Rules considerations.

Rules of War
Whilst Under The Lilly Banners can be used as is the only change I am making is to use 15mm figures on a base size designed for 25-28mm figures increasing the number of figures on each base to make up for the size of figure being different form the size intended. as I always thinks this looks better. for element based armies mostly because I am I am afraid a big battalions man.at heart.

Sharpe Practice whilst an excellent set of rules is still a Napoleonic set at heart and the nature of warfare in the early 19th century whilst still horse and musket was significantly different from that at the turn of the 18th century which is where we are.

My thoughts on the rules are as follows.

Characters:- I would be inclined to keep them simple just a name and a status & bring in the full rules when the character does something in a game which would qualify it as a proper Big Man 

Turn sequence:- I wouldn't change in general though changes outlined below would change it some what
Formations:- I would use the ideas from Terrible sharp Sword the Toofatlardies  ACW supplement for Sharp practice to allow Big men to command larger formations than outlined in Sharp Practice practice. It strikes me as being in period for there to be large linear formations, possibly rather unwieldy ones. Other wise I would not change the rules
Troop Types:- Would be Horse, Foot, Dragoons, Gunners & Labour as gun crews where large but the majority of them seems not to have been trained gun crew but civilian labourers drivers and such like I am assuming no light infantry as such with what battlefield role the had in small actions being done by Dragoons as they could be deployed at speed even if they fought when dismounted in close order  or ordinary foot  or horse sent off to do something ad hock like forage for supplies, scout  or the like

Formations:- Line dominates especially for foot or dismounted troops, but not the Napoleonic type of line as it will be much deeper firstly as depending on the type of fire drill the troops used many more ranks could reasonably fire and secondly because deep lines where more resilient even if it reduced the lines fire output. I also need to reflect the static nature of firing lines once they where formed and the effort they where to move. Column is only column of march and I will lift the rules form Terrible Sharp Sword to reflect this should it come under fire. Square as such did not exist and infantry had no good way of dealing with cavalry save hoping that they where put off by the handful of pike at the core of each company or by a last desperate volley before contact.

Bonus cards:- I think I am going to have to redo this almost entirely as the national characteristics a hundred years before are very different.

Movement:- Would remain the same except that I intend to introduce a mechanic to model the awkwardness of manoeuvring large linear formations and that under most circumstances a formation gets to either fire or move of which more an on an activation


Spotting:- would work as is I think


Firing :- is going to change quite a lot as the firing drills of this period where very different and had different aims form those of the Napoleonic Period. however the effect of fire on the target would be much the same and most of the other rules would not need changes, or at least not that I can see at the moment.


The rest of the rules are probably ok as they are though I dont see a use for some of them in a european setting, and I intend my big men to be kept simple at least to start with.



To be continued........