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"How often do you "repurpose" a battle?" Topic


18 Posts

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Lascaris18 May 2017 7:55 a.m. PST

I was trying to think up a Franco-Prussian scenario for next weekend and, as I'm rereading Sears' Gettysburg, it occurred to me to refight the famous battle using the forces from 1870. It will be 5 1/2 corps of Prussians (Confederates) against 4 corps of French (Union) with some random entry timing to mix it up a bit. I'll use Bloody Big Battles which is my current go-to set for late 19th century Horse & Musket.

So the question is, how often do you "borrow" a historical battle and place it in an alternative time period?

surdu200518 May 2017 8:22 a.m. PST

I do this quite often. I find that historical battles are much more interesting than scenarios people make up -- in general. I have a number of scenarios I have run in different historical periods.

In fact, we did this as a professional development event for a US Army Signal battalion near us a couple years back. See: bucksurdu.com/blog/?p=3350

79thPA Supporting Member of TMP18 May 2017 8:36 a.m. PST

While I have not done it, I do think it is a neat idea.

Lascaris18 May 2017 8:39 a.m. PST

What a great event you ran! I really like the concept of fighting the same encounter with different technologies. I might have to try Gettysburg with WWII or Colonial forces next to see how it fights. :)

Zyphyr18 May 2017 8:43 a.m. PST

I love doing so. I have lost count of how many historical battles I have 'translated into some Science Fiction or Fantasy game. They tend to go over pretty well with players.

Oh Bugger18 May 2017 8:47 a.m. PST

Yes I do this too, its nearly always to the good.

MiniPatton18 May 2017 9:14 a.m. PST

I was just thinking about something like this the other day. The Peloponnesian War using modern Greek units.

Perris0707 Supporting Member of TMP18 May 2017 9:24 a.m. PST

I love the idea. I re-fought the Antietam battlefield with Franco Prussian forces when I was younger and had a sand table. Still one of my fondest memories. I would like to do Waterloo in 1870 at some point. Gettysburg sounds like a great time!

robert piepenbrink Supporting Member of TMP18 May 2017 9:28 a.m. PST

I like it and have done it. I think the trick is to recognize the limits. A lot of what makes Gettysburg what it is is the staggered arrival of the forces. Works fine from the Napoleonic Wars down to FPW, or maybe fall 1914. But it looks distinctly odd for SYW. At different tactical levels, other things apply. (The defense of Little Round Top might work for AWI, but could anyone see Fredrician Grenadiers deployed on such terrain?)

Anyway, I still have great hopes of a mitteleuropean horse & musket campaign set in the Shenandoah Valley.

Lascaris18 May 2017 9:32 a.m. PST

Interesting that you posted that Robert. I am just looking at S&T's Shenandoah campaign and wondering if it would work for the FPW.

rmaker18 May 2017 9:53 a.m. PST

I have done this on occasion.

Forager18 May 2017 9:55 a.m. PST

occasionally

Big Martin Back18 May 2017 10:30 a.m. PST

I did a Italian Unification one that I tried to convince on side that they were fighting a Napoleonic battle.

basileus6618 May 2017 10:32 a.m. PST

but could anyone see Fredrician Grenadiers deployed on such terrain?)

Lobositz. Ok, not THAT close terrain, but still…

Generalstoner4918 May 2017 12:50 p.m. PST

Heck. I have done a battleech scenario based on Gettysburg. The possibilities are endless.

Frederick Supporting Member of TMP18 May 2017 12:52 p.m. PST

Fair bit – as noted, it makes for a lot of fun

14Bore18 May 2017 4:28 p.m. PST

My next up is day 2 of Gettysburg using Napoleoics

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