"Black Powder - Initial Impressions" Topic

Thanks for the info, malcolmmccallum. It sounds pretty fun. Unfortunately, my copy still hasn't even shipped yet. Considering I pre-ordered it, and it's been out for a week now, it seems kind of ridiculous that it hasn't shipped yet. How long could it take to ship all the pre-orders? I guess it must have been very popular.

See, now, I think that "activating" units is a crock. To my thinking, it's a "gotcha!" gimmick that really has no place in a wargame.

It is the difference between chess and backgammon. Both are good games.

A standard Napoleonic British line firing at a standard French line at medium range:

Roll 3D6. Each 4+ scores a hit. Any 6s cause disorder on the target. French player then roll a D6 for each hit and and on a 4+ suffers no casualties for that hit.

If the French had thrown out skirmishers (mixed formation) then the British would need to roll 5-6 to hit but then the French would only fire back with 1 dice needing a 3+ to hit.

"See, now, I think that "activating" units is a crock. To my thinking, it's a "gotcha!" gimmick that really has no place in a wargame"

Depends if you like control over things or not, I guess.

Activation is a pain when it goes against you but its a simple method of representing the fact that commanders could not rely on everything going to plan.

As for having no place in a wargame there must be a lot of Fire and Fury players(to name the first set that springs to mind)who don't agree. F&F has had activation since day one!

Activation is also a friend to the solo wargamer who is looking for any edge in a set of rules that may be user-friendly.