"Free Fife & Drum AWI Rules Posted On Its Website " Topic

I have posted a copy of our Fife & Drum rules for the AWI on our new website. They are free for your download and enjoyment. Click on the link below to go right to the Articles page on the website.

link

I have given several hundred copies of these rules to anyone who has requested a copy. Now you can go right to the source and get your copy immediately.

We will post our SYW rules on line in the future as well as historical articles, after action game reports and more.

Cheers,

Fritz

Thanks DAF I had these via email from you but a computer crash meant I lost them. I shall re download them!

Nothing there to download. All it says is "Rules and Articles will eventually be posted here as free downloads." but there is nothing to download.

Au contraire, I just clicked on the link and the rules show up on my iPad screen as a Scribd document. Try tapping or clicking on the white space below the text box.

tried can't download it either, all I am getting is an image that you can zoom in and out of, a button or something to download the rules directly would be easier and better

Nice idea as a few mates play these and like them, but I also get the image come up but no means of downloading it.

DAF, here is the scribd error message for the doc:

Sorry! This document is not publicly available.
The owner has set this document to private.
You will not be able to read it unless the owner changes it to public on their "My Uploads" page, or sends you a direct link.

Something isn't right. Just tried printing off the chart/rules and it only picked up a small portion.

Me too … only part of chart will print.

Washington

I am having issues also, unable to print. I even tried to copy and paste, but that is not working either.

I can't get it to print, either.

I apologize for the technical snafu. I was so excited to get these rules on line. We will have to go back to the old way of sending you the rules until I can figure out a fix.

Send me an email at: altefritz1740 (at) yahoo (dot) com

My work PC is blocked from uploading the document from my saved file and my iPad won't allow me to save a PDF apparently, and the web ap doesn't seem to allow me to upload a document from iPad but it will from an iMac , which is temporarily in the repair shop so I can't use that. It seems the gremlins are working overtime, but I will figure something out even if it involves buying a new computer.

Fritz

I gave them a perusal. They look good. I like the Fire and Fury style charts.
A couple questions:
1. Do the number of figs on a stand make any difference?
2. I assume with the morale rolls one is seeking to roll
the number on the chart, or lower?

Thanks!

Figures on a stand don't make a difference because you get a D10 for each group of 4 figures, rounding down. Same mechanism is used for firing and melee. So if you have 18 figures firing, round down to 16 and you get to roll four dice against your target number on the firing table. Roll the chart number or less to score a hit.

Morale: yes,you need to roll that number of less to pass morale. You need to pass that number on at least two dice. You always get a minimum of two dice, but you can get extra dice for having a leader attached etc. Roll all the dice and discard the ones that you don't need – you get to choose the two most favorable dice.

So if you need a 6 to pass morale, you get two dice and let's say that a leader is attached to the unit, so you get a third die.

you roll:

5/6/9 = throw out the 9 and you pass on 5 and 6

5/9/10 = throw out the 10, but you only pass on the 5 and fail on the 9, so that = shaken status

7/8/9 = no matter which die you discard, you will still fail on the two remaining dice = rout.

Really fun AWI rules, ideal for multiplayer games. Stress free, easy to learn and gives an entertaining game. Rolling low is good – which is a bit different.
TMP link

I've been using these rules for my convention games for over ten years, because they are so easy to learn which lets the player focus on tactics rather than worrying about understanding the rules.

"rolling low is good".

That is a set of rules written for me then!

I see the link is fixed. I can download.

I can't. I still get the "Rules and Articles will eventually be posted here as free downloads." message.

LT

I believe that I have finally fixed the download problem. The web software requires an up to date version of Adobe Flash, which I was able to download into my Mac. The Fife & Drum rules PDF is now uploaded onto the site and I was able to do several downloads from the site.

I will now add my free Seven Years War rules to the site too.

Best regards ( and thank you for your patience)

Fritz the Happy

It worked for me. Thanks for the rules.

