benito | 10 Apr 2015 2:06 a.m. PST |
Dear all, After long looking for an ECW wargaming rules suiting my tastes (other than Hott) I have identified "Victory without Quarter". How many units do you recommend per player ? I have no idea about the size of the armies the game has been designed for. Thanks for your feedback… and sorry for my bad English. Kind regards, Benoit |
getback | 10 Apr 2015 4:56 a.m. PST |
I used playing cards (Red for Royalists, Black for Parliament). Used Number cards to represent units, face cards to represent leaders (Kings for C.O). Red aces were reloads, black were artillery, Red Joker as turn end, black as event. This allowed for 16 units per side in a two player game and played nicely. So I would use a "normal" war-games rule of thumb that 10-20 commanded entities per player usually works. |
Some Chicken | 10 Apr 2015 5:04 a.m. PST |
I like VWQ a lot, although there are some gaps in the rules still as they have not yet been developed into a full blown commercial set. The author apparently intended them for 8 -12 units per side using 28mm figures. We play with 15mm figures with foot units comprising a central pike block on one base with shot (muskets) on smaller bases to allow us easily to configure regiments in the shot/pike ratio of 2:1, 3:2 and 1:1. This takes things a bit further than the rules where 2:1 is the norm. Our last game had 7 or 8 regiments of foot each side plus 4 troops of horse (cavalry) and two of dragoons, which is more than the author envisaged. The game moved along well and we certainly didn't feel overworked from having too many units to command. I am still adding troops of horse to get my forces up to a more historically representative level. We see no problems using the rules for larger armies. I am aiming for 10 -12 regiments of foot each side plus 10 troops of horse. This will probably mean increasing the table size from 6ft x 4ft for the last game to 8ft x 4ft or 8ft x 6ft to give more room for manoeuvre. (Sorry – I still work in feet and inches rather than metres) Your English is good by the way! I hope my reply isn't confusing – ask me to explain if it is. |
benito | 10 Apr 2015 5:27 a.m. PST |
Thanks for your fast replies. Very useful ! Benoit |
Who asked this joker | 10 Apr 2015 7:15 a.m. PST |
@Some Chicken: How do you handle the different shot ratios in the game rules? |
Big Red | 10 Apr 2015 8:30 a.m. PST |
Yes, a dozen or so per side but can easily be expanded once the players become familiar with the rules – this might take one game or less since they play quite well. Clearance has been more than helpful in answering rules questions. |
Jeff of SaxeBearstein | 10 Apr 2015 10:41 a.m. PST |
About three years ago I was undergoing chemotherapy and didn't have the energy or endurance to game face-to-face so I decided to use "Victory Without Quarter" for solo play (since I could take a break anytime I needed to do so). First of all it worked wonderfully as a set of solo rules. But getting on to your number of units question, here is what I had (both sides were the same): 6 pike & shot -- 1 veteran, 2 trained, 3 raw 1 commanded shot -- trained 1 clubmen -- raw 1 cuirassier -- (two squadrons) trained 2 trotters -- (two squadrons each) 1 veteran, 1 raw 2 light artillery pieces -- trained 1 artillery guards -- veteran Note that "Maddening Subordinates" rules used; and Clubmen could not shoot, but could charge. Also since these forces might seem to be a tad odd, since I did not have any ECW figures, I shoved the period back about a century and used what Renaissance figures that I had. I should also note that I had two "online generals" who would let me know their battle plans whenever I reached a point where I felt a decision was needed. All-in-all we fought three battles . . . and if interested, you can follow the action on the blog I kept at the time (with lots of photos) . . . The Alpian Wars (starting in November, 2012 and ending March, 2013: link As for the page on Army Composition it is here: link -- Jeff
|
Some Chicken | 10 Apr 2015 11:13 a.m. PST |
