"A couple questions about Piquet" Topic

Ive been reading up a bit, and it seems that many people like the Piquet rules for solo play. Ive got a couple questions:

1 – What are the basing requirements? Are they specific, or are they 'as long as all are based the same' kinda rules? Im thinking specifically Archon edition 2 for ancients.

2 – The other period im interested in is ACW. How does Field of Battle compare to something like Regimental Fire and Fury for solo play?

Thanks very much for looking!

1.Basing sizes are not too crucial, as you say as long as everything is on the same frontages. "Official" base sizes are ~60mm frontage with 2 or 3 infantry(occasionally 4) and 2 cavalry (very occasionally 3.) I use WRG element base sizes (more or less) and double depth elements in some periods just for the aesthetics.

2. Sorry don't know FoB very well.

Cool – thanks for the quick reply.

I don't want to come off as a grammar nazi, but what is it about the modern predilection to drop the "of" when saying "a couple…"? I need that explained as I notice it on TV, radio etc and it irritates me. Correct grammar is "A couple of….". If you have to drop the "of", then the statement should be "a few…."

Sorry jdeleonardis, not questioningf your questions at all, and glad you received a helpful response (after all that's what TMP is all about). I am just genuinely interested in why people say "couple x…" and drop the "of".

Southern drawl (from my "neck of the woods") renders the phrase "a couple ah questions". The "f" is swallowed. I imagine dropping the "of" is a more extreme version of this.

Joe Collins

Sorry Dave – I typically dont watch my grammar all that much when posting informally. But, I think Joe might be on to something…FWIW, I grew up in North and South Carolina :) Its 'lazy' grammar for sure, but if you think about it, there are all kinds of examples of similar things that spring up over time.

But, since you are here, any answers about Field of Battle vs Reg. Fire and Fury for solo play?

The idiom "a couple of" refers to two of anything, not necessarily similar. Dictionary.com seems to feel shortening the idiom to just "a couple" is an (American) informal usage derived speech.

Dictionary.com "couple": link

I never made the Southern drawl connection but that dialect certainly presents us with many informal speech usages.

Hey JJ – thanks for the info. Ive used THW in the past too, and I like them. I wasnt aware of an ACW game…are you thinking something like RRTK? Ive never played that before.

@Jay,

Contacted you offline regarding Archon 2.

I'm a huge FOB fan. I also have used it many tomes for the ACW. I find it to be an exceptional rule set and would work well as a solo set. I would simply write down a battle plan for one side and let the cards dictate how things go after that. There is even a ACW unit creator based on year and Theater available at the Yahoo group will will create your unit sheets for you. great tool.

thanks,

John

Basing: as stated, as long as all the bases have roughly the same frontage, ut will work fine. I use standard WRB/DBX elemnet bases, 60mm frontage for 28mm, but a range of plus of minus 50% of that would still work easily.,

Field of Battle and Solo Play:
While I think the base Piquet supplement (Hallowed Ground Second edition)works even better for solo play, it's eally a matter of preference/style. As John says, FoB is still very suited to solo play. The variability in initiative rolls (aplied quite differently in FoB than, say Archon), card sequence, and Leadership rolls for your command groups will mitigate a lot against subconscious favoritism of one side or the other.

I can't speak about the THW group, but the Piquet mailing list is one of the most helpful I know of! If you have more questions, feel free to ask us there.

Ive just joined up on the Piquet list! Thanks so much!

Thanks all for comments, and thanks CeruLucifus and thanks jdeleonardis for your patience while I looked like I was hijacking your thread for no real good reason…(:o)

As far as your real question, never played any of the rules in question for solo play. Sorry.

Just to throw my tuppence worth in. Im a solo gamer and enjoy using both Two hour watgames rules and Piquet. But to be honest there is a big diffrance in approach to both these tiltes. THW focus on .. the fun aspects with a slight nod to hollywoods version of reality whilst Piquet attempts to portray the reality of command with all the fog of war available considering your taking the viewpoint of a god high above the terrain with a knowledge that no real commander ever had. BTW I am aware my grammer could be called into question and my spellingis attrocious, but i didnt join this group to show off my English skills or improve them.

Fenthedog,

Agree with your assesment. THW is normally tactically focused. Piquet is operational. Both fun.

Joe