"First impressions of Blucher rules" Topic

My thoughts about Sam Mustafa's new Napoleonic rules, Blucher, are on my blog:
marksgamingblog.blogspot.co.uk
I appreciate that many more games need to be played before I can write a more considered critique, but I do think first impressions can be useful. I would welcome any thoughts, comments and criticisms that others might have.

Sounds very interesting !

Phil

I enjoyed my first game of Blucher at the weekend. I did feel it was a shame that Column, Line & Square formations did not feature other than Infantry being able to adopt "prpepared" status. I understand that this is more of a grand Tactical game focussing on Brigades rather than Tactical game focussing on Battalions, but I still missed it.

In our first game we misread the rules for artillery, and only used them as separate units rather than batteries attached to individual infantry units. The finite number of shots from artillery units was something that made us all think far more carefully about when & where to fire.

We used the 100 Days cards and we all thought they were great – very high production values.

Looking forward to more games as we learn the rules better.

Thanks. these rules do interest me, but they would need to be solitaire friendly. i am guessing that the way I would deal with that would be to still roll 3 dice, but do them one at a time, waiting until 1 die was exhausted before rolling the second etc – that might preserve the intent of the design, but still add the desired suspense and doubt and chaos for the gamer – what do you think? would that work?

Am I right in assuming that you can just buy the rules and then use figures without having to buy anything else? I don't like being forced into a codex type system, but don't mind buying additions when I want to …. not because I have to to play the game.

What size table do you think you can get away with before a wall to wall deployment becomes an issue?

Anyway, thanks again for the detailed post. All comments that I have seen so far seem to be positive, so that bodes well.

You can just buy the rules. There are downloads on the website as well (card blanks, QRS, etc.). There is also a sample scenario so you can try basic mechanics.

I played in a demo at Cold Wars this weekend. Very impressed and yes the intent is to be at a high command level so you are not concerned with the maneuvers of individual battalions.

You can play the rules with miniatures without buying anything else as DeRuyter says. Lots of support material available on the Honour website. The cards however are well worth getting and great value.

If you are a member of the Honour Forum you will find a discussion about playing the rules solo. One member has produced a small app you can download to randomly generate then track your use of Momentum Points which is cool. However, your approach would also work albeit it removes some of the fog of war.

Table size can be what you want. The rules Work fine on 6'x4' tables using a 3" frontage for your Units (24x16 BW) but you can easily vary that by changing the base width (BW) you use. Clearly bigger battles will need more space, but it is up to you what scale you want to use in representing a battle.

Thanks for all the comments.
Normsmith: I really like your idea about an alternative approach to solo play, I will try this in my next solo game. I actually plan to play a few opposed games next because I find only through opposed games can a set of rules be truly assessed. My opponents always manage to throw the odd tactic at me that comes right out of left field. Regarding your other questions, I think others have answered them well. I would strongly advice any potential player to look at the Honour forum where many interesting discussions can be found concerning all of Sam's rules.

Snowydog and others, many thanks for all those really helpful reviews!

Normsmith, great solution to the only issue that was making me hesitate. Now I'm hoping to get my copy this Saturday, as we have a convention here in Belgium (Gent).

Question. Are the shirmisher rules optional? I'm intrigued by these rules but one of my biggest pet peeves are when rules are inconsistent with scale i.e. making my Napoleon but asking me to count rations or deploy individual platoons.

Hi Dugbonz,

The skirmish rule is actually a characteristic or trait (in the rules parlance) of certain units. Your unit either has it or it doesn't. It allows you a small advantage in firing.

The rules are not tactical level as you describe them. The decision described above by wargame insomniac to `prepare' your infantry is not a detailed tactical decision as much as a decision that that allows no movement (for that turn) and improves defense against cavalry.

I have played the introductory scenario and can say it provided me with the corps level game I have been looking for. There is absolutely a level of abstractness compared to a tactical level game which, though disconcerting to some, is nothing but a benefit to me!

Regards,

Mark

Thanks Mark. That is good to hear. There is a place for every level of game, just not all in one set of rules! I will be giving these a try in the very near future. The Campaign rules intrigue me as well.

"Thanks. these rules do interest me, but they would need to be solitaire friendly. i am guessing that the way I would deal with that would be to still roll 3 dice, but do them one at a time, waiting until 1 die was exhausted before rolling the second etc"

Even easier than that. Do an activation, and keep track of the accumulated points. After each activation roll 2/3D6 (depending on the size of the game). If the score is less than or equal to the accumulated points then your turn has ended.

An Intuitive general rolls their own points, so you could solo with those :)

The Scharnhorst pre-game system isn't really solo friendly, and neither is the hidden unit mechanism, but the latter is a smallish loss in the great scheme of things, whilst you can still set up games without Scharnhorst.

I use a 2" Base frontage for my 6mm/Adler brigades. This puts Borodino on a 6x4 table.

You need to think differently at this scale of game. It puts you in command of a Corps or several corps. You don't decide to commit reserves as CinC one minute then choose canister or roundshot for each and every battery, or line or square for each and every battalion.

These rules come across as very elegant, streamlined and speedy. As a former Volley and Bayonet player they are just the job as far as I am concerned when I want a big, really big battle.

For putting just a couple of divisions on the table then I would choose a different ruleset.

Hi

For solo play what would be nice is a little app which shows 15 boxes (this being the possible permutations: 3 x D6 can generate – 3-18) and as you complete each activation you click the appropriate box/cost, until such time as you equal or pass your roll – then to see the said box show a colour or other indicator of the original 3 x D6 roll.

I wonder if this could be done in Microsoft Excel – I have seen some nifty little applications produced within that program.

1815Guy – are they comparable to Snappy Nappy? (from memory, i think you have played them and recommended them to me some time ago – i bought them anyway)

Nothing like snappy Nappy from what I understand.

I have never bought nor recommended Snappy Nappy, although I have been a Volley and Bayonet fan for decades.

From what I have read, Snappy is quite technical, a bit fiddly and element based, like DBA or Polymos. If that is so, then Blücher is a much more integrated set.

Sam deserves to succeed with Blücher, and around my gaming community Blücher is selling like hot cakes.

around my gaming community Blücher is selling like hot cakes.

Why the preference for BLUCHER over SNAPPY? What does the one have that the other is missing?

"What does the one have that the other is missing?"

A sensible title?

I own and play both rules sets; Snappy Nappy and Blucher.
Blucher seems to flow better over all. Fire and Combat is easier to resolve and Command seems reasonable at the Army and Corps level. Blucher seems to have more depth from a tactical perspective as well. Both are fine rules. But I prefer Blucher now.

Snappy Nappy? Why the preference for Blucher?

Well for 1 the name, lol.

Blucher is a great game, simple elegance yet hard to master.

Does what is currently available for Blucher cover the Peninsular war ?

Hi Guthroth,
The rules cover all theatres from 1805 to 1815. If you are looking for cards to represent the Peninsular armies they are in production but I'm not sure when they will be available. There is a scenario for Fuentes de Oñoro in the rulebook and several more Peninsular battles have been added to scenario section of the Forum.
Regards,
Mark