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Thread: Other Periods/ Other Scales

  1. #1
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    Default Other Periods/ Other Scales

    Hi Rob,
    As you suggested, I am continuing our conversation about ACW and ECW war gaming here in the Wardroom. I mentioned that a friend of mine is trying to get me interested in 28mm ACW skirmish gaming using the Sharp Practice rules. As threatened, here are a couple of photos of my initial efforts in this area:
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    I also mentioned that several decades ago I GM'd a big 15mm ACW game at Historicon. I have hundreds and hundreds of 15mm figs for both sides. Several years ago I packed them all up and stored them away, but I did find some figures that eluded the "Great Packing Up" so here they are: the Pennsylvania Bucktails and Hood's Texans:
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    We also talked about how several years ago I ran a 15mm ECW campaign game at one of my war game shops (it was great fun!). The site won't allow me to attach a word document to this post, so I will cut and paste the campaign protocol and campaign map in the next post on this thread.
    Bill

  2. #2
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    Here is a cut and paste job of the ECW campaign rules and map:
    Home Fires An ECW Campaign
    This page contains the details and map for fighting a fictional English Civil War Campaign.
    HOME FIRES
    AN ENGLISH CIVIL WAR CAMPAIGN SET SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND IN 1642

    This campaign is set in the fictional county of Chillingshire in England. It is the struggle between two local landowners to take control of the county for their chosen side.
    Characters
    Sir Richard Gascoyne of Bamber Hall. (Royalist)
    Sir Richard is a very wealthy Landowner. His money has come from his estates. He inherited a fortune from his Father who made his money from overseas trade and by acting the privateer. He is a full supporter of King Charles. He happily pays Ship Money. He also willingly accepted a Knighthood as his income was in excess of £40 per annum. It is rumoured his religious beliefs lean towards Rome. He has raised a Regiment of Pike and Shot and a Regiment of Horse and intends to use them to secure the county for the King.
    Sir Nathaniel West of Frogmoor Grange.(Parliament)
    Nathanial is the Member of Parliament for Chillingshire. He owns a large estate and has made a fortune from Wool. He is a Puritan and although he wishes no harm to the monarchy he believes the King has been badly advised and has let his people and parliament down. He very concerned about the religious guidance the country receives from Arch Bishop Laud. He refuses to pay ship money and also has failed to take up a Knighthood. He considered leaving for the New World like his friend and fellow MP Oliver Cromwell. Like Sir Richard he has raised a regiment of Pike and Shot and a regiment of horse to assist him in holding the county for Parliament.
    Oliver Gerrard of Holesworth Manor (Undecided)
    Oliver Gerrard is a moderate man of moderate means. His greatest desire is to be left to farm his land, see to the welfare of his tenants and hunt in the winter. He pays ship money but resents it. However he fears events will over take him. He is undecided who in the event of war he will support. Should the need arise he can raise a small regiment of musket armed foot.



    Sir Thomas Sharpe of Deerpark Hall (undecided)
    Like Oliver, Thomas is very much on the fence. He wants to see which way the wind will blow. His family history is demonstration of the dangers of civil war as this once proud family lost lands, titles and lives during the War of the Roses by consistently backing the wrong king! As Thomas’s aged father never tires of reminding him. The last two hundred years have seen the Sharpe family star start to rise again and Thomas has no wish to put that in jeopardy. He can raise a regiment of horse and also has stored at Deerpark Hall a Minion Gun.
    Colonel James Steele of Slate House (undecided)
    Colonel Steele (As he likes to be called) saw some limited action in the continental wars. He was in fact a Captain in a Foot Regiment. His money is inherited and diminishing fast due to having a low income but high living standards. Dogged by bad luck at the gaming tables he has had to borrow from Sir Richard Gascoyne to clear certain debts. He has given little thought as to where his support will go. Although it will most probably break him he will raise a regiment of Pike and Shot.
    Bartholomew Bassett of Danemoor(Undecided)
    Bartholomew is a quiet man. He runs a small but profitable estate. He is a puritan by faith but a Kings man by inclination. And, like his King he is weak and always influenced by the last person he spoke to. He is friend of Nathanial West and seeks his advice in most matters. Like Colonel Steele he also saw action overseas. But rarely mentions it.
    He will raise a regiment of Dragoons if needed.
    Captain Francis Pratt Commander of the Trained Bands at Chillingford(Undecided)
    Captain Pratt has commanded the Trained Bands for as long as anyone cares to remember. They are a Pike and Shot unit equipped with somewhat outdated equipment. They exercise every month on Chillingford Common. At least they exercise until the local ale house opens, and then adjourn in there. Pikes, Breast plates and even muskets and their accompanying rests can often be seen leaning against the wall of the “Dog and Duck”. The only action the bands have ever seen was a year previous when they had to police a disturbance by the town apprentices. Result one apprentice arrested (Released instantly when he was found to be the son of the landlord of the “Dog and Duck”), a broken finger for Jerimiah Tuck (Pike man) after Sergeant Cater accidently hit him with his halberd.
    Besides being the home of the Trained Bands Chillingford is also has a small arsenal of powder and shot and also a Saker Gun. The care of which falls to Pratt.
    Pratt is by trade a successful cobbler who owns two shops in Chillingshire and employs men to run them both for him. His main interest in life is beer. He is best friends with Gerald Tuff landlord of the “Dog and Duck”. He avoids thinking of what will happen to him and his Band if civil war erupts.

