tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780195401099519720.post7223256609548199754..comments2024-03-01T02:57:28.885-08:00Comments on Glorious Little Soldiers: Game or period.?Big Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17235478427317774609noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780195401099519720.post-8021074341385266402011-03-02T00:44:23.018-08:002011-03-02T00:44:23.018-08:00John Thats the way I've always worked. I reall...John Thats the way I've always worked. I really hate set unit sizes. Now granted aor uses them in theory but since unit size is not used as a rule mechanism you can use the size you need for the army you are modelling. I've used AOR- with modifications for lots of sub- periods as the basic rulesare simple and pretty elegant you can "bolt on" period specifics. I'm not convinced they do Marlborough well butanything from say 1730 up to the AWI and selectivly afterwards so I've used them for the War of 1812 but also - with a good bit of fiddling - for Wellington in India as well as other Indian campaign of the 18th century.Big Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17235478427317774609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780195401099519720.post-81480686740831593982011-03-01T13:37:41.100-08:002011-03-01T13:37:41.100-08:00I'm glad to find someone else who still likes ...I'm glad to find someone else who still likes the Age of Reason Rules as I do too, being definitely a period player and in favour of making the rules fit the period. Why pay for extra guff that you won't use? <br /><br />One of my pet hates is the fixed unit size so often found which doesn't reflect real historical differences between units of different nationalities - something real commanders had to cope with, and I also don't like including command figures in the 'line'; having 12 man units including an officer, standard and musician just looks silly to me, so I usually sort out my own unit sizes and command figures to suit my prejudices.John Clementshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02591264539878321434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780195401099519720.post-76339473048888890882011-03-01T06:49:13.478-08:002011-03-01T06:49:13.478-08:00PP and Jeff. Grants book was/is much more than mer...PP and Jeff. Grants book was/is much more than mere rules. It was his period knowledge that inspired. I went off and read as much of his bibliography as I could .<br /> As for TSATF I do have a copy given to me by Larry Brom back inthe day but have never played a game despite having a good selection of NW frontier figures and a mass of books on the Frontier- that was Churchills fault oh and Flashman...Big Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17235478427317774609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780195401099519720.post-60728012814514409642011-03-01T06:33:41.394-08:002011-03-01T06:33:41.394-08:00Stewve and Ross- I end up agreeing with both of yo...Stewve and Ross- I end up agreeing with both of you in part. Part of my objection to Rank and File specifically is the set unit sizes whatever the period and the glossing over of period differences to make the rules work within their forced framwork. To my mind there is currently too much "making the history fit my rules " rather than making the rules fit the history DBA/M/R/MM is also the same.<br /> And while Ross is correct in saying that human nature doesn't change too much over 2-300 years I would suspect that there are more changes than you'd think - especially in respect to attitudes to discipline.<br /> But Ross is right about the need to legislate or not. My point is that most newer rules DO feel the need as the assumtion now is that the player is either incapable or too lazy to work it out for himself.Big Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17235478427317774609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780195401099519720.post-7896101083807972632011-03-01T05:46:26.908-08:002011-03-01T05:46:26.908-08:00Andy - I find my almost in total agreement - for m...Andy - I find my almost in total agreement - for me period is always the feel that I look for in a set of rules.... my fascination with a specific period is almost always book/film driven.... <br /><br />I also agree with Ross Mac, but only if you can choose your opponent - expecting them to play to the period is not often possible if they are not well read in that period... a period specific set of rules as Andy describes would then provide the framework to ensure they play to the period, not the game/rules....Steve-the-Wargamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07077311120172727690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780195401099519720.post-4365482812064039342011-03-01T05:27:24.072-08:002011-03-01T05:27:24.072-08:00Can't answer for specific rules but you've...Can't answer for specific rules but you've got the wrong end of the stick Andy. Human nature doesn't change, not over the short term like 200 years and while there are weapons differences, they can and should be modeled, but if your rules cover the effects of weapons, morale, discipline, command structure etc and <b>allow</b> the player to organize and drill his armies in an appropriate manner for the historical period, then the rest should fall out from that. <br /><br />If you have to legislate how the troops are organized and drill and what formations they use then the player is playing the rules not the period. If the player has the choice but chooses to not send out skirmishers, to form in 3 ranks and deploy according to 1740 drill manuals rather than 1860's ones, and if he doesn't have well trained staff officers or handy brigades and divisions because they "aren't right", well then he is playing the period. <br /><br />-RossRoss Mac rmacfa@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04053555991679802013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780195401099519720.post-63636026341695128432011-03-01T04:42:42.178-08:002011-03-01T04:42:42.178-08:00I'll agree about Grant's "The War Gam...I'll agree about Grant's "The War Game" . . . I got into the 18th century because of it.<br /><br />But if I had to pick a rule set that most inspired me into a period, it would have to be "The Sword and the Flame" (not sure now if it was version 1 or revision 1, but it was a very early set). It made the Colonial period sound interesting and fun to game. (I'm now using TSATF 20th and still enjoying them).<br /><br /><br />-- JeffBluebear Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05171345165563779232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780195401099519720.post-89923903966685006162011-03-01T04:03:47.315-08:002011-03-01T04:03:47.315-08:00Great post Big A
Charles Grant may not have got y...Great post Big A<br /><br />Charles Grant may not have got you but he got me with The Wargame. it kicked me off as a wargamer, firmly established my favoured period, WAS SYW, which eventually lead to my keen reading of millitary history (17th,18th & 19thC). This eventually made me a keen reader, watcher and visitor of history in general. I dont believe we should sell some of these rules short they might be the catalyst for the garnering of period knowledge and more irrespective of there generic nature. Im sure Charlie Grant didnt expect his rules to have the effect on a 12 yo boy growing up in Adelaide that they did, I also suspect I wasnt the only one.<br /><br />PPPaintPighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09047331820540221681noreply@blogger.com