"Returning to Napoleonics" Topic

I have several points to make in my post. Fist of which is I want to get back into Napoleonics.

I prefer the 28mm, so I have picked up a brigade of French and Prussians. I have picked up the Lasalle rules and Black Powder. I really want to get General de Brigade; I I've oogled at it for a few years now, but never picked them up.

Even though I prefer 28mm the battle fields in most battle reports like really cluttered. So cluttered that there appears to be no room to perform column to line for neighboring battalions.

Plus these large units of cavalry every where also appears to be too cumbersome to maneuver. Which leads me to this question, why in the same rules set the tactical unit for Inf. is the battalion, but for Cav. it's the regiment?

Now my other big dilemma.

I have inherited all of my fathers 1/72 scale soldiers from when he used to wargame back in the early 70's while he was in the army. I feel obligated not to get rid of them. It is a huge collection covering the Hundred Days. The condition of the troops vary widely from table top standard to bare naked rifles to paint chipped off expect in the recesses. I guess he didn't believe in priming or clear coating.

What is the best chemical to strip soft plastic without ruining the figure? I use totally Awesome for my other figs, would this work?

I was thinking of getting Napoleon at War for my 1/72. I'm very used to warhammer;both genres, and FoW. Altough I really dislike 40K as the years go by, I do like the points systems where it puts both players an on even footing.

Lastly I need to find people in the Tampa Bay, Florida area that play any of these rules.

Thank You for reading my wall

cavalry by regiments because using cavalry by squadron takes 4-5 times as long to play out (each squdron must be moved, rolled for, etc), and because shooting casualties are usually so over proportioned that one hit will 'eliminate' a squadron at most of the scales people are used to playing with.

vis the clutter of units on the field – i've only ever seen one set of rules which fixed this.
Valmey to Waterloo (not at all similar to the rules you mentioned above, much closer to the 80's level of complexity) uses an artillery template.
you fire the battery – everything in the template gets hit exactly the same
that means 6 dice on each unit NOT 6 dice spread equally over every unit in the zone – so the more units in the zone, the more dice you roll in total.

- which means that you pretty much have to space things out to minimise casualties.

any rules which have you pick a target is encouraging you to put more units next to each other, so some will be untouched when they get into combat range.

but gamers prefer to pick targets, so tables end up with wall to wall figures (and usually 'melee' rules too, pooey)

good luck restarting – its the books which will start calling to you that really make the project stand out.

For stripping plastic figures use oven cleaner. Put your figures in a plastic bag, give them a good spray of oven cleaner, close up the bag and leave for 24 hours. When you come back to it, tip the gunky mess including figures into the sink. Hold each figure under a running tap and give it a scrub with a cheap toothbrush. You should be left with a 'clean' figure. If there is any paint residue in nooks and crannies just repeat the process again!

Oven cleaner on soft plastic figs is probably not a good bet.

Thanks,

John

My suggestion for stripping paint off plastic minis is to use Simple Green widely available in the USA & in Australia from Bunnings hardware.

It's non toxic & biodegradable with a pleasant smell (Lemon?)

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Yeah, stick with simple green. It works very well and is much less toxic than oven cleaner.

Oven cleaner. I've done it. It works.

Both oven cleaner and Simple Green will work.

However…

The plastic used 30 plus years ago isn't the same as today. You may find some figures to be brittle. Oven cleaner is harsher than SG so take that into account.

Thanks for the suggestions on stripping the figs. I have both of those products so i'll give them a try.

Keraunos, nice deduction on the flow of the game. Players are afraid of taking too much artillery fire so they simply play games with tons of figs or play rules where shooting isn't that effective.

I think I might be afraid of games where melee is too easy, or too prevalent. Leading to only one style of play within the game.

Looks like you have a good set of recommendations, but I'll add my voice to the others, Simple Green is the way to go – works on metal and plastics. Not so good on Resin kits, but should do the trick especially if these are the Italeri style 72nd scale figs I think they are

Shoot me an e-mail or call me home I am back to Napoleonics and got the last of General de Brigade which is fantastic,
Looking forward to hear from you
ciao for now

I also have a set of rules in the making that may solve your Gaming question – It is very FOW like in the flow, very simple mechanics – I am a FOW player as well. It does include charts for how many casualties are caused – may be worth a shot (I think it is or I wouldnt have made the rules) :)

link

It is a little different from most other games in that the shooting is effective but not murderous. Most of the game is Morale based – morale tests are needed to complete a number of tasks – like closing to grips since men were and are afraid of the bayonet!

Let me know if you like it. Please feel free to contact me or visit my blog that is updated constantly with new info on the game as it develops and I get feedback from new players.

empiresandhonor.blogspot.com

Thanks!

Alyx thanks for the rules I'll take a look at them.

@Massena, do I know you, or do you you know me? I don't think I have your email.