"rule set recommendation" Topic

What rule set do you guys recommend for AoS? I was thinking of Close Action as I really like the FG&D rules.

I have played quite a few over the years and I still like Heart of Oak by Fantasy Games Unlimited.

Kiss me Hardy: TooFatLardies

If you want hex based, AH's Wooden Ships and Iron Men, which can often be picked up at cons for a reasonable price, is a very good game.

Eh I'm not really a fan of hex.

If you can find a copy, Warhammer Historical's Trafalgar are excellent.

Close Action is about as accurate as you are going to get. I know the author and he was meticulous. It is hex based but you could make 60 degree turning wedges for it. I think I've seen it played like that. Hexes remove uncertainty. It takes time to learn the rules but they are worth it.

Close Action is probably the best mentioned and recommended. A good representation of movement under sail (the single hardest thing to get right in any AoS game). As for the others Trafalgar is a rude joke (and Sails of Glory even worse. Any rules that allows automatic tacking can't be taken seriously) and Heart of Oak decent (except the combat is a bit suspect).

Depending on scale of action you want to play, Signal Close Action fast play is a great set for actions up to about 10-12 a side. You need to plan ahead, and very little is automatic. It could probably do with a set of speed variations, but otherwise plays really well. It's IgoUgo, players declare intent, roll against reaction checks for intent, and damage is numeric against boxes, chance of critical hit etc, rules for front and rear rake, boarding, dismasting and fire.

Try Ship of the Line. It's the miniatures version of Wooden Ships and Iron Men which is the boardgame version of the original miniatures game.a

I started with Trafalgar but have had to swap due to Warhammer Historical becoming an ex-company, (it has ceased to be) and thus hardly something you'd recommend to a new player.

Had a look at Sails of Glory, and was familiar with Wings of War and X-Wing which have similar mechanics but the lack of detail was off-putting.

Briefly considered Kiss Me Hardy but prefer a more serious set for this.

The Americans seem to prefer the Form Line of Battle ruleset which looks a strong contender. The author made some advanced rules for Trafalgar that I saw whilst we had that ruleset.

Ultimately I went for Signal Close Action, initially Fast Play to introduce players to the mechanics, but rapidly advancing into the 4th Edition set as this allows far greater flexibility in what can be played with hybridization of FP & 4th to get the right balance between playability and historical accuracy. (FP itself is really limited to fleet actions, 4th ed. gives vastly more options allowing you to do more esoteric stuff like frigate actions and East India convoys.