"FFT for WWI?" Topic

Has anyone modified FFT 3 for WWI actions? I own the rules and was thinking if they might fit the bill. I see some problems with command and control and the ease of calling for artillery in the modern era vs. 1914. Any suggested changes? Thanks in advance.

Big grain of salt for this – I know nothing…

For arty – only stands that did not move can call it in should help, most likely only allow dedicated stands to do so. Most restrictive but fitting for some battles is to have all arty fire pre-plotted.

Command and Control – from what little reading I have you can use the control rolls to move any time a group tries to move in no mans land.

One item I forgot earlier – limit the command radius by half if it seems too high.

I thought FFT3 covered 1915 onwards. Is it 1914 that you are specifically interested in?

Robert

FFT? -come on give us a clue.

Four Foot Trench?

Flaming Fudge Torpedos?

Fuming Freelance Teddies?

FistFul of Tows. Developed for modern warfare but extended to include WWs 2 and 1.

Robert

> I thought FFT3 covered 1915 onwards. Is it 1914 that you are specifically interested in?

It has stats for equipment that was in use in the later stages of WWI but I would not say it covers WWI (and I love the game). Especially in regards to any stand being able to call in artillery, even for a number of nationalities in WWII that is a bit of a stretch but a reasonable fudge when combined with the command stand being selected each turn.

Yes, it's supposed to cover 1915-2015 but 1914 is what I'm looking at. the system is excellent for WWII-on (IMO the best micro scale system out there for BN/BDE actions) but allows a little too much flexibility for earlier actions and some lower tech armies.
-I was thinking of only having dedicated observers who also were highly restricted in some way to reflect poor communications in mobile warfare.
-cohesion distances very reduced, even a 1 inch gap (100 yards) seems too far between platoons.
-force companies in a battalion to stay in cohesion with one another.
I'm trying to avoid buying yet another rule set just for early WWI actions.
Again, thanks in advance.

I don't know the rules well and have not played FFT3. I took a quick look at the PDF slimmed down version. Based on these caveats, here are some thoughts FWIIW. The biggest problem (which is generic to WW1 not just 1914) is that the unit frontages are too wide. Typically you can scale the frontage by a factor of one unit compared with WW2 – a WW1 company would occupy the frontage of a WW2 platoon. Straightaway you can see that this addresses the cohesion distance issue.

Rather than mess around with unit size, you might consider using a different ground scale – reducing from 1" = 100 yards to 1" = 33 or perhaps 50 yards. The table size would remain the same but immediately you can see that the table would represent an area about 1/3 the size of a FFT3 table for WW2 or modern war.

In 1914 you have batteries firing directly over open sights or using FOOs that are only a short distance from the batteries. Most commonly, the batteries would be positioned in defilade, such as just below a ridge line. The FOO would be located on the ridge with line of sight to the battery. I would not recommend a fighting stand being able to call in artillery in 1914 but this is a very reasonable mechanic later in WW1. Great War Spearhead uses the same abstraction, which reflects the complex network of systems that enabled WW1 artillery to spot and engage enemy infantry or artillery during a battle. Ground-based FOOs, SOS calls, captive balloons, and aerial spotting all fed into a centralised fire control system. From the enemy perspective, any time a unit tried to move in the open then, unless the enemy artillery was suppressed, the unit would come under fire almost immediately. Even with pre-planned barrages, it was usually the case that up to a third of artillery would remain on standby for called-in fire support missions.

I wouldn't worry too much about the 'poor communications' issue. Too much is made of this. During the Battle of Mons, for example, the BEF II Corps was receiving up to the minute messages about the German advance and breakthrough in the Nimy-Obourg salient. I imagine FFT3 has mechanisms to limit units ability to respond to new orders anyway. Stick to these would be my advice. 1914 battles were not as 'in the dark' as you might imagine.

Robert