"TSATF vs. 800FE approach to" Command" in mash-up rules" Topic

This is a somewhat esoteric topic but still worthy of a post, at least IMHO…

The recent play-test of my 1879 Charasiab game led me to debate whether to use the old-school "The Sword And The Flame" approach to command or the more sweeping and abstract "Eight Hundred Fighting Englishmen" approach to command in my home-brew mash-up which combines elements of the two related but distinct sets of rules.

If interested, please check my somewhat pedantic debate with myself and its results out here -- and feel free to join in on either side!

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I play both, but when I want to have "a lot" of figures on the table, I use 800 FE.
The level at which I go to the 800 FE is very flexible though.

Magnificent mustachio on the dude in the middle. He is quite a splendid character.
I can sense his nobility. He would torture Flashman, but feel guilty about it.
Well, maybe not. He might regret the necessity, but…

And if you are having fun, you are "doing it right".
And I do not agonize or overly analyze things.
I have also played 800FE with the American Revolution and the game did not insult my sense of history. Isn't that all we can really expect?

I agree with John the OFM. If you had a great game and it was fun, you are doing it right!

Having fun is and was certainly one of the author's
objectives – perhaps the primary aim….

Thanks for the thoughtful comments, John, Flying Glove, & Ed.

No disagreement from me -- and no agony either. Maybe I did brush up against the edge of "over analyzing" this topic… but since it took me some time to decide, I consider it worth sharing. Having fun certainly is my primary -- even solitary -- aim as well. The question is the best way to do that with the rules you're using and the game you're playing. Those are of course very individual and personal questions, where one gamer's right and wrong answers need not apply to or be accepted by anyone else.

When it came to this question of command rules, as mentioned in the post on my blog, I chose "fun" over strict adherence to either set of rules re: exactly what level of "Command" the game is built for.

We'll see how using elements from both rule sets side-by-side goes in my next play-test. I'm hopeful it will work just fine… maybe even a little better than that!

John, thanks for the compliment re: that Afghan General's mustache. He's a Wargames Foundry FPW French General with a head-swap from a Foundry Afghan regular infantryman. His aide and bodyguard are similarly converted Foundry WWI German and ACW Union figures.

Dear Mad Guru..i'm asking you too much ..and sorry if if i did…to partage with us the very nice templates..i 'm meaning the blank ones in wich you fill TSTAF tables for Afghanistan..?…they are very well done…i suppose they are in Excell…and exactly corresponding to the original..of course, once done, i could send you the version i would like to produce for Italian Colonial both East Africa and Libya..plus Force Publique in Congo (Vs Tribesmen, Mutineers, Arab Slavers, Mahdists)…
thanks in advance..my mail: ital.wars@libero.it

Italwars, done… sort of. I sent you what I have, but that does not include any "blank template." Still, should be pretty easy for you to delete and replace any/all line items however you wish.

Don't know if you are already a member, but if not I recommend you check out the TSATF Yahoo Group. They have a lot of files with rules variants, scenarios, etc. available to group members on their page.

Here's a LINK:

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you're very kind Mad Guru..just received and really appreciate it..i'll work on it
thanks again