A place to post about ‘Epic’ Age of the Big Battalions

[Norm]

My understanding is that there is a FaceBook group that gives a focus to the Epic Range by Warlord Games, but I don’t use FaceBook and posts here generally seem infrequent and easily fragmented, so perhaps those of us with an interest in Epic style armies might use this thread to post our ideas and games etc.

[Norm]

I have a lot of the Epic stuff and each set is so stuffed with content that it is easy to get a bit overwhelmed. My approach is changing to creating just small armies from each box, just to get some gaming going and then growing those armies over time, though still keeping things to a divisional sized game.

My experience with even very small forces is that really good games can fall from them, you play to a conclusion in one sitting and there isn’t enough time to develop any game fatigue.

I have just started my Prussian force and my first game involves just 2 Musketeer battalions, 1 Fusilier battalion and a jäger company (1 base), plus a regimental commander.

I have picked 15th June 1815, the day before the Battle of Ligny for my scenario basis. The French army has crossed the Belgian border and is contacting Prussian outposts and pushing them in. One such incident involved the Prussian 28th Infantry Regiment near Gilly engaged in a rearguard action and I have put together a themed scenario to cover that ….. which is on the table now as I write this.

The point of the post is just to show how a decent game can be put together with a relatively low unit count, while painting continues in the background.

I have done three bases per Prussian unit, firstly because I want all my battalions to have three bases, but also because in this scenario, I want to show the Prussian battalions as being ‘large’.

I don’t have enough French to do the six battalions (2 regiments) at three bases each, so each of their battalions comprise of just two bases - which still looks nice.

here is my sketch map. I will post with a battle outcome, but it might take a few days to play, because my back is sore and I am just getting through 2 turns a day! BooHoo.

In the game the jäger company rolls to see which of the two friendly woods they find themselves deployed in. It ended up that they are on the Prussian left, but they have just moved forward to the scrub along the river bank to fire at the approaching French 1st battalion.

On the painting sticks, I have just primed 15 Landwehr Lancers, which will give me a 3 base cavalry unit. I already have a couple of guns, so soon I will be able to put on a game with all arms working together.

[Norm]

The latest Wargames Illustrated magazine (issue 452 for August 2025) hits UK stores (Sainsbury's now also carry it) and it carries a free Epic Sprue for their new Epic release ... Revolution (AWI).

In fact, according to the WI latest video, there are a variety of four different sprues on offer, the one I picked up (there was no choice, all the mags carried the same sprue) is a frame for 'British Army 2'. This is the one that carries the Hessians and Allies.

The artwork on the front of the mag is taken from the box cover of the Revolution battle box.

There is a 4 page article that gives details of what are on the selection of four frames and this is really useful as it is something that Warlord Games don't generally give enough coverage to in their game boxes.

The 'Never Mind The ......' rules series by Andy Callan gets a Never Mind the Bushido article and for Italian Wars 1494 - 1559 fans there is a look at the new Warlord Games Pike and Shotte supplement 'Death and The Landsknecht'.

Plus all the usual pretty pictures including a close look at Bill Gaskin's Seven Years War game at Partizan 2025.
I have just noticed the advert on the back which is for the new Wars of the Roses supplement for Swordpoint rules by Gripping Beast - nice!

[Norm]

A French / Prussian 1815 scenario with just 3 Prussian battalions

The rearguard action on the road to Gilly has now been fought and considering how few troops the Prussians have, gave an entertaining game ….. as always these small actions, like the old teasers, seem to punch above their weight.

Tweaks to the original scenario, play notes and photos are all up over on the Battlefields & Warriors Blog at this link;

https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2025/08/a-prussian-rearguard-near-gilly-15th.html

[vtsaogames]

I seem to have missed what rules are being used in these battles. Perhaps they are hiding in plain sight? I've done that before.

[Pattus Magnus]

Warlord Games’ epic battles sets use the Black Powder rules. The figures are suitable for dozens of other games as well, of course.

[Ray Rivers]

Nice AAR! 

I agree with you Norm, the regiments of 3 bases look smashing.

[Norm]

I seem to have missed what rules are being used in these battles. Perhaps they are hiding in plain sight? I've done that before.

Hi Vincent, I used my own home brew rules, but I think the situation could be played with pretty much anything. If using Black Powder it will be important to ignore the ‘Broken Brigades’ rule and just allow the victory conditions to do their job.

[Chillyray]

Hi Norm, I always enjoy seeing your latest projects. I too am a big fan of the epic scale Napoleonics. My recent bases are just 40mm wide with 7 figures doubled up. this is perfect for the 15mm version of DBN and they work great on a 2 foot square table. Your figures and set up looks great.

[Norm]

Hi Ray, I am very interested in alternative basing for the Epic line-up. Sometimes the 60mm base frontage suits, but other times not so much, but Warlord seem locked into that as part of the Epic presentation.

I have just completed a Prussian Landwehr Lancer regiment and have yet to settle on the basing style.

[vtsaogames]

Very nice! 

[Ray Rivers]

Well, the convention has almost always been that you use the same frontage for both infantry and cavalry.

The problem is, IMO, that the cavalry don't look very good on the provided base because of the spacing of 5 cavalry to a base. This applies to all the Epic ranges. The cav just seem to look strange with so few troopers on the bases. At least to me.

Personally, I think I would mount them with 3 troopers on a 30mm base.

However, saying that, mounting 7 troopers on a 60mm base would vastly improve the optics and be more in line with the infantry strips.

You're call, mate.

[Norm]

thanks, I have been using  30mm deep MDF bases for my ACW stuff instead of the 20mm supplied plastic bases. It helps when bases are behind each other, so bases can stay in contact without horse tails interfering with the next rank.

However, you still end up with a single rank over the 3 bases (180mm frontage) I am thinking of reducing frontage and increasing depth so that the horses can be a bit staggered on the base giving a perception of greater depth and also a sense of movement. Going to one single base is also a thought.

I know that I will almost certainly choose a basing style, base a load of figures and then want to change my mind!

[Aethelflaeda was framed]

I don’t play Black powder much, but on the topic of cavalry frontages…i am very much of the opinion that Cav should be wider stands than infantry. Historically a squadron of cavalry would have occupied a much wider frontage than 2 companies of infantry at the head of an attack column, or on the edge of a square.  At brigade level the total frontages might get a bit closer, but ever since System 7 fell away from fashion, i have yet to see many accurate frontages used.

[Norm]

Mick, you’re not going to like this :-)

I have jumped off the fence re basing my Prussian Landwehr and have gone for a single base to represent the unit, choosing an 80mm x 60mm MDF platform.

Double ranked I get the sort of density that I want, with the horses ranked, but slighty misaligned to give a sense of movement (I hope).

Re-evaluating my table space, i may likely drop my infantry units back to two bases, so in line they would have a frontage of 120mm. Not that it matters too much as I would rule that only one cavalry unit could contact the face of a target unit at any one time, supports would obviously be allowed.

I like the look, but the problem with basing decisions is that I nearly always change my mind :-)