The chart is the rules? What are the base sizes?

You can use any existing bases so long as both sides are consistant. I use a 20mm per figure frontage for my own troops, so I have 6 figures on a 60mm by 40mm stand and 80mm x 40mm for an 8 figure stand. If you want to cram more figures onto a base then that is fine too.

The important figure is "4" – you get one D10 for every four figures firing or meleeing. So my total regiment tends to be a number divisible by 4 (12/16/20/24/32/36/40/48 are some of my AWI unit sizes). You always round down, so if you have 14 figures firing, then you get to use 3 D10 (3 x 4 figures = 12 figures with 2 remainders that do not count towards the dice total).

I game the AWI using a 1:10 figure to man ratio. Given that the average Continental regiment is in the 200 to 360 range my Continentals are usually 24 or 30 figures. The British average 300 to 400 men so I use 32 figures as a compromise. The larger converged grenadiers and lights are 400 to 600 strong, but I use 480 men as my target, and thus 48 figures – which can be split into two equal wings of 24 to 30 figures if you so wish. Hessian units are larger in the 500 range, so I will use 30 to 48 figures for my Hessians.

Mounted figures are 1 inch by 2 inches on single or double based stands.

I use round stands for my brigade and divisional officers and the regular cavalry base for the single mounted regimental officers.

Ignore the Scribd chart on the web page – it shows you what the sheet looks like. Click on the PDF icons further down the page to download.

I am happy to answer any rules questions either on this forum or personally. I hope that you will give the rules a try and enjoy them. Ive been using them for my convention games for a good 15+ years and players seem to pick up on the mechanics very quickly, allowing them to concentrate on their tactics rather than having to worry about how to play the rules.

cheers

Fritz

I used the PDF icon and all I get is the chart.

Jim, for the SYW rules you use 1:20, correct?

I was able to download both just fine.

Lind

The PDF is the chart. The rules are one page and everything that you need to pitch into the game and start playing is there on one page. These are meant to be used in convention settings, where time is of the essence and players don't want the game master bloviating on for hours as he tries to explain how the rules work.

Simple rules do not imply a simple game though, there are a lot of subtle nuances that can make the game very unpredictable and exciting.

Fritz

LInd: yes, I use 1:20 for the SYW and 1:10 for the AWI games. I've used 1:30 for these rules and 1:5 and both work equally well.

You are gaming with 28mm figures I assume ? Do you have any suggestions for 15mm figures ?

Thanks for making your rules available. I've played your AWI rules at the SYW convention a couple of years ago and they do produce a realistic, fast paced, and exciting game. I forget, do you allow infantry to move and shoot in the same turn?

How are the cavalry units organized? I am planning to use the SYW rules for my game group in May so I will have other questions to ask as I get closer to the date.

Since I use a 1:20 figure to man ratio, I could use as many as 36 figures in a regiment representing 720 riders. I often use 600 riders as a sort of campaign strength for the regiment, or 30 figures.

More recently, I've been experimenting with breaking the cavalry regiment down into squadrons as this seems to create more ebb and flow in melees. This led me to setting up 12 figure squadrons. Now I'm not going to paint all 5 squadrons of a regiment at 12 per squadron because 60 figures would be vastly over strength at 1,200 riders. That's ok for some of the Prussian 10-squadron dragoon regiments, but nothing else.

So I'm kind of evolving to a Wargame organization of two 24-figure squadrons per cavalry regiment for my Austrians and maybe four 8- figure squadrons for my Prussians ( since they are already at 32 figures) .

This four squadrons of 8 horse seemed to work very well for Peter Gilder's In The Grand Manner Napoleonics rules so I want to experiment with that.

In the end though, one D10 for every 4 riders in melee is the most important number, so I recommend cavalry regiments that are divisible by four.

BTW, I'm getting lots of good questions here ( keep them coming) and I think that I might compile them into another free PDF that I will post to my new Fife & Drum web site, in a week or so.

