Well, I'm feeling better now, so I thought it might be a good time to update everyone on AOV, Age of Valor. For those who are unaware, I had (very) successful colon cancer surgery to remove a tumor, and will start chemo in a few to take care of any hidden residuals. Hopefully, this will be the end of it and I can return to the AOV project soon.
AOV is an expansion module to Age of Eagles, Napoleonic Fire and Fury that covers European warfare from 1848 thru the Guns of August, 1914. Here is the truth as of today.
- I've uploaded Telissu 1904 test drive scenario to the AOE Website for people to have a look. It can be found at:
link
As I do with all AOE pubs, the test drive concept is kinda like a PC game demo so you can take the system for a spin before you buy. It also gives you a good idea as to presentation graphics and so on.
- AOV covers European Warfare from 1848 – 1914, and includes conflict sections on the Hungarian Revolution, 1st & 2d Schleswig Wars, 1st, 2d & 3d Italian Wars of Independence, Crimean War, Franco-Austrian War, Austro-Prussian War, Franco-Prussian War Imperial phase, Franco-Prussian War Republican phase, Russo-Turkish War, Russo-Japanese War and the Guns of August 1914, both Eastern and Western Fronts.
- Scale is the same as AOE – 30 minute turns, 120 yards per inch, each stand is 360 infantry, 240 light infantry, 180 cavalry or one historical battery of guns +/-.
- Units are light infantry battalions, otherwise regiments and brigades, artillery batteries.
- Included is a small scale variant so that smaller engagements such as found in the Schleswig Wars may be played.
- Each conflict section is stand alone. It has its own complete and unique Quick Reference Sheet with die roll modifiers (DRMs), fire point allocations, movement, combat charts specific to the war in question.
- Likewise each conflict section has its own set of leader and unit data charts +. By + I mean, for example, that the Crimean War section includes line items for battles that occurred outside the Crimean Peninsula as well as what ifs such as the Austrians that faced off against the Russians on the Danube, the latter fielding such oddities as lance carrying Kurassiers to confront them. We have also included a line for Major Sir Harry Paget Flashman.
- Each conflict section also has a Reference Section where we hyperlink to public domain material useful to players doing research for their own scenarios. Most – but not all – are actually hosted on the AOE Webserver and include things like maps (eg, from Kinglake's Crimean war history), flag sheets (Russian regimentals from the RJW and WWI), uniforms and official histories (I actually found an English translation of the Austrian official history of WWI).
- Each conflict section includes at least one complete sample scenario, to include set up map, planning map and full color labels.
- I have adapted the Army Cohesion Level concept from Regimental Fire and Fury into the module.
- Firepower is delineated by hardware, training and doctrine combined. Thus when you see a line for the Dreyse on the fire table and compare it to a line labeled Chassepot, you will notice the French shoot at longer ranges more effectively, but the Prussians have a significant advantage close in. This is not only due to hardware, but also to the Schnellfeuer doctrine adopted for the Dreyse.
- Cavalry can do significant damage vice ACW horse . . . IF . . . they survive defensive fire, something that rarely happens as you move on later in the period. There is no specific rule to reflect this, only that normal modifiers have been adjusted to make this happen.
- There is now a Suppressed fire result, to reflect that the unit has taken so much fire that a majority of its elements have now halted movement and gone to ground. In effect, it is pinned. This is simply a modified Disordered result whereby the unit halts at the point of fire, never closes if charging and takes an additional negative DRM when trying to move subsequently. It does receive, however, a positive DRM when fired upon due to perceived cover and concealment while pinned.
- We don't have "shock" cavalry, but there is Shock Infantry, that fire at a reduced rate but get a + DRM on the melee table. Here we mean the French in 1859, the Austrians in 1866 and so on.
- We anticipate the document will be close to 200 pages, full color, digital download, and cost about $ 12.00 US of 7.5 GBP. You'll get it half price if you buy it with another AOE product.
Or at least that's the way it is today.
Whew!
Warmest regards,
/// Bill ///
Wilbur E Gray
Colonel, US Army (Retired)
AOE, PSS, HMGS, wargamer.com, etc
ageofeagles.com
