"Combined ECW and TYW Rules - Good Idea or Not?" Topic

Do you think it makes sense for rulesets to combine rules for the ECW/WotTK and TYW or not? And why?

I don't mind. I prefer the TYW, but like the ECW as well. My preferred set of rules "Liber Militum: Tercios', main rules were for the TYW. The supplement "Kingdoms " covered ECW and Eastern Renaissance. So, I guess you can say they are separate, but it's the same system.

I suppose it depends on what you think the similarities are – pikes, muskets, trotter, gallopers, curassiers and un-manouverable artillery.
And whether or not the things that are different are meaningful enough – scale of the encounters, environment, religious impact, levels of professionalism.

+1 Philius

The question is what differences do you perceive between the two conflicts ?

My opinion, there aren't substantive differences so they should use same rules

John

TYW covers a lot of ground both time wise and geographically. That said the technology used doesn't change radically between early TYW and ECW and late TYW. The differences are more to do with the tactical doctrines used then the weapon systems. Provided the rules allow for the differences in experience and training and reward (and recognise) the proper use of the different doctrines then I think it can be done.

Where do you think the main areas of difficulty lie in terms of tactics and troop types?

And were there really big differences in experience? I only ask because the casualty/desertion rates in the TYW seem so high it is difficult to see how there could be many veteran units?

This occupied my mind, recently. I favoured writing a dedicated ECW set because:-

1) It's easier to write a set that has a narrow focus; there are relatively few troop types in the ECW, rather more if one looks at the TYW, too.
2) The rules can be more concise because of 1) above
3) If writing a set for the ECW one can exclusively use ECW terminology and quotations, which gives a much stronger period flavour.
4) All of the photographs and scenarios can be ECW.

That said, it would be relatively easy to take the rules engine (For King and Parliament; now mostly written by me and Andrew Brentnall) and add TYW unit types, new mechanics where required, new quotations and new images and produce a dedicated TYW book.