Just downloaded the SYW rules, thanks.

2 questions please Jim.

Reserve Moves – I've interpreted this as being allowed to move units that didn't move in the Movement phase. Is that correct? That interpretation seems to be a handy way to exploit or plug gaps with reserves.

Short range – or lack of. Would adding a short range factor add another layer of tactics?

Maybe I'm a grey box….

Sorry Bandolier, I've been away for a bit and only just saw your question.

Any unit that is outside of 30 inches from an opponent may take an extra move during the reserve phase of the turn. Once it comes within the 30 inch distance, it must stop its movement, but it is permitted to change formation say from column to line to set up for the next turn. Units in reserve movement thus can never come into contact with an opposing unit, hence no charges are allowed during this phase. The purpose of the reserve move ( an idea borrowed from Peter Gilder) is to allow for grand tactical moves, say moving a reserve from one wing of the army to the other, etc. and speeding up the game. I don't want a player stuck in the reserve area having to spend the whole game just moving into position.

Short range fire is built into the artillery charts. Here you see two numbers such as 7/5 where the first number is the "to hit" roll needed at short range and the second number after the slash mark is the long range number needed to score a hit.

I used short range/long range a few years ago, but I just didn't like the way that it worked in the game. You are welcome to adapt the charts for your own purpose and add short range and give it a try. It might be easier just to add a +1 or +2 to all number for short range.

Thanks for the clarifications!

For the Turn Sequence, the last item is "Reserve Moves", and wondering how this works? Perhaps units who haven't moved in the movement phase can then move at that time in the sequence?

Units that are more than 30" away from an enemy unit may conduct a normal move during the Reserve Move phase. So a unit or several units could conceivably get two moves during the turn. Oh, and units using a reserve move have to be in a March column formation .

I borrowed the idea from Peter Gilder's In The Grand Manner rules as a mechanism to move reserves quickly about the table or for an entire army to conduct a Leuthen like flank March.

Once the unit closes inside the 30" measurement, then it has to stop movement. However, it can change formation from column to line.

Hi Jim

I have few questions

How many figures do you use for Light Infantry?

On the morale table you drop down tables as you take hits. So for instance use Table B for 5 -8 cumulative loses. This makes sense with 30 figure infantry units but how does this work with your 12 figure Cavalry units or indeed smaller units. Do they move down Tables with fewer cumulative loses ?

A Shaken unit that Routs is removed from play and do not get a chance to rally where as a unit that goes straight to Rout gets one chance to rally. Am I reading this correctly?

Cheers

Mark

D A F … Thank you for the explanation, I've copied and pasted it for future reference.

@ Mark: units use the same morale mechanics regardless of their initial size.

Shaken to Rout to Removal is used because I consider the Shaken unit to already be in some state of distress, so when they rout on a rally attempt they really have no baseline of good morale to get back to. On the otherhand, the unit that just routed gets two attempts to rally before removal.

I use 48 man Light Infantry units for the British. They can be subdivided into smaller wings of 12 or 24 figures.

Hi Jim

One further question.

In melee do units take Morale Checks and if so under what conditions ?

For instance do you take a Morale check if you take a casualty or does the side that takes the most casualty only take one ?

thanks

Mark

Nice elegant and simple rules. Not simplistic at all. I like 'em. Going to give them a try this Friday with our group. 15mm using the ranges/distances on the chart. Will let you know how it goes.

Post melee, the usual convention of the side with the highest number of casualties checks first, and if he passes, then the other side checks.

In case of equal casualties, I don't use a morale check, although some have suggested that I should make BOTH sides check morale simultaneously on the off chance that both of them would rout.

That's interesting. We've always assumed both sides roll for morale if they take ANY hits. Can't recall if both sides have routed at the same time as yet!

The rules are flexible enough so that you can use any morale convention, be it simultaneous or one and then the other.

Just a reminder that these rules are posted as free downloads on the Fife & Drum website (see link at the top of this thread).