How do you handle the different shot ratios in the game rules? For musket fire we treat a 'normal' 2:1 ratio unit of foot as in the rules, i.e. 3x D6 for each side. 1:1 ratio has (surprise, surprise!) half the number of shot figures so gets just 3x D6. A 3:2 unit gets a basic 4xD6 with a 50% chance (4-6 on a D6) of getting a fifth dice each time it fires. My shot are set up on 1x 6 figure base, 2x 4 figure bases and 1x 2 figures. So I can have 8,6 or 4 figures of shot either side. The only other departure from the rules as written is that a base of shot would be 6 figures in VWQ. I prefer 8 (same as pike block base) because it looks better and makes the variable ratio work. And as no bases are removed in VWQ, it doesn't matter how many figures are on them. When setting up the game we roll for each unit to see what ratio it has. This helps avoid standard size units bumping up against each other, which I wasn't keen on. We do something similar with horse, so a troop could be 4 bases (8 figures) up to 7 bases (14 figures). |
Some Chicken | 10 Apr 2015 11:17 a.m. PST |
Clearance has been more than helpful in answering rules questions. Is he the same chap as in "Have we got clearance, Clarence?" Followed of course by "Get me a vector, Victor" And "Roger". "Huh?" |
Big Red | 10 Apr 2015 11:52 a.m. PST |
Ah yes, and Major Minor too! Anyway, the rules author (not Arther) is also very helpful. |
Lord Hollier | 10 Apr 2015 1:41 p.m. PST |
I have run games of VWQ with over 20 maneuver units per side. You need to have multiple shuffle/end turn cards, so that the deck is shuffled only after the last of the end turn cards shows up. Also, it works best with a gamemaster who can look at what the next card is, and if appropriate (i.e., units not in proximity) turn it and get two players moving at once. I know others have used just Brigade cards (all units in the Brigade take an action on their card). I've also produced a QRS, which I should probably post to the VWQ forum!! |
Jeff of SaxeBearstein | 10 Apr 2015 4:02 p.m. PST |
Lord Hollier, I did not even know that there is a VWQ Forum . . . where is it, sir? Could you kindly provide the URL? -- Jeff
|
Knob | 10 Apr 2015 5:01 p.m. PST |
@Jeff link Although, atm their server appears to be down… |
Big Red | 11 Apr 2015 7:38 a.m. PST |
|
John Leahy | 13 Apr 2015 5:18 p.m. PST |
I'd like to see that QRS. Thanks, John |
benito | 14 Apr 2015 4:08 a.m. PST |
Thanks for the complementary info. Kind regards, Benoit |
Lord Hollier | 16 Apr 2015 10:33 a.m. PST |
John Leahy et al, I had posted a link to my VWQ QRS in a previous thread, but I have put a copy in my Dropbox, so it is available here: link It is two pages (I print it on one sheet, double sided) and you may think it contains some things that aren't necessary on a QRS, but I wanted to be able to use it in games I run with new players at the different groups I'm part of. If you see any errors or glaring omissions, please let me know; as I am contemplating a new revision (formatting, placement of information, etc.). If you are interested in further development of this game, I suggest you join the League of Augsburg's forum and start campaigning for it with the author, Clarence. link Enjoy, John Hollier |
John Leahy | 16 Apr 2015 2:20 p.m. PST |
Well, I just ordered a load of bases to start mounting my 28mm figs for it. I have about 10-15 units almost done for it. Do folks really use 80mm bases for Cav? Thanks, John |
Jeff of SaxeBearstein | 16 Apr 2015 7:14 p.m. PST |
I did, John . . . but that being said, I really don't think that any of the base sizes need to be exactly as described. For example, a 3" (75mm) cavalry base should work just as well. -- Jeff
|
Lord Hollier | 20 Apr 2015 11:45 a.m. PST |
Jeff/John, My figures are based on 30mm wide for infantry and 20mm & 40mm for cavalry, so I didn't change them, just used multiple physical bases for each VWQ base. I also only used 6 figure cavalry units, i.e., 2 x 60mm VWQ bases (2 x 40mm & 2 x 20mm physical bases), initially so I could make more cavalry units, but I see no reason to have the large cavalry bases. Also, its easier to tell the players that a VWQ base is 60mm, 3 cavalry or 4 infantry wide. John H. Did anyone download the QRS? Any errors, glaring omissions? |
D6 Junkie | 24 Apr 2015 8:13 p.m. PST |
We tend to play with 5 players per side, each with a brigade of 5 units. link |
John Leahy | 24 Apr 2015 10:05 p.m. PST |
I downloaded the QRS and nothing jumped out at me as an issue. Thanks for creating it! |