    CHILLINGSHIRE
    The map of the county shows the location of the residences of the county's notable persons. Marked with coloured symbols.
    The County town Chillingford is situated in the geographical centre of the county. It is land Locked. As can be seen a network of roads links the towns and villages. The villages are marked by a black star. The larger settlements have been named on the map. The county is dissected by the River Chilling which runs from the North East to South West. The Chilling is only crossable by the road bridges.
    London lays to the South East some 102 miles away.
    Chillingshire is a rural county, the main activates being arable farming and sheep. There is some woodland and some downs. Near the towns and villages many of the fields are enclosed by hedges or dry stone walls.
    Movement on the map can only be carried out via roads. Cross country movement is not allowed.
    Horse/Dragoons/Minion gun/Commanders can move 2 villages a turn, Foot /Saker gun 1 village per turn. River bridges count as villages for the sake of movement.
    When a unit passes through a village or drives the enemy out following a battle the village is given a marker showing which faction was last there. If a marked village is subsequently entered by an enemy unit the marker is replaced by their own.
    FIGHTING THE CAMPAIGN
    The object of the game is to take control of the county for your faction. This is done by persuading your neighbours to support your cause and raise troops to swell your army. You will need to defeat the opposing army.
    Battles and Skirmishes take place when opposing forces occupy the same village. Opposing forces cannot pass through each other although friendly forces can.
    Battles should be fought using which ever rule set you prefer. I use "A Splendid Victory" by Trevor Raymond. For small skirmishes I use my own home grown rules. Rules must include the provision for commanders of each unit to be present on the field and to have the risk of them becoming casualties.
    I use a random system for setting up terrain.
    You will need to 20 small cards numbered each with a number of 1 to 9. These are the persuasion chits. Shuffle them well.
    Persuading your neighbours
    All characters begin the game at their own residences. They cannot leave until persuaded to join a faction. Except for the Royalist and Parliament Commanders.
    The only characters already committed are the Royalist Commander Sir Richard Gascoyne and the Parliamentarian Sir Nathaniel West. Both of these gentlemen start with a regiment of Pike and Shot and a regiment of Horse at their Home. These troops can be moved on the map immediately. Regiments split if need. Commanders can move with their troops or independently.
    At the start of the game give each neighbour (not Commanders or Captain Pratt) a face down persuasion chit. The unknown number on the card represents the amount of persuasion it will take to get them to join your cause.
    When a commander moves onto the home of an uncommitted neighbour he can attempt to persuade them to join him. Each commander has 10 persuasion points. He then announces how much persuasion he wishes to use. For example Sir Gascoyne visits Thomas Sharpe and bids 7 of his persuasion points , Sharpes persuasion chit is turned over, if the bid is equal to or higher than Sharpes chit Sharpe becomes a Royalist and puts himself, his regiment of horse and minion gun at Gascoyne's disposal. If the persuasion points bid and the chits number are the same the commander keeps his full quota of persuasion points, If the bid is over, the commander loses the difference. So if the chit was 7 and the commander bid 9, the commanders persuasion points would reduce to 8.
    If the persuasion points are lower than the chit number the neighbour declines to join the commander and does nothing else. He is issued a new Chit. Again the difference between persuasion points used and chit number are deducted. The commander must immediately leave the neighbours home and go to the nearest village.
    Commanders can recoup persuasion points at the rate of 1 for each turn spent doing nothing in a village.
    Once activated the neighbours can leave their home with their troops and move as directed by the commander. Again troops can be joined together to make an army or operate separately as desired I.E for patrol work or to secure a river crossing. Only Commanders can persuade neighbours.
    Captain Pratt does not have to be persuaded. He will join the first commander that speaks to him. I.E. arrives in Chillingford, and put his trained band and the saker gun at their disposal.
    COMMANDERS
    Commanders can be captured either in battle or if intercepted on the map travelling alone. If Captured they are conveyed to the residence of the Commander whose side captured them and there held prisoner. A rescue can be attempted if it is deemed worth it.!
    If a commander is killed or captured his duties fall upon his second in command. If they should be then killed or Captured the unit or units they commanded are passed to another commander of the players choice on his side. If there are no further commanders available the unit disbands and is removed from the game.
    If the faction commander is killed the faction is commanded by his second. If they fall faction command is given to any commander on the players side. If there are no other commanders the campaign is lost.
    Second in commands are as follows
    Sir Richard Gascoyne = Peter Gascoyne (Son)
    Sir Nathaniel West = Arthur West (Brother)
    Oliver Gerrard = Tristan Palmer (Estate Steward)
    Col James Steele = Charles Fairbrother (Brother in Law}
    Bartholomew Bassett = Thomas Bassett {Son)
    Captain Pratt = Sergeant John Cater (Trained Band Member. Baker by profession)
    SIEGES
    There are no sieges in the campaign for two main reasons. There is not sufficient artillery and none of the commanders homes are fortified in any but a very superficial and decorative way.
    The commanders homes can be attacked only if the commanders whose home it is, is there with his forces. The battle is fought with the defenders behind walls, hedges and ditches to represent hastily erected barricades. Rules would have to be made to allow artillery to make breaches.
    Villages are not attacked battles are just fought at their location.
    Chillingford can be attacked if occupied by the enemy and is resolved the same way as attacking the manor houses..
    REGIMENTS
    Obviously the size of the units involved will depend on the number of figures the player has available.
    If units fall below 25% strength the unit disbands, If the Faction posses a unit of similar type the residue of the disbanded unit can be joined to it. If not it is lost. The Commander of a lost unit can be given command of another unit if one is available.
    RECRUITMENT
    There are opportunities to recruit replacements for depleted units. Casualties can be replaced but only up to the original strength of the unit.
    Recruitment is done as follows. Commanders can only recruit for their own units and at villages/towns that have their faction marker on them. The commander must stay inactive in the village for 2 turns.
    The Commander then decides how many recruits he needs (Remember he cannot recruit more than the original strength of the unit) and selects a number between 1 and 10. He then rolls a D10. if the number is equal to or more than his number he gets his recruits. If the number rolled is less he must leave empty handed.
    SEQUENCE OF PLAY
    Each player Dices for initiative. The highest score wins. Re-roll a draw.
    The active player moves a unit, followed by the next player until each side has moved all their units. Units do not have to be moved.
    Carry out any persuasion on neighbours
    Fight any battles/ skirmishes
    Remove destroyed units/commanders/ appoint any required second in commands to replace.
    Recruit
    End of turn.
    The campaign will end when one side is so weakened that it cannot field an effective force.
    All Commanders and second in commands have been lost.
    CONCLUSION
    There will be many errors and omissions in this game. Players may like to add or take away elements to suit their own view of how the campaign should be played.
    I believe this could be adapted to cover the War of the Roses.

