Never mind The Bill Hooks - rules release in next month's Wargames Illustrated

[Severian]

The other thing that comes to mind is that formation is very important for pike so should 'Disarray' cause them to revert to 3 ranks?

Any Disarrayed infantry count only their front rank in melee (p.18, rh column, 1a under The First Round of Melee, and reiterated on p.19 rh column under Continuing Melees). So a bigger differential for pikemen, especially after the second round of melee when both sides are automatically disarrayed.

I was also puzzled at first about the practical difference between pikes and billmen but I reckon the extra rank in initial combat and other details ought to work. Looking forward to trying these rules out - lots of simple but nicely calculated mechanics.

[Norm]

Does anyone know whether the loss of a leader (not CO) cause the loss of any Army Morale Tokens?

[Harry Faversham]

I've just found the ruleset I was sent by someone some time ago...

St Crispin's Day: medieval combat rules for model soldiers.

Anyone had a pop at 'em?

[levied troop]

Does anyone know whether the loss of a leader (not CO) cause the loss of any Army Morale Tokens?

From page 22 (b) it appears that:
If a Leader with a unit is killed as a result of melee or shooting or he is forced to quit a melee, then a Morale Crisis Test is taken. If this is failed and the unit takes a Daunted token, then a Morale token is lost.  If the unit is Broken as a result of a failed test then either 1 or 2 Morale toekens are lost depending on the state of the unit, Daunted or Undaunted, before the ‘break’.

 So basically, yes if you fail the morale test. If you pass the morale test, well, no-one liked that Leader anyway.

[Norm]

Thanks, that makes sense, plus I have not used the leaders as part of the count when first allocating Army Morale Tokens

[Norm]

I have put up a bit of an AAR on my blog that covers my first local action, combined with some commentary about the rules.

Two forces at a little over 100 points meet on a small open table (no terrain), with pretty much all of the mechanics coming into play. I really enjoyed the set. Thank you to all concerned for producing Billhooks

LINK
http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2020/09/giving-wotr-billhooks-rules-first-outing.html

[Captain Blood]

An interesting and helpful review. Thanks Norm.

[Black Burt]

The cards are now available from Wargames Illustrared £6
https://www.wargamesillustrated.net/shop/never-mind-the-billhooks-card-deck/?fbclid=IwAR1NotgU3_X9rNUsSfL2E7IAhxVeMsPWtG2II63uLg3E-TL2agV9ChmuCx8

[Plynkes]

I've been giving these rules a bit of a look while in the smallest room, and I get the feeling I would like them. I don't suppose I will ever play them, though. Really not in the market for collecting and painting a new period (though if some kind soul was to send me a couple of armies it would be churlish  to not play with them - only kidding!).

I really like how the lowest grade of leader is called a'dolt.' Such a good word that you don't hear much these days. When I was small villains in comics were forever calling their minions dolts when they messed up. I'm going to use it in daily life from now on.

"l'm surrounded by dolts!" - That will go down well at work, l'm sure. 

[AndyC]

For pros and cons of Pikes in NMTBH I was thinking of what happened at Flodden. The Scottish left hand Pike division attacked in good going, (so, in game terms, all 4 ranks count) and swept all before it. The other divisions came floundering through the boggy ground at the foot of Branxton hill (and so got "Disarrayed" by moving in this bad going which means they count only their front rank) and got chopped to pieces by the English Billmen. The English get 2 rounds of melee to do their business before the whole thing turns into a giant mess, with everyone in disarray and counting only 1 rank. 2 rounds should be enough to win it for them. If the front company in a block loses a melee and is  Daunted or Broken by failing the compusory post-melee Morale crisis test, then the one behind it is also Daunted or Broken. A serious loss of Army Morale Tokens!
I will try and keep an eye open for any rules questions that might pop up here. There is also a thriving Facebook page with 150+ members so far which is a good place to see how other people might be interpreting my rules.

[Captain Blood]

Thanks Andy, and welcome to Lead Adventure Forum
I'm on your Fb group.
Looking forward to trying out the rules once I've got the pukka cards / tokens etc in my sticky mitts.


Edit: Meanwhile, here are my hand-crafted 'Daunted' markers - or the first few of them anyway...



More piccies here:
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=40936.1860

I really like how the lowest grade of leader is called a'dolt.' Such a good word that you don't hear much these days. When I was small villains in comics were forever calling their minions dolts when they messed up. I'm going to use it in daily life from now on.

Yes, I noticed that. Fabulous word. Nice one Andy 

[AndyC]

CRIBSHEET - there is a revised version of the Billhooks Cribsheet, which claries the Turn End sequence, now available as a free download at www.wargamesillustrated.net Go to Posts>NMTBH>Downloads>Cards, Tokens and Cribsheets.

[Atheling]

CRIBSHEET - there is a revised version of the Billhooks Cribsheet, which claries the Turn End sequence, now available as a free download at www.wargamesillustrated.net Go to Posts>NMTBH>Downloads>Cards, Tokens and Cribsheets.

I've just downloaded the latest.

Thanks for keeping everyone abreast of everything 

[Norm]

OFFICIAL PLAYING CARDS

My deck of cards arrived today in the post from Wargames illustrated and they are VERY nice. With full colour to backs and front.

They are playing card size and come in a protective plastic tray and fitting lid.

There are some bonus cards that are essentially play aids to highlight some of the sequence of play.

The only thing i don’t understand is that the original deck gives each side 1 x Skirmisher and artillery card, this deck supplies 4 per side, I am not sure how that is meant to work. It perhaps would have been better to have had the additional leader cards that are sold separately.

The whole job for £6 seems like excellent value. Thanks WI.

[Arcane Steve]

Hi Norm, I think that there were some collating issues with the first batch of cards and the extra Skirmisher cards were included in error. The subsequent packs will only have the correct amount of Skirmisher cards. Better a few spare than a shortage! I hope that helps, regards, Steve