Whirlwind | 24 Dec 2016 5:13 a.m. PST |
I am vaguely wondering if I might make an 1812 set-up sometime next year. What would I need in terms of troops and terrain for fighting the major actions? I'd be using 6mm if that makes a difference. |
vtsaogames | 24 Dec 2016 6:17 a.m. PST |
In many battles in the US and Canada, woods would be the default terrain type with the odd farm clearing here and there. The main transportation arteries would be rivers and lakes. Both sides would have militia, a lot in the case of the US. Indians mostly sided with the British against the ever-increasing US. |
Vigilant | 24 Dec 2016 7:07 a.m. PST |
Very little cavalry, light artillery and a mix of uniform colours on the US side in particular. Small villages unless you play the British attack on DC. |
Glenn Pearce | 24 Dec 2016 7:51 a.m. PST |
Hello John! vtsaogames and Vigilant have nailed it. Baccus is planning a number of new army releases in the new year. I think an American and British army could be part of it. So figure wise just hang on for a bit and you should be able to obtain everything you need to jump start the period. In the meantime start adding more trees and some fences. Happy holidays, Glenn |
Florida Tory | 24 Dec 2016 7:55 a.m. PST |
Most of the campaigning and consequential results achieved were in the southern theaters. Gaming these actions gives you the opportunity to use Creek, Seminole and Spanish castings. Rick |
Toronto48 | 24 Dec 2016 8:31 a.m. PST |
The first thing to do before jumping into any new period is to do your research and decide on your approach. As others here have suggested the War of 1812 has very many unique characteristics that give the war its own flavour and attraction as a gaming period It is not just Napoleonics in the Woods. The small size of the battles and armies make it possible to do the battles using a realistic ground and figure scale and that is even more so in 6mm I have prepared 1812 forces using 40 x20 mm bases as found in many rule sets The number of figures per base depends on the type of troops and the number of bases the size of the unit A "normal" line infantry base has 16 figures ( 2 rows of 2 Baccus stands) On a 1:5 scale that represents 80 men which is a good average for a company Light ifantry, militia Indians etc are broken into two 20mm square bases that are separate for open order/skirmish and closeup for line Here are some basic sources to start your research This is an excellent site for War f 1812 Uniforms and Battles link A good start to doing War of 1812 is Rockets Red Glare a combined guide and Rules set link link This is a guide to doing the war in 1/72 plastic link Have fun |
Glenn Pearce | 24 Dec 2016 11:34 a.m. PST |
Hello Toronto48! Trust your doing well and I'm still waiting to hear from you on when you plan to return to Toronto and attend one of our games. I should have mentioned that also it's very likely that Baccus will also release a rule set that I wrote in their Polemos series. It covers North American Wars from 1754 to 1815. The recommended base size is standard Polemos 60mm x 30mm, but most base sizes will work such as your 40mm x 20mm. Happy holidays, Glenn |
attilathepun47 | 24 Dec 2016 11:51 p.m. PST |
Nobody mentioned the numbers of troops involved, so I will offer this. The biggest battles of the War of 1812 were very small by European standards; none of them involved even 10,000 troops per side, and most were far smaller. However, had things gone very differently, a case can be made for some hypothetical situations where concentrations of up to maybe 12 or 13 thousand troops might have come into play. The biggest actual battles were at Bladensburg, Maryland, Plattsburgh, New York, and New Orleans, Louisiana. |
vtsaogames | 25 Dec 2016 6:31 a.m. PST |
Most of the battles along the Canadian border can be replicated with rules that cater to a couple brigades per side or less. |
Rudysnelson | 25 Dec 2016 8:36 a.m. PST |
The Southern front is interesting but as vtasogames says the battle are small compared to actions in Europe. The battle of New Orleans was the largest but not the only action. Their was a significant battle at Pensacola between the Americans and Spanish with limited British support. There are five or six large battles of the Alabama Creek War. As Fla Troy says Seminoles would be the main casting for both Upper and Lower Creek tribes. Choctaws dressed similar but Cherokee fought in a different style. Prophet factions stripped down to loin cloths and refused to carry guns. Spanish units in America were still wearing the pre-1808 bicorne. Resupply was slow. |