"Black Powder rules for 18th century?" Topic

My question is how do people find the Black Powder rules for WSS and SYW? I also own the Last Argument of Kings supplement, for what support that gives.

My question is based on the fact that I have a ton of painted 15mm figures for SYW, and a pile of unpainted lead for WSS. I initially was going to base them up for Might and Reason, but eventually decided I wasn't in love with the rules enough to do so—but the painted and unpainted lead pile continued to mount. I used to play Koenig Krieg years ago for SYW (using others' figures), which uses basing very similar to NB, and would also be compatible with Bill Gray's Age of Honor. It occurs to me that Black Powder, being basing-agnostic, could also be used with that same NB/KK basing scheme.

I also play Napoleon's Battles for 15mm Nappies, and have multiple armies based for such, and also use them for Age of Eagles. One benefit of a more basing-agnostic ruleset like Black Powder—which is common at conventions— is that this NB basing scheme can be easily used with BP. I like the idea of having BP as a set to use across all periods, with maybe being the primary one for WSS/GNW.

If you can get a copy of Battle of Frederick the Great, its by Craig Taylor and follows along the lines of Napoleons Battles.

I've played SYW in 15mm w/Black Powder rules a fair number of times, and found it works pretty well with a few modifications. The biggest is to change the turn order so that units fire before command/move/melee, and units that have fired take a -1 penalty to their command ratings (not my idea, but I've forgotten from whom I "borrowed" it). This prevents the big move then shoot play and encourages a more linear engagement. We also use additional rules for changing formation, make moving through other units more difficult, and a few other things. It's not perfect, but taken together they give the game a more 18th-C. feel.

We also usually play on a large table with a pre-battle deployment turns using dummy markers and spotting rules, which we stole from KK, iirc.

We play King of the Battlefield. I don't know BP.

KotB works as a one on one and for large multi-player games. There are reviews around on TMP and elsewhere.

Have fun.

Use BP for SYW all the time – those mods suggested are a good idea – one thing is, the Last Argument of Kings for the SYW has a few – ah – generalizations that I would modify as well, notably for the Russians – in the SYW the Russians used a fair number of Horse Grenadier units but very few of their dragoons, notably as the quality of Russian SYW dragoons was pretty sub-par compared to their Prussian counterparts. Fire only once per turn, I like the fire first idea and also once your artillery unlimbers, it stays there (pretty much everyone used civilian drovers except for the one Prussian horse artillery battery, and they got clobbered)

The Final Argument of Kings by Dean West will always be our 15mm rules of choice. Very strong in giving the feel for the period and the capabilities and liabilities of armies.