Ayton, Friday 29th April - Sunday 1st May 2022.

[Buff Redux]

Thanks Iain, just a couple more questions:
Do you and Tim plan to make the rules available?

What about pikes? I know that they went out of fashion but they were still around in the early part of the "long 18th century". Marlborough was forced to take some to Europe as muskets were in short supply. I believe they were issued to individual companies rather than battalions.

My thoughts were along the lines of:
Mixed weapons shooting -2 dice
Cavalry charging mixed weapons -2dice
Infantry charging mixed weapons -1 dice
Mixed weapons charging +1 dice
Mixed weapons Closing Fire -1 dice

I don't think it would be difficult to use the rules for solo play. It just needs a little thought about priorities and how to achieve them.

[Essex Boy]

Oh yes. I will certainly be adding something for pikes. In fact, I'll have to do something PDQ because I'm playing a huge game in July where pikes will be a feature.

I have a somewhat left field, controversial, opinion about pike warfare which would cause no end of issues for me in a more conventional set of home grown rules. Fortunately, Tim and I decided from the start that the overarching ethos of the Burt and Hall rules was fun first and last, and an absence of super units. Chucking an extra D6 into the mix satisfies tastes but has little real impact on the odds.

The upshot is that I can put all my pike arguments aside.

My initial thoughts are pretty much along the same lines as yours:

Foot with pikes should clearly have less shooting dice. -2D6 seems right to me. Which would mean the unit would have to have less 'closing fire' dice when charged by horse, so +1 or +2 perhaps, rather than +2 to +4.

Pikes would certainly be a deterrent for cavalry, so -2D6 for them?

And maybe units with pikes could have no flanks or rear against cavalry? It's a bit of nonsense, but it could perhaps represent a square.

The thing with infantry v infantry is that the melee includes the close range firefight and only possibly a clash of pointy things. So, non pikes should have a plus against pikes in melee?

Needs work.

Yes, it would be nice to think that, one day, we'll have a completed set of rules. I'll send you a copy.

Iain

[Buff Redux]

Your a gent, whatever Andy says to the contrary.

The Ga Pa approach of aggressive pike combat may be worth considering.

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

The Ga Pa approach of aggressive pike combat may be worth considering.

Other lairy fresh-water fish are also available.....

[Essex Boy]

Your a gent, whatever Andy says to the contrary.

The Ga Pa approach of aggressive pike combat may be worth considering.

You're very kind.

As for Ga Pa..........don't get me started.

[tim.w]

Skirmishing with pikes?

[valleyboy]

Skirmishing with pikes?

Pike fencing eh?

En Guarde

[Buff Redux]

Don't get many Pikeys doing fencing round here, it's all tree cutting and tarmac driveways.

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

Don't get many Pikeys doing fencing round here.....

Unless it's fencing stolen goods, of course. Had a bunch of them round the other day: rang my doorbell, asked if I wanted any work done and told me that they were already doing stuff for my neighbour; when I said no, they went next door and told my neighbour they were doing work for me and asked if he wanted anything done! They then tried to convince him by "blast-stripping" the grass from within the block paving on my front path - all without my permission - and managed to remove all the sand from between and under the blocks.

[Jeremy]

At least they weren’t blasting your back passage