"Republic to Empire Rules:AAR" Topic

I have placed an extremely detailed AR using these rules on my blog. The scenario is quite simple and is taken from Clarence Harrison's blog. I got a lot of help from Clarence as well as Barry Hilton, the rules' writer, in going through the rules.My thanks to both of them. My general view of the rule set is quite positive.

The scenario was a lot of work (not just the rules but the write up as well) and the learning curve was a little steep. I believe the writing in the rulebook does lack clarity at times but this may be due to my inexperience as a gamer. The diagrammatic help that Clarence provided was great.

I am a new wargamer, so I do not have the experience of years of playing wargames to help me decipher mechanisms that may be obvious to others. I do believe some of the mechanisms may be over detailed, but again I am no expert.

Notwithstanding the above, my next game will use these rules. I like the big battalions and am looking forward to using skirmishers in a real sense. The game does flow very quickly once you understand the rules, this scenario could have easily been played in under 2 hours solo. The rulebook itself is beautiful.

Although it does take a little work to learn these rules, I can highly recommend them.

John

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That is a really nice and detailed AAR. AARs take a lot more work to do than people realize, and one as detailed as yours doubly so.

I agree the book is beautiful. As a relative newbie to gaming (5 years or so) I found them fairly straight forward to understand, though I thought the arrangement of chapters a bit odd (the turn sequence comes half way through the book).

Thnaks!

Nice report and a great looking collection of miniatures and scenery.

Nice job on the review. Reminds me a bit of the very detailed rules we used to play many years ago. Wouldn't be my choice nowdays, but there are many different tastes out there (as well as changing tastes over time). The more options we have the better it is for all of us. Your review should help people get a feel for what the rules are like. It will be interesting to see what happens when you add some cavalry and skirmishers!

As well as BUA's, skirmishers, officers at risk as well as multiple brigades. I am hoping that what I have learned will make all these extras easier.

In respect to changing tastes, I have have attempted to learn FoB and Lasalle this year, so I must be compressing time.

The rulesets all have their pluses and minuses, I have found FoB most exciting because of the card system and the rules are easily comprehended. Lasalle is elegant in it's simplicity and it is by far the best written. RtoE is comprehensive and has a lot of detail that I like especially in respect to skirmishers and the variable size of battalions thus more historical in nature.

Choices….choices

John

Lovely minis and scenery. I find RtE a mess, but I'm glad you've found something you seem to enjoy wresting with and playing.

Scale Creep Miniatures: "AARs take a lot more work to do than people realize, and one as detailed as yours doubly so."

I concur, on both counts.

Ted

Excellent AAR John. Youve realy sparked my interest.