"Black Powder House Rules for the CinC" Topic

In my seemingly unending quest for finding a set of rules I like for AWI, I played BP for the first time a couple of weekends ago. We played it per the RAW (other than doing it at a 66% scale), and while I understand people's issues with doing 3 moves and either getting to shoot at close range, or charging – including possibly interpenetrating through ranks of one's own formed troops, one thing that didn't sit well with me was the role/behavior of the CinC.

I understand BP is built upon the Warmaster system, and while I've never played Warmaster, I've played Blitzkrieg Commander, and was similarly not thrilled with the role/behavior of the CO (vs. the HQs) in that set of rules.

To bring the focus back on BP, simply put, it doesn't seem to me like the CinC acts very "CinC-like". The CinCs on both sides in our AWI game acted like ad hoc brigadiers and mobile rally points. The mobile rally point I'm not terribly unhappy with, but I'm really not sanguine about the former.

I was wondering if anyone felt similarly and had come up with any house rules accordingly – maybe something along the lines of the CinC providing Command roll modifiers or re-rolls to his brigadiers? I've searched the web for BP house rules, and didn't see anything…

Yes I've tried that a few times and I prefer it – instead of acting a a spare commander treat the CinC as a single re-roll per turn which he can bestow upon a brigade commander within range (as you wish but in our last game we made it within one move as the table was huge and we were playing at half distances).

I also tried a limited number of re-rolls represented by ADC models that could be dispatched to bolster a brigade command – but it got a bit confusing to be honest! I think it'd work though – you just need to be disciplined with the models and not crowd your CinC's HQ with too many hangers on.

Rick, thanks for the response!

Another possibility is to give the CinC it's own command(s) such as reserve units and/or artillery.
Reserves can be commanded directly by the CinC or parceled put to various Brigades by him. The ADC idea is interesting as it can keep the Brigadiers in play instead of tying them down with morale assists etc.