Level of Interest in Napoleonic FoW?

Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 174

I'm starting to worry that the low activity on the forum is a sign of a low interest in Napoleonic FoW ... or at the very least it will indicate to Battlefront that there is a low level of insterest. Any thoughts?

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 8:04 am

No I think if BF write a good napoleonics rules it will be a great hit.
But now we know nothing. Sad

Joined: 16 Jul 2007 Posts: 16

I hope that it is not a lack of interest.

I have bought, read, and played many different Napoleonic rules sets. They all were lacking something in my opinion.

Some:

1) were'nt detailed enough. Things were abstracted to the point that the game lost its flavor.

2) were too detailed. As I get older I really don't want to index, cross-reference, and use calculus to fire.

3) needed too many figures.

4) needed too much space to play a game.

5) visually were un-appealing.

I would LOVE to find a Napoleonic rule set that was "just right." (I sound like Goldilocks!)

For me (and I think many people), its indecision. I don't want to re-base all my minis only to find it doesn't work or I don't like it. This is particularly an issue with creating rules which may go through many incarnations before reaching a final version. With four different Napoleonic FOW versions already and Phil with his own slant on things. . . where does one begin. . .

Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 174

Sharpe wrote:

I would LOVE to find a Napoleonic rule set that was "just right." (I sound like Goldilocks!)

You kid, but I think that's one thing we're all united on ... the thing we agree on is that the Napoleonic period has never been main-streamed and made accessible to the general wargaming public.

Sharpe wrote:

For me (and I think many people), its indecision. I don't want to re-base all my minis only to find it doesn't work or I don't like it. This is particularly an issue with creating rules which may go through many incarnations before reaching a final version. With four different Napoleonic FOW versions already and Phil with his own slant on things. . . where does one begin. . .

Good points all.

Joined: 10 May 2007 Posts: 34 Location: NZ

I'm interested in Napoleonics, have been since I first started gaming. I've got a goodly sized collection of AB French & I'm just starting on a Russian army as well. We're currently working on a homegrown set of rules at my local club but I'd also love to see a worldwide standard ruleset.

cheers,

Evan

Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 12:14 pm

I too have been interested in a set of Napoleonic rules but the bewildering array of rules out there are one thing that has put me off. I am hoping this group will come together and create a good set of rules for all too use. I have settled on the Victory in the Ages rules for now and have already started changing things to suite how I think it should go. The next step is to play a few games and adjust from there.

Changes I have made are
1. 1 stand = 1 platoon (I Like lots of miniatures!)
2. 3 stands = 1 company
3. 2+ companies + BN commander = 1 Battalion
4. Muskets shoot 10" ROF 2
5. Added rifles Range 16" ROF 1 or Range 10" ROF 2 (This simulates the carefully aimed shot and the rushed shot)
6. Added skirmishers on small stands, 2 models. (simulate the small groups of men out the front of the BN stopping the enemy from scouting the position.

Thats it so far.

Note: Even though I have made the lowest level a platoon there is nothing to stop any one else calling it a Company or BN and changing the number of bases if you want to play at the higher level. I did it this way as the lowest maneuver element from what I have been able to figure out was a BN and to take casualties and change formation will require several stands to show this.

Chris

Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 34 Location: Sylvania, OHIO

I too want to find a good set of rules and I hope that this forum and the minds that visit it will come up with what we all seek.....

When possible, I will add my 2 cents worth.

Steve

Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 34 Location: Sylvania, OHIO

The forum is not very active as of late with many days going by with no postings. Now that the summer is past it will remain to be seen if the interest returns to the forum. We need to let the gaming public know about the forum via the conventions we go to. Perhaps a printable flier/information sheet would be of value....

Hey Dillingham....you got some cool graphics to lend to this?????? Razz

Steve

Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 174

You could try using this (it should fit two to a single page):

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/Dillingham/NAPOFOW-1.gif

I'd upload it in higher resolution and as a Tiff, but I don't have anywhere to upload files besides photobucket.

Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 89 Location: Naples, Fl

Dillingham wrote:

Quote:

I'm starting to worry that the low activity on the forum is a sign of a low interest in Napoleonic FoW ... or at the very least it will indicate to Battlefront that there is a low level of insterest. Any thoughts?

I don't believe it is a low interest in Napoleonics, but rather the product of several other factors. First, this era is not as well supported as others, especially in the US. And let's face it, most of us migrated here from FoW, which is a well supported system. I think we are all hoping, deep down, that a well written rule set will magically appear (possibly from New Zealand). Second, the Napoleonic period is a very complex time, both politically and militarily. There were many changes and reforms to the major combatants during that 15 years. To try and find one set of rules to cover the whole time frame seems a daunting task. Third is the scale of the game. Some people want to fight smaller actions with battalions, while others look to refight major battles like Waterloo. How many figures to use and the sizes of movement stands are the stumbling blocks.

None of this is new, there are several other threads trying to find the spark to revitalize this forum. I suggest we step back and try to gather data about what attracts people to this genre, and what they expect from it. A series of polls might give us the information we need, as well as involve more of the forum members who don't post. After all, there are about 100 members to this forum, give or take the all too frequent spammers Rolling Eyes

, but only a dozen seem to contribute with any regularity. I call on all you lurkers out there to pipe in and post. I promise no one will make fun of you.

Don