Napoleonics anyone?

[Primarch]

Following on from this thread, I just watched the first episode of Sharpe (a British TV series about a unit in the Napoleonic Wars).

This has got me interested in playing some games of a similar nature. I know some people have 6mm figures, but I was thinking more along the lines of Victrix or Perry Miniature 28mm scale. Does anyone else play games like this or have any suggestions for rules sets etc?

[ashmie]

Yes and again yes!

I will recommend a set of rules I have used for play by post battles and tabletop battles. The name escapes me at the moment so I'll check later and let you know tomorrow. Something of Eagles.


I have a few British Napoleonic models but I need to advance them.

[Mike the Pike]

As you may know, TOD and I both have fledgling 6mm Napoleonic armies from Baccus minis.
http://www.baccus6mm.com/index.php

As for 28mm, IMHO I think it is completely the wrong scale for Napoleonics. The recent models from The Perrys and other companies look fantastic but they are just too big. As a 15mm Napoleonics player for a long time, I have to say the period is better represented by swarms of smaller scale models. Can't beat the feeling of fielding a full Division on the table top. It's like every game is Apocalypse.

That's my two yen worth anyways. That's not to say a skirmish level game wouldn't be fun. Mind you if one were to play with Sharpe, Harper and the rest of the 'Chosen Men' you would auto-win every battle.

[Primarch]

As you may know, TOD and I both have fledgling 6mm Napoleonic armies from Baccus minis.
http://www.baccus6mm.com/index.php

As for 28mm, IMHO I think it is completely the wrong scale for Napoleonics. The recent models from The Perrys and other companies look fantastic but they are just too big. As a 15mm Napoleonics player for a long time, I have to say the period is better represented by swarms of smaller scale models. Can't beat the feeling of fielding a full Division on the table top. It's like every game is Apocalypse.

That's my two yen worth anyways. That's not to say a skirmish level game wouldn't be fun. Mind you if one were to play with Sharpe, Harper and the rest of the 'Chosen Men' you would auto-win every battle.

Ah, Sharpe et al, the Space Marines of the Napoleonic Era.
I have no problem with 6mm when you're fielding titans and super heavy tanks etc, but when the biggest model on the table is actually 6mm I cant be bothered. The smaller the scale, the more abstract the game becomes, 1 stand is actually 50 men etc etc. 15mm scale would be ok I guess (similar to FoW), but to be honest, I just like the 28mm scale for my toy soldiers. I know I dont paint my armies that well, but when I did my FoW stuff it just felt unsatisfying, epic 40k models more so. I want to have a narrative for individual models, not just the overall battle going on in my head.

[Spevna]

Following on from this thread, I just watched the first episode of Sharpe (a British TV series about a unit in the Napoleonic Wars).

This has got me interested in playing some games of a similar nature. I know some people have 6mm figures, but I was thinking more along the lines of Victrix or Perry Miniature 28mm scale. Does anyone else play games like this or have any suggestions for rules sets etc?

If you want to play 28mm Napoleonics, I recommend taking the skirmish path and playing Songs of drums and shakos;

http://www.ganeshagames.net/napoleonic/

I have the rules if you fancy a gander.

[Primarch]

If you want to play 28mm Napoleonics, I recommend taking the skirmish path and playing Songs of drums and shakos;

http://www.ganeshagames.net/napoleonic/

I have the rules if you fancy a gander.

A gander would be nice.
20 models max is a little too skirmishy perhaps, but its a good place to start.

[AndrewGPaul]

If those rules are anything like their fantasy sibling, Songs of Blades and Heroes, they're rather simple compared to 40K or the like, but good fun.

There's an iPad app ( http://www.ganeshagames.net/ipad/ ), if anyone has the gadget in question.

Your comment about scale is an interesting one; to me, the smaller the miniatures used, the less abstract it gets - in 28mm, one miniature represents hundreds of men, in 6mm, tens. I take the point about them being less visually appealing, though.

I must admit that the Napolenic era - and earlier, like the Thirty Years War and later, like the American Civil War, hold no appeal;I just don't find any of the forces involved visually appealing.

[me_in_japan]

yah, me too - if there aint laser guns or fireball slinging pointy ears, then I aint interested funny that, really. I wonder why that is...

[Primarch]

Your comment about scale is an interesting one; to me, the smaller the miniatures used, the less abstract it gets - in 28mm, one miniature represents hundreds of men, in 6mm, tens. I take the point about them being less visually appealing, though.

I was thinking more along the lines of 1 model in 28mm equals 1 man. For major engagements, small scale is best and I know that the Baccus minis that Mike the Pike is planning to use are meant to represent far more models than are actually on the table.
To be honest, I'm looking for a skirmish level game that is around the same scale of battles as 40k. 40 or 50 men a side with a little support, maybe a small localised part of a bigger battle, or just two vanguard companies bumping into each other unexpectedly. Not every battle was Waterloo.

[Primarch]

Perfect.
http://www.albanminiatures.com/BritishR ... tures.html
Chosen men! At the double!