"ECW Morale Markers -- Ideas?" Topic

Besides my units of foot on bases, I plan on using a single figure (such as a drummer) on a penny as a "morale marker". It's position relative to the main unit will indicate the unit's current situation (steady, disordered, shaken, etc.).

I want something similar for my mounted units . . . but I don't want to use another mounted figure (that not only gets expensive, but takes up too much room on the tabletop).

So what ideas do you have for a marker similar to the infantry. Something that won't take up a huge amount of space but is suitable for mounted troops?

-- Jeff

The most visual aspect of an ECW regiment is its standards.
Using this may be a most immediate way of marking an aspect of the unit.
It could be as simple as the direction the flag itself is flying or a replacement figure holding the standard in various states of damage or a plain wire pole over which increasingly tattered flags are placed.

dead horse

redbanner4145,

I'm not at all sure that I want my regiments lead by a dead horse . . . the symbolism just doesn't appeal to me . . . besides which I don't have any dead horse figures and I'm hoping for something less costly.

But thank you for the suggestion, it is a reasonable idea (I just don't care for the symbolism).

-- Jeff

Monstro,

The idea of changing the flag's position is a possibility. Thank you. But I'm still open to lots of other ideas.

-- Jeff

Didn't one of the leaders go into battle with his dog? Rupert?

How about using a hound at the run.

Ogdenlulimus,

Not a bad idea. I do have some dog figures in my fantasy lead pile . . . but I don't think I have enough for the twelve mounted units I'm planning.

And, yes, Prince Rupert (King Charles nephew) rode into battle with his hunting poodle, Boye, at his side.

-- Jeff

Didn't one of the leaders go into battle with his dog? Rupert?

Prince Rupert's dog was a poodle called Boye
link

Boye! I like Warlord Games depiction of Boye,he's the full sized hunting variety.I remember the depiction of Boye in the movie Cromwell,Timothy Dalton hauling around the little miniature variety,and I thought theres no way that Parliament could call that little thing the incarnation of Satan.

Let us please get back to ideas for on table morale markers suitable for cavalry.

-- Jeff

Let us please get back to ideas for on table morale markers suitable for cavalry.

The idea was to use a model of Boye as an on table morale marker suitable for cavalry. The only problem is he was a bit of a "one off" and thus is not generally applicable.

I use ~25mm scale chickens (routing) and goats (shaken), for my 25-30mm fantasy figures. I bought them off of Mega Mini's before he sold off his stuff. You could check with JD Lauck to see who he sold the molds to, or find alternative sources.

I place the animal figure near the unit, to indicate its status (no animal indicates they are in good order). Small animals such as goats and chickens are not too unrealistic in a battlefield (ancient to early 20th Century), in my opinion. YMMV. Cheers!

I use ~25mm scale chickens (routing) and goats (shaken),

Good idea!

Does it have to be the same figure for each regiment? i.e. a dog, a priest, maybe a running civilian, a messenger etc. etc. all good suggestions – as long as you can have a marker for each unit …

In the case of horse, it was not uncommon to have shot attached … so odd foot figures – musketeers and the like – would probably make the depiction of a regiment of horse more authentic.

Anyway … it sounds like a good idea.

Phil
ECWBattles

Why not position the units command stand in the centre of the unit if all is fine, on the right if things are going downhill and on the left if it's going badly wrong, saves having to make up any marker bases. Alternatively why not pick up a few small stones and use those or small twigs?

Whatever figures you use, color coding could help. That way the figure is not as important as the color code. Figures with yellow bases or clothes for shaken, red for broken…

Use a model gabion or large barrel maybe?, you could use them for foot units too. Easy to paint, will blend in with the table and you could still use them as scenery if you weren't keen on them as status markers.

How about dropped equipment – sword, pistol, or helmet?

Alternatively I have done several bases that just have red or yellow flowers. They look natural but have an eye catching color for fast ID.

Perry do a pack with a figure sitting holding his head -- it would perhaps work nicely as an unhorsed cavalryman; he's bareheaded, so you could put a plastic lobster helmet by his feet… It would fit on a 20mm round base, so it wouldn't occupy much space.

To go cheap…

Use a poker chip for the base because its round and different from the bases the figures are on. And use rocks on the bases as the markers.

One rock = shaken
2 rocks = routed
etc.

I really like Monstro's idea.

"The most visual aspect of an ECW regiment is its standards.
Using this may be a most immediate way of marking an aspect of the unit.
It could be as simple as the direction the flag itself is flying or a replacement figure holding the standard in various states of damage or a plain wire pole over which increasingly tattered flags are placed."

But ( other than additional coed) why couldn't you just use riderless horses to indicate the condition of the unit? Maybe one for Shaken and two for routed? Maybe different color horses for the units condition. In battle there would be a lot of horses running around, missing riders.

Just a thought

Other tha cost ( I hate autocorrect!)

Unfortunately, (for me) beside costing more than I'd like, running horses would take up too much room in front of the units.

So far the use of dogs and/or stones seem the most practical to me . . . but I am still very much open to further suggestions and I sincerely thank all who share their ideas.

And please keep in mind that ideas that might not work for me may well be fine for someone else, so don't be afraid to share your ideas.

-- Jeff

Usually I use small coloured dice for markers – depends what you can get
green = ok but disordered; red = shaken; ….

Finding markers that won't look to out of place in a game; can be difficult – for foot regiments the drummer idea seems a good one, for horse have a trumpeter per regiment on a single base and use that in various positions to signify the morale status ?

-- Allan

@ Jeff: It might help if you gave an indication of how many states of morale have to be marked? Remember, there's always the "no marker" state as well.

And are you set on positioning the marker on different sides of the unit? In actual tabletop encounters they might get in the way. To build on Tidders' idea, the trumpeter could be placed out of the way behind the unit, and facing forward while steady, sideways for "shaken" and backwards for "run for the hills"?

An idea that would cost no extra time, money or space would be to have a removable horse rider on one of your bases. The position within the unit will denote the state of the unit morale. A small wire pin can be used to keep the rider stable until he needs to be removed. Or if not a removable rider a wounded rider that is positioned according to the morale state of the unit.

Crown for one side, Parliament's mace for the other

Musketier,

What I had planned for the Drummer was the following:

STEADY -- Drummer out in front (separated from unit)
RATTLED -- Drummer in front (but touching)
DISORDERED -- Drummer behind unit (facing forward)
SHAKEN -- Drummer behind unit (facing backwards)
ROUTED -- Drummer behind unit (separated from it)

I hope that that helps.

-- Jeff

Thank you Jeff, yes that clarifies it – without necessarily making it simpler. I'm working on a vaguely similar system for my own games (though with fewer levels), hence my interest in the details. It still strikes me that a drummer out front would a) look rather strange and b) get in the way of close-range musketry and mêlée?

In any case, you want to represent five states of cohesion, or four plus "no marker". Since you already went for drummers with the infantry, I'd stick with the concept and have a trumpeter for each cavalry unit.

My suggestion: Place him (and likewise the drummer) out of the way behind his unit, on a square or rectangular base unobtrusively marked "R" on one side, "D" on the other and "S" on the front. Facing front, no letter is readable from the rear: steady. Turn him to one side: R for rattled; to the other: D for disorganised. Face him backwards and you can read the S for shaken (although strictly speaking it's redundant). Take him away: unit is routing.

If artillery has the same cohesion levels in your rules, the same effect could be achieved with a powder barrel or ammunition chest on a square base.