Nice rules....
Following a comment on my last post I thought it would be nice to provide a bit more information about these rules by Nick Bouette.
I got these a very long time ago from Irregular Miniatures. A quick check on their website indicates they are no longer available, at least from them.
These rules use a six by six square grid, any size really depending on the scale of the troops used. Bob Cordery has provided a good description of the mechanics in an earlier post on his blog so no need to go into detail here.
When I got these rules I was very interested in using them to game the 1918 German offensive against the British. I felt these rules would be very effective at showing the use of barbed wire, trenches and redoubts and also that they would easily cope with tanks as well as stormtroops (diagonal moves for these guys). Happily I have boxes (and boxes) of Hat and Revell troops for the period and a load of tanks, all in 1/72. I like to think that this project is not delayed, it is maturing!
There is a very interesting sidebar to these rules. The use of a lead unit in each square to act as attacker and defender and the use of terms such as "spent" for units taking damage, indicate a lineage going back to Avalon Hill's Turning Point: Stalingrad.
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| Any excuse to use a picture of a great map like this! |
I have mentioned Clayton J Callahan before on this blog. This guy is a character: soldier, Federal Agent and science fiction writer as well as wargamer. I admire his enthusiasm and highly recommend you get a copy of his Battlefields: From Broadswords to Bullets. A unique and simple introductory set of figure rules for plastic men from ancient times to the far future. Get them here for free (for the rest of this month) and share the simple joy of playing toy soldiers as God and nature intended!
Good morning old chap!
ReplyDeleteVolley Fire play very nicely indeed and I (the blogger formerly known as Ogrefencer) used to play a number of games using these rules with an early Sudan set up my good friend Chris Hardman is the custodian of. They are surpringly tactical in their gameplay in an old school kind of fashion. I really must drag out my copy and give them another airing.
Many thanks for the link to the free set of Clayton's rules - they look like a blast!
All the best,
DC
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteVery nice to hear from you. I must admit that I did wonder who Ogrefencer was when I found Bob's post. Perhaps I should be saying "you are Ogrefencer and I claim my £5!".
The Volley Fire rules are very interesting and its funny that, although the example in the rules uses Dervishes etc, my immediate reaction was to think WW1. This must be because it reminded me in some ways of Square bashing. I'll have to find some time soon to get some tanks on the table and give these a proper go.
Cheers
Jay