Spear and Sword- How does it play?

[Atheling]

In my never ending search for rules (this time for a Hastings demo) someone at the club last night suggested Sword and Spear.

Before I take the plunge and part with any cash I was hoping that someone could talk to me about base sizes, how the rules play in general and how suitable they would be for Hastings in particular but also right back to Alexander?

Darrell.

[Belisarius]

We,ve had a couple of games , some of my group are very keen , it reminds me of an expanded DBA.

[Mad Doc Morris]

Maybe the author's interview on Meeples & Miniatures gives an idea: LINK.

[Atheling]

it reminds me of an expanded DBA.

S@#t!!! That's put me off straight away!!! 

Darrell.

[delbruck]

There have been many discussions on TMP. Here's one:
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=387830

[Atheling]

There have been many discussions on TMP. Here's one:
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=387830

Anything that might be construed as competitive is just not my cup of tea.

However, in the interest of fairness, I'll read through the discussion and see what's what..... give the rule set it'd fair due.

Darrell.

[Lowtardog]

I did hastings demo years ago and still think WAB is one of the best sets to capture the use of shieldwall and mixed units of fyrd and huscarls

[Phil Portway]

Darrell

I have played about 6 or 7 games with 400 pts (with chaps who have not played them before), and I have to say, they are excellent set. Really make you think about your dice allocation, but easy to play and we get a result in the evening.

[Atheling]

I did hastings demo years ago and still think WAB is one of the best sets to capture the use of shieldwall and mixed units of fyrd and huscarls

You know, I've still got Shieldwall in the back of my mind for the project. The only thing that puts me off using WAB is when you get to the stage of the game when units start to run for it and you can end up with a mess of units running all over the battlefield. I was thinking of going back to the WFB Edition 4 Days and using the two push backs then route straight backwards (no "free hacks" though!  )

Darrell

I have played about 6 or 7 games with 400 pts (with chaps who have not played them before), and I have to say, they are excellent set. Really make you think about your dice allocation, but easy to play and we get a result in the evening.

There are a chap or two at the club who have the rules so I'll take a peek at them at some point soon. i know Salute is next year but I really have to get painting and deciding upon the rule set very soon as ten months is not a lot of time in the grand scheme of things.

Thanks to all for their input 

Darrell.

[Polkovnik]

Hi Darrell

Sword & Spear uses fixed frontage units, but these can be any size you like. We use 80mm frontage for 15mm and 120mm frontage for 28mm.

You can read some reviews here to find out more about the rules:
http://polkovnik.moonfruit.com/sword-spear-reviews/4586094213

Any comparison to DBA would be purely in terms of the scale of battle portrayed, and the fact that there are restrictions on how many units you can activate each turn. Other than that the rules are nothing like any of the DBX rules. There are no fiddly geometry issues in Sword & Spear.

Here's a link to a battle report of a 28mm dark ages game, to give you some idea of how it looks and plays for this scale and period:
http://polkovnikproductions.freeforums.org/normans-vs-scots-aar-t43.html

There are lots of other battle reports on the forum as well.

Mark (the author)

[Atheling]

Hi Darrell

Sword & Spear uses fixed frontage units, but these can be any size you like. We use 80mm frontage for 15mm and 120mm frontage for 28mm.

You can read some reviews here to find out more about the rules:
http://polkovnik.moonfruit.com/sword-spear-reviews/4586094213

Any comparison to DBA would be purely in terms of the scale of battle portrayed, and the fact that there are restrictions on how many units you can activate each turn. Other than that the rules are nothing like any of the DBX rules. There are no fiddly geometry issues in Sword & Spear.

Here's a link to a battle report of a 28mm dark ages game, to give you some idea of how it looks and plays for this scale and period:
http://polkovnikproductions.freeforums.org/normans-vs-scots-aar-t43.html

There are lots of other battle reports on the forum as well.

Mark (the author)

Thanks Mark,

I'll give it all a read when I get the time 

Darrell.

[pogo]

once you get those nasty habits of 40 years of WRG/DBM/FOG out of your system, they play lovely

had about 10+ games now, some a predictable downway slide, some cliff hangers from start till end

Alex

[Atheling]

once you get those nasty habits of 40 years of WRG/DBM/FOG out of your system, they play lovely

Well, luckily apart from WRG 6 (which I hated) I don't have any of those nasty habits 

had about 10+ games now, some a predictable downway slide, some cliff hangers from start till end

Actually I got a ringing endorsement of the rules at the club Thursday gone so they might be just the trick for Hastings at Salute.

Thanks for your input 

Darrell.