Starting Out

Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Auckland

FoW was based on Company sized battles with 1500pts on an 8' x 4' table; as the default and you had all the toys to play with - infantry, artillery, tanks and aircraft.

Roughly, about 55 - 75 bases to move (infantry + support)

There is enough on the table to cover it, but not so much that you get bogged down shifting it - although playing against a conscript Russian infantry Coy on the attack could put you to sleep waiting for their deployment.

FoW / GW have pretty much set the standard on what gets the fish biting and their success is a result of developing a winning formula

The danger with Naps is that the existing players already have large armies - but the new players probably have nothing.

How do you guys see NfoW workings for the Newbies

If someone wants to start at entry level - how much time and effort is involved - what do they get for their money - how quickly can they get under way - and will anyone play against their 1500 pt army when all the action is, say, actually based on 3000 pt armies?

A few draft minimum Army Lists (equivilent to FOW 1500 pts) might help, if 1500 pts is deemed to be entry level.

Regards

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

For those starting out against opponents with larger collections. One answer is adding troops to the newer player to bring his army up to size. I have done it, shoot...I have even supplied the opposing side when there wasn't enough interest to collect but willingness to play the game.

New games at a smaller point level are in many ways just as entertaining as the larger games. In regular FOW the initial 1000-1500 point games were just as nailbiting and interesting as the regular 2000 point games we play now here in the Toledo area. Ultimately supporting the new gamers will benifit us in the long run and a 1500 point starting level is a good way to give a goal to anyone willing to join us in our hobby.

Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Auckland

OK,

So what would a respectable 1500 pt army look like - country of origin is your choice.

Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 174

My idea of a generic standard 1500 pt Napoleonic Flames of War army (no nationality adjutments) would look something like ...

Corps Commander (1 Base)

I Division
- Division HQ (1 Base / 2 Figures)
- Division Artillery (1 Base / 1 Gun & crew)
- 1st Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)
- 2nd Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)
- 3rd Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)

II Division
- Division HQ (1 Base / 2 Figures)
- Division Artillery (1 Base / 1 Gun & crew)
- 4th Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)
- 5th Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)
- 6th Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)

III Division
- Division HQ (1 Base / 2 Figures)
- Division Artillery (1 Base / 1 Gun & crew)
- 7th Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)
- 8th Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)
- 9th Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)

Cavalry Reserve
- Cavalry HQ
- 1st Squadron (2 Bases / 6 Figures)
- 2nd Squadron (2 Bases / 6 Figures)
- Horse Battery (1 Base / 1 Gun & Crew)

Reserve Artillery
- Artillery HQ
- Heavy Battery (1 Base)
- Medium Battery (1 Base)

Total = 34 bases (6 HQ, 72 Infantry, 12 Cavalry, 6 Guns & Crews)

... or something generally there abouts.

Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Auckland

Well that certainly helps get a feel for where I should be heading.

You are a scholar and a Gentleman Sir

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

For the painting effort of near 100 figures, a total army corps can be fielded....KOOL Very Happy

board is quiet these days...... Confused

Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Posts: 4 Location: SW Ohio USA

My mate and I were flirting with the AoE set of Nappy F&F rules, but neither of us were impressed enough to stop our pursuit of WWII/DBM gaming.

However, IF NFoW brings a tournament setting to nappy gaming, count two very excited participants.

Where can I go to download the following:

latest basing recommendations for 15mm
latest OOB for French - 1813+
latest OOB for British/Allies - 1813+

I have spare FoW bases that I can use to base some of the tons of Nappies I've got floating around. If there is somewhere on this list for playtest questions, let me know and we will try to look at different angles.

IF there is a need for this sort of thing...
Both of us are competitive DBMers (and IMNSHO) pretty damn good at it. We will look for the cheese and every angle to gain an advantage and report back to this list our analysis. IMO, while relaxed gaming should be the main objective for the rules, one shouldn't discount the cheese factor of power tournament gaming. Getting these sort of issues out in playtesting is one issue many of have with the newest edition of DBMM. But that's another story for another list.

Anyways, cheers for BF for this project!!! I truly hope it brings another period of historical gaming back into the spot light of miniatures gaming

Madcam

Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 2:35 am

Dillingham wrote:

My idea of a generic standard 1500 pt Napoleonic Flames of War army (no nationality adjutments) would look something like ...

Corps Commander (1 Base)

I Division
- Division HQ (1 Base / 2 Figures)
- Division Artillery (1 Base / 1 Gun & crew)
- 1st Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)
- 2nd Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)
- 3rd Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)

II Division
- Division HQ (1 Base / 2 Figures)
- Division Artillery (1 Base / 1 Gun & crew)
- 4th Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)
- 5th Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)
- 6th Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)

III Division
- Division HQ (1 Base / 2 Figures)
- Division Artillery (1 Base / 1 Gun & crew)
- 7th Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)
- 8th Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)
- 9th Brigade/Regiment (2 Bases / 8 Figures)

Cavalry Reserve
- Cavalry HQ
- 1st Squadron (2 Bases / 6 Figures)
- 2nd Squadron (2 Bases / 6 Figures)
- Horse Battery (1 Base / 1 Gun & Crew)

Reserve Artillery
- Artillery HQ
- Heavy Battery (1 Base)
- Medium Battery (1 Base)

Total = 34 bases (6 HQ, 72 Infantry, 12 Cavalry, 6 Guns & Crews)

... or something generally there abouts.

