With Hot Lead and Cold Steel. Update March 7, 2024. Youtube battle report

[SteveBurt]

What is the scale of the rules? What is each unit? A regiment? A brigade?
Are figures based singly or in stands? If the latter, how many figures per stand, and per unit?
What is the ground scale and the time scale?
How long does a typical game take to play?

[CapnJim]

I'll get it.  I too like several of Osprey's Blue Books.  Can't hurt to get it.... 

[Pan Marek]

My feelings/experiences indicate that Osprey's war games are distinctly hit or miss.
So, I'll have to reserve judgment until the rules are out and a couple detailed reviews hit the internet.

My group plays F&F, and seem content with it.  Me?  I'm looking forward to the ACW supplement to Muskets & Tomahawks.

[vodkafan]

The poor author is keeping his head down from the flying buckshot now  . I will buy the rules anyway but I still would like to know all the answers to all the questions first...

[General Lee]

lots and lots of questions. I hope I can answer them all 

- How do you do basing?
I have provided suggestions in the book. for instance, I base my infantry per 6 figures on 60 x 40mm. However, it doesn't really matter as 'stands' in the game is what does matter most. Regiments are made up of a number of stands, depending on the size of the regiment/battery. Each stand can incur 6 points of damage before it is destroyed, taking the unit down 1 size (getting weaker)

- What dice do you use?  D6? D10?
D10. lots of D10

How does command work?
- You consult the order table and depending on the difficulty of the order, you need to equal or pass a certain score in order to succeed. The score you need can be influenced by the type of commander you have, giving you penalties or bonusses. You can also use ADCs to improve the your chances. Individual regiments within the brigade may do different things. In division, corps level games. You can give orders to entire divisions.
 
- What makes the rules ACW, as opposed to "generic black powder"?
the correct army book maneuvers and formations: 'move by the flank' 'passing of the lines' 'oblique movement' 'refuse flank' 'brigade in echelon' 'brigade in multiple lines' 'assault column'. difference between types of weapons and ammunition: rifled guns/smoothbore guns, shell/solid shot (will have different effects) cannister. rifled muskets/smoothbore muskets, carbines, repeating rifles. Confederate and Union specific army lists. ACW specific unexpected events table. Political generals, USCT, Rebell Yell, Union Hurrah. The rules reflect the tactics of the ACW. and of course several scenario's

- ...and, what are the unit sizes? How many figures make a game? Why should I
change to your rules from Rebels & Patriots?
Unit sizes, well there are several different sizes: large, average, small, tiny. So what you will field on the table will depend on the orders of battle. As for figures, that would depend on the scale you are playing. I have a sizeable 28mm collection and average infantry regiments number 24 figures, whereas large regiments have 30. But there is no strict guideline for that. the game would be perfectly playable with Warlord's Epic scale figures for instance.

I don't know Rebels and Patriots other than it's a skirmish game. With Hot Lead and Cold Steel is a mass battle game aimed at speed and accessibility without sacrificing a sense of realism and historical accuracy.

[General Lee]

What is the scale of the rules? What is each unit? A regiment? A brigade?
Are figures based singly or in stands? If the latter, how many figures per stand, and per unit?
What is the ground scale and the time scale?
How long does a typical game take to play?

Several of your questions were addressed above

- There is no ground/time scale in the game
- How long a game lasts? A 3 brigade game can be played in 1,5 to 2 hours.

[SteveBurt]

There is a ground scale - how far is musket range? How far is artillery range?
How wide is a regiment?
How big is a stand (not in number of figures, in inches or mm)? And how many men does it represent? You said 24 figures for a 'normal' unit. You said 6 figs per stand, so 4 stands is a normal unit? Usually about 600 men for a typical regiment in the ACW, so that would be 150 men per stand? About the same scale as Fire & Fury then.
How far do infantry move in line? In column?
That will give the time scale given the ground scale

[Leapsnbounds]

Thank you, General Lee, for answering these questions.  Now I am more intrigued.  I like big baattles but like to have my officers and heroes.  I just my pick a copy of the rules.  Keep the answers coming.

[vtsaogames]

- What dice do you use?  D6? D10?
D10. lots of D10...
...Unit sizes, well there are several different sizes: large, average, small, tiny. So what you will field on the table will depend on the orders of battle. As for figures, that would depend on the scale you are playing. I have a sizeable 28mm collection and average infantry regiments number 24 figures, whereas large regiments have 30. But there is no strict guideline for that. the game would be perfectly playable with Warlord's Epic scale figures for instance.

What I glean from this is bucket of D10s for combat.
Large unit = 5 bases, regular = 4, small = 3, tiny = 2.
Sounds like basic unit is regiment/battery, unless rules include bath-tubbing for corps-level fights.

[General Lee]

Hi guys!

Osprey will send me the final lay out (including diagrams and maps etc) today. In a little bit over 3 months, on September 28, With Hot Lead and Cold Steel will be released (North America October 30th).

The Osprey Wargames books work with a fixed number of pages. I have written 4 sizeable scenarios: 1 fictional and 3 historical. Unfortunately, 1 of the historical scenarios couldn't be fitted in the book. We will however provide it as a free download. It also means the book is full to the brim of content for players.

I'm really looking forward to the release date! It's been quite a journey.

[General Lee]

Osprey notified me that the release is delayed slightly. October 26 is now the official release date. Exactly 2 months from now

[General Lee]

Good afternoon people,

I created a Youtube channel to discuss the rules. There will be regular updates. I expect weekly to discuss portions of the rules.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR_hkNbEkre7hh69d9HCgvw

[General Lee]

Video 2 is uploaded, explaining how basing works, how armies are organized and whether or not you can easily work with different scales.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcDfBIn4E0g&t=1s

[AdmiralAndy]

Will there be Sharpshooters represented or Skirmishes at least as snipers and skirmishers knocked off a few Generals amongst other chaps.

[vodkafan]

Looking forward to October 26! I will certainly be buying these rules. Perhaps the war could be over by Christmas......