Valor&Steel&Flesh question

[leadfool]

One big consideration in the rules is the cards.  Do you plan to have generic cards (ie Prussian, British, etc) or specific, (ie. Prussian 1st cav., British 2nd inf., Colonel Symthe, etc).  While I recommend the later, it does make for more prep time.  The other thing to remember when running one of these games is to take out the cards of destroyed units. 

Guns should be like a card collector game, lots of "common" a few (Medium) uncommon and very few Rare (Large).

We usually put the medium on a fortress  or ship, but rarely on a land vehicle.  I don't think we have ever actually put a large/heavy gun on the table. 

[Sinewgrab]

Well, this being my very beginnings running this system, of course, I have already messed with it some to make it more friendly to a smallish game of 6 players with 1-2 units each. I have a Nef for my Norwegians that I built with a bucket of weaponry, and when you really look at the scale of a GW Tank gun compared to a normal 25 or 28mm, it is about an 18" gun...so I managed to have built a 'Nef with a heavy ground assault gun, a Medium up top for ship to ship, and two lights. So, I just took the step of limiting ammo in this game. They have no shells for the big gun, and only one shot with the medium. Otherwise, this game as laid out would take about 2 turns for the 'Nef at full armament.

What size of a table do you normally play on? I have a 4'x6' that I play on at home (standard size for GW games, which is where I cut my teeth, and still play faithfully), but V&S&F seems to want a larger table...

[Skrapwelder]

If you are using a lot of vehicles, especially flyers then a larger table is always nice but for most games a 4x6 works fine. That's what Leadfool and I usually play on but we have the option of being able to push two table together to get a 6x8 or 4x12.

[leadfool]

I actually resent the 4x6 becomeing the "standard".  I prefer a 4x8 which is a standard piece of plywood.  However at the game store where we play all the game boards (which are very nice) are 4x6, so Skrapwelder is correct.  It is usually 8x6, by attaching 2 4x6.

Good luck on your game.  The other thought with your Nef is to make it experimental, ie on its maiden voage and therefore subject to some sort of random breakdowns. 

[Dewbakuk]

The reason for the 4x6 becoming standard is not purely due to GW, the reason GW did that size for their boards was because that size fits very well over a 'standard' dining table (at least the ones in the UK). There is of course an overhang but it's not too big so no sagging of boards etc. Most tables (and dining rooms) in the UK would struggle with an 8' board, I know I couldn't have one up and get around it.