The Loose Association of Wargamers

As a car enthusiast, I am aware that this year's compact car will be next years medium sedan. There's a phenomenon that means the once petite Mini is now as big as a Mazda 4.

OK - relevance? This is what happens to war game rules too. A lot of people - certainly me- tend to constantly add, tweak, adjust rules and make them increasingly more complex &, in some cases unwieldy.

I've spent an enjoyable 3-4 years working on my SYW set of rules : 'A Glorious War'. They've served well in a dozen pretty big games, experiencing the phenomenon I outlined above.

Sadly, they've gone from what was intended as a fairly slick set of fast play rules to something as lengthy & complex as most mainstream rule sets.I think I'm going to junk them as I want something I can fight Zorndorff in, in under 4 hours.

So why not go back to an earlier & slimmer AGW? Well....because the additions plugged holes, addressed historical aspects & were necessary......but added to the complexity. And I feel like Leonardo might if asked to turn Mona Lisa's smile into a grin.

So: I'm looking at an existing fast-play set - SHAKO- & trying to figure if I bolt on enough SYW-stuff on to this Napoleonic set, will it make it also unwieldy? I think the philosophy behind the core rules mean it is a genuine fast-play set.

I know that Mark (Jemima) has spent much time on this task so I'm hoping that can be a useful starting & hopefully finishing, point for that elusive target; the perfect set of rules.

donald

The pressure's on...

What happened to the Ancients rules??

Jamanicus wrote: ↑Sat Oct 16, 2021 8:51 am What happened to the Ancients rules??

I’d say scrap them and start again with WRG 7th Ed

goat major wrote: ↑Sat Oct 16, 2021 8:53 am

Jamanicus wrote: ↑Sat Oct 16, 2021 8:51 am What happened to the Ancients rules??

I’d say scrap them and start again with WRG 7th Ed

Yeah! Great set!

Jamanicus wrote: ↑Sat Oct 16, 2021 8:51 am What happened to the Ancients rules??

My Late Antiquity set? (A Tribute of Spears).

I've put an absolute prohibition on "amending" them. They stay as they are, warts and all (if I could just use the Scholl wart remover I know they'd be perfect.....I must be be strong....and warty).

donald

Nothing about this sounds like the rules are at fault.

In this whole thing, there are no examples of an actual problem with the rules.

No "we can't get units to activate".
No "melee isn't giving a definitive conclusion"

What this is - not a criticism because we ALL do this with rules - is you not settling on what you want.

Slick, fast-play rules?
Fully inclusive rules a la mainstream?
The perfect ruleset?

CHOOSE.
Choose what you want from the set, be content that all concerned are happy with that choice, and crack on.

Once decided, you have more than enough knowledge of game mechanics to put together the rolls and charts to bring it about.

Just don't try and turn it into something else along the way. That's what's fucking it up.

And yea, while I am preaching, brothers and sisters take heed that the philosophy behind the rules is not what maketh them fast play.
Quick resolution, streamlined mechanics and decisive results maketh fast play, regardless of philosophy.

Now go in peace and serve the dice, that ye may know 6's.

Amen, Brother.

donald

Norman D. Landings wrote: ↑Sat Oct 16, 2021 11:23 am Nothing about this sounds like the rules are at fault.

Define "fault".

I once played the Napoleonic set "Empire". So many positives I could say. And one negative: it was the wargaming equivalent of watching ice melt. AGW not to the same degree but in the same plane. Too complex. Too slow.

donald

For SYW I am using a cut down versus of Charge using units of 12 infantry and 6 cavalry. They are based on the one page Charge rules used by Stuart Asquith.