I agree on all accounts with you, Ashmie.
• I think as for rules, I should hold my musings back if it were to slow a team game. That aside Lovejoy was playing his first game (Congrats to him on that) and I was still playing my second, with muddled conceptions in mind. Even Prim had some things that were new (Skirmishers can form squares, etc.) and was consulting the book quiet often for special situations. I think with a few more games, things will really run smoothly. It seems once you get things down pat, a one-on-one game can be done within the space of an hour or so.
• As for the calvary, I'm not ardent on it. It was more musing than any real suggestion. It does seem calvary is quiet limited in BP (and rightfully so with its historic role), but that is coupled with our lack of space on our boards. (Compared to the Priestly's place.) I should say playing on a 6x6' space was really awesome, but the calvary yesterday, the hussars and cuirassiers, played no role in the game.
- another idle musing: Partly due to setup (the Hussars showed up late) and partly due to my fair incompetence (the cuirassiers have the distasteful honor of the unit that marched the most) calvary played no role. Well, discussing this with Prim, Prim made the point that calvary are meant to roam the back field if possible. This is all very possible for "Marauder" calvary which can get away from their commanders, but what about heavy calvary? What is their role on the field? While not impossible to imagine, it seems the BP rule set and our board space really limit the use of heavy calvary to just flank guards.
• Skirmishers are really good. Very flexible (they can from up as regular line infantry, too), great at shooting (+1 to hit and a re-roll), and difficult to hit. They are no more vulnerable to calvary than other regular infantry.
Of course they are weaker in combat. They can't charge unless it is other skirmishers or double-charging an engaged unit on its flank. Still, they are able evade a charge on a command role, so it is hard to bring them to combat. In addition, there is no flank or rear to a skirmish unit, so they can always form square as a response to calvary. (One more thing making them edge out line infantry.)
I was reading the Warlord forums, and there seem to be lot of players who think that skirmishers are a little too good.
A couple of players play with a house rule that skirmishers don't get the "make square rule". There are also a number of players who push for limited numbers of skirmishers and small units to keep them under control. I think both responses are valid.
- oh another idle musing and question: If you read the section on formations, it says any regular infantry can from into Skirmish Order. Later read the section on special rules and there is no "skirmish" rule. The book is very unclear whether skirmishers are another type of unit or whether they are a status for infantry. The book sometimes suggests line infantry can form into skirmishers (the formation rules) and other times (like in the Battle Reports) it suggests they are a separate type of unit, a kind of sub-category of infantry.
Oh, yes, overall let's just keep this gentlemanly. It was a fairly even game, although it was not meant to be or perfectly balanced. I felt sorry towards Lovejoy because his battalion was the smallenst between us and mine was the only half-painted force.
I'll have to work on that.
And yes, the Old Guard lived up to their name and their bearskins. They took a heck of a pounding, but kept the French left guarded for longest time. Huzzah!
Maybe I'm a bit more of the "fire and maneuver" school, if there is such a thing. Still, it made for an interesting game. Thanks! (And thanks for putting up with my persistent rule question asking. Sorry, next time I'll try to keep it to a minimum.)
