"Need Help Choosing a Ruleset" Topic

I have been debating this in my head for some time now. I have several sets aty disposal but have not chosen one for WSS and SYW. I have played three of the sets once or twice but not really enough to form an opinion. I would like a set that is easy to teach because I do like doing convention games. Anyway here is what I am considering.

Age of Reason – fun game that I have played a couple times seems to be getting somewhat dated.

Black Powder – I have played this a couple times but did not enjoy it. Too dependent on die rolls and you can have a sucky game if not rolling well.

Maurice – have not played this yet. Upside for me is the sliding figure scale and ability to do large battles with less figures. Downside is that it is not for more than four players.

Piquet Field of Battle – have played this once some years ago. Seemed like a good game but I don't remember much to be honest.

So I am basically seeking opinions on these rules to attempt to narrow my choices.

TIA
Kevin

i have played Volley and Bayonet….simplistic but fun.

Piquet is also fun…card driven rules adding uncertainty.

I am a huge Field of Battle fan. Flexible basing and number of figures used. The rules play pretty quickly and have a low learning curve. The decks and unit ratings allow you to model just about anything. I think they provide the proper feel as well.

Thanks,

John

A second vote for Piquet Field of Battle I think its everything a wargame should be a good period feel and lots of fun.

We are deep into a SYW campaign using BP with the LAOK supplement.They work well for us with really big games on a large 10x6 table as well as more modest games on 6x4.To some extent the larger game evens out some of the vagaries of the dice

Maurice hands down.

You are looking for "easy to teach". Of those games, I'd suggest Black Powder or maybe Age of Reason. Black Powder is designed to play rather large games quickly so it is an obvious choice.

Age of Reason I say "maybe" because I could not get through the rules. Not well laid out. But the QRS is not very busy either so that alone suggests that the rules are pretty simple.

Black Powder is more a tool kit and suits our group, as we use it for Italian Wars, Jacobite Rebellion, AWI, 18th C. Colonials. Adapting as required for each period. Adapting scales because we don't have massive tables. Adapting command rolls so that consecutive failures don't occur.
I like the idea of marching onto the battlefield and some battalions just not up to the task and not dressing the line or providing appropriate support. Also, the convenience of learning one set of rules for the different periods.
However, having played Maurice lite, and I had to choose one ruleset for SYW, I'd expend the time, money and effort, Maurice would be my choice.

I also do a lot of convention games and my choice is Volley and Bayonet. Easy to teach and I like the large sweeping nature of the games.

For an easy to teach convention game, another vote for VnB.

Ther Is But One True Set of Rules! WRG 1685-1845! All Else Is Heresy!

I've played AoR and Maurice, own FoB. Age of Reason is a good set that replicates a feel for linear warfare very nicely. That said, it is somewhat "old school", in that you count figures for casualties. I like it but don't play it as much anymore. I'd say it is relatively easy to teach and learn.

Maurice is what I play currently. Very easy game to pick up and play, difficult to master. A lot of friction with the command and control.

I have yet to play FoB but it looks promising. I have also played V&B, good simple set and handles multi-player and big battles well. Easiest to learn.

Used to play Age of Reason, good ruleset overall but slow combat resolution so we simplified it. But no one plays it where I am now – I'm finding that Black Powder is great for everyone's various armies coming out of various other rulesets/basing conventions etc.

Works better with bigger games(unit wise – you need at about 10 – 12 per side IMO) so one bad round is not crippling, also does need mods to make it work for 7YW though, our biggest is to use Hail Caesar movement rules or you can get one side with good dice just overrunning the other.

(We play 28mm, I think if I were using 15mm I'd play VnB or similar higher scale rules)

BP and AoR both have their charms. BP when I just want to move lead; AoR when I actually want a go at something resembling linear tactics.

Personally, I base of AoR. Then, when I want to play BP I just stick one battalion behind another and BAM: a nice 24-figures-in-two-ranks BP unit.