    Campaign Map:
    ECW MAP.pdf

  3. #3
    Admiral of the Fleet.
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    The Campaign reminds me of a weekend we did re-enacting ECW at Ratley village near to Edgehill Bill.
    It was called the "Squires dilemma and involved the local squire at the Hall who was the Royalist supporter trying to raise a Militia.


    At the other end of the Village, a contingent of Recruiters from the Parliament i.e. our Regiment arrived trying to raise troops for our cause.
    This involved quite a few visits to the local Inn, where we had redactors doing their thing.



    Sure enough the recruiting party soon got sucked into a few drinks with the locals, games at the tables etc, assignations with the local bawds etc. Meanwhile a large group of our members were holding a market on the Village Green, cutting corn in the meadow, blacksmithing and even dry stone walling et al.





    We established a small soldiers’ camp at the other end of the village on the Saturday morning. Towards dinner time the Squire emerged and had a serious debate with our senior officer just outside the Inn. The recruiting party then marched into the market and started enlisting the locals. On the following day after the church service and a few more ales at the pub during which a local gentleman arrived to accuse one of our officers of dallying with his wife. He then drew his sword and our Officer shot him with his pistol.




    After that it all kicked off. Our troops marched down to the village green now the market had gone, met the Squires Militia and had a jolly good ding dong.
    One of the best weekends I have had in the 17th century.

    Rob.
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    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

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