Hi Dill,

I've been playing around with ideas for FOW and Napoleonics (and other 19th century warfare) and been looking at a similar figure scale/ratio to what you have come up with.

I was looking at the base unit being the Brigade (or may be regiment for post 1808 Prussians) which behave much like a platoon in FOW, but with more restriction on formations and actions etc.

I was also looking at grafting on a order system where Brigadiers were given orders and had to make a skill or motivation test to change them depending on the order.

Order types and restrictions:
Assault: Must more at least half move distance closer to the enemy, must close assault if able, some troop types and those not able to close assault support shoot.

Engage: Cavalry may close assault, Infantry may close assault pinned enemy, shooting, can form Skirmish Screen.

Delay: Cavalry counter-assault, Infantry/Artillery defends, shooting, can form Skirmish Screen.

March: Double Move, may not defensive fire or counter-assault if assaulted, cannot assault or shoot.

Withdraw: can shoot, must move away from enemy, can form Skirmish Screen.

I was looking at a brigade being about 8 - 20 teams/bases.

Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 174

Cherrybum wrote:

You are a scholar and a Gentleman Sir

My compliments for your kindness, sir.
I certainly could use improvement in both areas. Smile

Tadpoleon Blownapart wrote:

For the painting effort of near 100 figures, a total army corps can be fielded....KOOL Very Happy

That's about the same expenditure/effort as a FoW company level game, so it seemed a natural fit to me.

Tadpoleon Blownapart wrote:

board is quiet these days...... Confused

Regretably so.
I need to get those pictures posted of my Marchal Davot and the Prussian Corps I based up on the small bases ... though I've decided to put them back on mediums instead.

Madcam2us wrote:

Where can I go to download the following:

latest basing recommendations for 15mm

Basing is here on the forum. I've posted some pics and descriptions. There are basing recommendations in our Yahoo mailing list files section too (as well as a couple of rules sets that have been assembled already): http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/NapoFoW/

Madcam2us wrote:

latest OOB for French - 1813+
latest OOB for British/Allies - 1813+

Those are available in lots of places. Do you mean for assembling a force for the game or a historical OOB (though they should be pretty close to each other, no?)? I have my OOB's from some books mostly, though I've been able to find Yorck's Corps online too. I can dig something up for you, if necessary, but I'd just be Googling anyway. Might as well start there, I'm guessing?

Madcam2us wrote:

I have spare FoW bases that I can use to base some of the tons of Nappies I've got floating around. If there is somewhere on this list for playtest questions, let me know and we will try to look at different angles.

Very pleased to have the input/practice/discussion. Feel free to post any questions, thoughts, experiences, etc. etc. in the appropriate areas on the forum.

Madcam2us wrote:

Anyways, cheers for BF for this project!!!

Just to be clear, this little pet project is completely independent of BattleFront. I know there are Napolenics fans there on staff, but they've not announced what their second historical period is going to be yet. This is all fan generated/driven at this point.

Madcam2us wrote:

I truly hope it brings another period of historical gaming back into the spot light of miniatures gaming

I completely agree with you on that one! Hear! Hear!

wayne wrote:

I've been playing around with ideas for FOW and Napoleonics (and other 19th century warfare) and been looking at a similar figure scale/ratio to what you have come up with.

Cool. It seems to be a pretty natural and well received scale, so far.

wayne wrote:

I was looking at the base unit being the Brigade (or may be regiment for post 1808 Prussians) which behave much like a platoon in FOW, but with more restriction on formations and actions etc.

Yup. Exactly.

wayne wrote:

I was also looking at grafting on a order system where Brigadiers were given orders and had to make a skill or motivation test to change them depending on the order.

I like the idea. Much like Empire V. The commander issues orders, but the subordinate commanders have to test to activate those orders. Once activated, they must comply with them until they receive new orders or they switch to their default order.

wayne wrote:

Order types and restrictions:
Assault: Must more at least half move distance closer to the enemy, must close assault if able, some troop types and those not able to close assault support shoot.

Engage: Cavalry may close assault, Infantry may close assault pinned enemy, shooting, can form Skirmish Screen.

Delay: Cavalry counter-assault, Infantry/Artillery defends, shooting, can form Skirmish Screen.

March: Double Move, may not defensive fire or counter-assault if assaulted, cannot assault or shoot.

Withdraw: can shoot, must move away from enemy, can form Skirmish Screen.

Intriguing and worth exploring to be sure.

FWIW, (and again in Empire V) we had these orders to choose from ...

Attack - (enemy unit/location): at least one team in the maneuver element/unit must bring fire upon the enemy.

Defend - (enemy unit/location: The maneuver element/unit must defend the specified location/objective and may only move a certain distance away from their designated objective. Often what a maneuver element/unit defaults to once they complete their given orders.

Maneuver (location) - The maneuver element/unit maneuvers and may reform under these orders if necessary. The maneuver element/unit shouldn't intentionally move into engagement range of the enemy.

Break Off (location) - The maneuver element/unit must move away from the enemy to the designated location and my then rest & refit.

Most of the time, units will either be Attacking, Defending, or Maneuvering.

wayne wrote:

I was looking at a brigade being about 8 - 20 teams/bases.

I think the model we've got here on the forum is a bit less than that; a Division being something between 7 and 12 bases, and a Corps being around three Divisions and Corps Reserve.