the void and I for one would not move away from BP now to go back to BFE.

[Juan]

I played "Battle for Empires"years ago, in my local club, and it was not - for us - a good experience. Now, I can not see nothing innovative and better. But I will look the futures AAR...

[Lowtardog]

Used to play it a lot, a good set for zulu wars, the reaction/movement tables were what I really like about the rules

[Timmo]

I'll probably buy a copy just to get those reaction/movement tables.

[Conquistador]

Chris Leach, Author of "Battles for Empire", Co-Author of "Shako 2" and Scenario book for Shako "Fields of Glory"
Is presenting for the first time publicly at Enfilade next weekend his new revised rule set, "Battles for Empire 2"

More streamlined for easy fast play with innovative systems, it will be great success for Colonial Gaming.
Zulu Wars, Boxer Rebellion, Sudan and Afghanistan will be the main focus for these rules but they can be used for any colonial time period.
A World War 1 supplement is planned.

I've personally played these rules many times and find them a fun, fast set you can play in a few hours.
Keep and eye open for this game Saturday morning.

AARs?

Reviews from someone someone who has actually played the game and not just skimmed the rules?

Gracias,

Glenn
 
On a scale of 1 to 9, interest 4.5