"TYW or ECW?" Topic

Simple enough question I would think. Do you prefer to wargame the Thirty Years War or the English Civil War?

ECW

YES!

ECW, I suppose because I know a little more about it.

Another Yes!

Still another Yes!

it's about 60/40

TYW

Both, tending more towards TYW. But TYW clearly suffers on this front because there is so little available in English.

ECW for me.

TYW is my choice

ECW for me but both are good to game.

TYW for me, although I have started playing ECW.
Joe

Just started TYW swedish army.

ECW.

Like both but I prefer the ECW.

ECW is easier as it has so much more information in English, however, the TYW does give you lots more options to troops types. So Both of Course!

TYW, without doubt. First, as an native english speaking person, TYW is more interesting, simply because there is not so much available in english. Second, it was a true, total war. It did in fact last 30 years, not on and off like the so called 100 years war. There are so many, many political and religious aspects to it, and involved so many European countries. The idea of such horror ravaging the continent for 3 decades, burning villages to the ground, rape, pillage etc. is horrific, and yet fascinating, as this happens in every war, but Europe had never seen anything like this, and on this scale. And proportially, the number of deaths were far greater than even the 2nd. world war.
On the gaming, painting side, at least for the imperialists, it is nice to see entire units of armoured men on horse and foot. There is something kind of surreal about a fully armoured man with pistols. I kind of bridge between medieval and modern warfare.

I could go on, but I will stop for now,

ilodic.

TYW is more interesting as ilodic points out, but in Australia it's been easier to get background material on the ECW, and I also studied the ECW at Uni – so ECW for mine.

Both, TYW gives more variety in troop types, unless playing a demo game group of figures with pike and muskets, blokes on horses etc can be used for both,

Tally Ho!

Both, although I have a slight preference for TYW.

ECW by preference

ECW

I find TYW a bit depressing

ECW has been my first choice, but the more I have read recently of THW and figures available, I must confess the later is starting to take my first interest.

I find both fascinating.

Erik

I think Assault Group has spurred on TYW gaming, before you had to use ECW figures and ECW rules so you might as well game the ECW.

TYW. More variety in troops. Though I have to admit I do enjoy putting out my Scots for ECW.

hi,
I'm just starting to get interested in the whole ECW/TYW period. I find ECW very interesting because of the local connections. I'm particularily interested in Montrose's campaigns as I live about 20 miles from Kilsyth and used to live in Aberdeen.
However, I'm also starting to get interested in the TYW. I think it might have huge gaming potential. As others have said it lasts a very long time and involves some very big battles and there is variety in both troop types, deployment and tactics. By comparison, the ECW is a poor relation.
To be honest I'm beginning to think that TYW could be one of the most under rated wargames periods. Do you think that this is because of a lack of good reference material in English or is it due to soemthing else like a bad image?
All the best,
George.

TYW.

TYW. You can have lots of Cuirassiers

Iannick
clashofempires.ca

TYW

TYW – not much interested in ECW :)

Naturally TYW. :)

horcata.eu

I have more ECW figures, but am inclining to TYW.

More unit types.

ECW,
Armies are smaller

ECW but the TYW is also fascinating

TYW

My turn, since I started this. ECW, but only the Scots armies really. No interest at all in TYW.

TYW offers more scope.

ECW was closer both emotionally and physically, I grew up not far from the Lansdown battlefield.

I spent years reenacting the ECW.

I would do either one, but might lean toward the TYW. While vaguely contemporary, the TYW did last until 1656 between the Spanish and French.

I think you meant 1659 Your Grace. To add to the overlap in 1658 an Anglo-French force including NMA forces defeated a Spanish army that included Royalist British troops lead by James Duke of York at the Battle of the Dunes.

They are both interesting but I prefer the TYW. The emergence of modern arms really started in that period. Although I have to say Warlords games ECW plastic stuff has been tempting me mightily.

ECW

Btw…the poll has prompted me to read up on the TYW period which surprisingly has sparked my interest in the War for the first time ever :-0