"Simple 'Napoleonic era' rocket rules" Topic

As several of the local guys have asked me to describe my simple rules for firing off Congreve type rockets, I thought some of you might be interested in these to incorporate into whichever rule system you are using as these simply employ a way to simulate their often erratic flight paths.
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Interesting. I'll copy this and save for future reference. Thanks!

You call this simple?

"Rudi the german", pardon the pun… but these rules ain't rocket science!

Heck, dear boy, I have had a five-year-old remember 'left is a 1, right is a 6, all else is straight ahead.'

How simple do you need?? Geez…..

I like them, nice idea how you have build in the inaccuracy as the distance increases. I am presuming if you guess 24" and throw 4 D6, all being not 1's or 6's you hit the target even if you have overestimated (ie 22") the distance but miss if you under estimated the distance(ie 26")

You do not mention though the effect. Is it one kill or disruption if one rocket hits.

I also like how the rocket causes disorder.

John

AM

I love this, definitely need to get myself a rocket battery

F

Sounds very similar to what's in Sharp Practice.

I like the old Johnny Reb ACW rocket rules. Turn away from the table, throw a single die over your left shoulder, and what ever unit is closest to where the die lands, makes a morale check vs the number on the die.

I actually had a friend who practiced this…

My only comment is that the troughs in your models are far too long.

Those used with the limbers and rocket cars were about that length (or perhaps slightly shorter) and were carried on the rocket car (a modified limber). They had legs which were used to adjust the angle of fire.

If the rocket troopers deployed without their limbers, they did so in teams of three. All carried a pair of rockets in large holsters just in front of the rider and had a bundle of rocket sticks slung over their shoulders (making them look a bit like lancers, an effect which was heightened by an unofficial white over blue lance pennant (as shown in the Hamilton Smith print). One of the three troopers carried a small trough on the back of his saddle for launching the rockets. This is described in Colonel Sir William Congreve's booklet "Details of the Rocket System" as being 18 inches long with four iron points on the bottom, so it can be pressed into the ground at a slight angle.

As you are probably aware, Congreve's book was reprinted by the Royal Artillery Museum a few years ago. I bought mine a long time ago, but noticed a copy at a sale price of £6.50 GBP on the Caliver Books website today.

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Rod

John,
You certainly can do that with your distances, or simply have the rocket fall from the sky at the very end of it's flight. I believe the rockets carried solid ball shot and so did not explode on impact. Their effect on the battlefield was simply psychological which is why the disorder effect as it sails along. Should the silly thing actually land on the very spot of a unit (enemy or your own!) or in the case of my game a building, you could assess damage according to your rules employed.

What I suggest is only the "delivery system"

Rod,
Thanks for the information! Hmm, the troughs at only 18 inches long. I have found good "wargamer" information on congreve deployment sparse.I guess I must get the knife out now. Grin.

My rocket battery is going to see the elephant very soon, looking what TMPers have throw out there for rocket rules.

We had a discussion on this recently:

TMP link

No matter how I use them, think white pipe cleaners will be a good visual, not sure how I will make them stand.

I used the pipe cleaners ( 6 inch lengths) and did as suggested. But now damage and moral ( as per Empire) needs to be sorted. Empire gives no negatives for a moral roll, so use the 10% causality factor for any unit in the path of rocket? And a roll for damage on end of rocket trail?

Did make a neat firing marker using white pipe cleaner old solder for a weight and one of the rockets I made