Editor in Chief Bill | 18 Jun 2018 5:03 p.m. PST |
Do you consider the Franco-Prussian War to be obscure or mainstream in the hobby? |
79thPA | 18 Jun 2018 5:16 p.m. PST |
|
Winston Smith | 18 Jun 2018 5:28 p.m. PST |
If you play it, it's Mainstream. If you don't, it's obscure. |
Saber6 | 18 Jun 2018 5:46 p.m. PST |
Given that I have troops? |
whill4 | 18 Jun 2018 6:10 p.m. PST |
|
Big Red | 18 Jun 2018 6:16 p.m. PST |
If it was mainstream there would be more 28mm French figures available maybe even in plastic. |
whitejamest | 18 Jun 2018 6:22 p.m. PST |
Certainly not one of the most popular subjects, but neither is it among the most obscure. |
ZULUPAUL | 18 Jun 2018 6:34 p.m. PST |
Enticing but not fully mainstream. |
FusilierDan | 18 Jun 2018 6:42 p.m. PST |
Not mainstream but not obscure. Several figure ranges in multiple scales. Plenty of rule books period specific not addendums to other periods. |
Oberlindes Sol LIC | 18 Jun 2018 6:45 p.m. PST |
Winston Smith for the win. |
JimSelzer | 18 Jun 2018 7:05 p.m. PST |
ditto what OSL said that said it was the world event that caused my paternal Great Grandfather to immigrate to the USA |
DisasterWargamer | 18 Jun 2018 7:29 p.m. PST |
Used to be a popular period |
rmaker | 18 Jun 2018 9:03 p.m. PST |
Neither. It's not a bipolar distribution, but rather a continuum. Mainstream is WW2, ACW, and Napoleonics. Obscure is the 1894 Sino-Japanese War, the Chaco War, etc. Most conflicts, including the FPW fall in between. |
nickinsomerset | 18 Jun 2018 10:29 p.m. PST |
Ish, as I have proper sized armies in both 6 and 28mm! Tally Ho! |
Martin Rapier | 18 Jun 2018 11:07 p.m. PST |
I have figures for it but tbh I tend to play the Six Weeks War far more as it is more interesting. |
AussieAndy | 19 Jun 2018 12:01 a.m. PST |
I am about to finish a three year project to paint up all the 15mm troops needed to run Gravelotte St Privat and Sedan using a modified version of Fire and Fury. I know a couple of other blokes here have 10mm figures, but I haven't seen them. So, it seems to be pretty obscure in Melbourne, but folk seem to be interested in gaming the period. |
ChrisBBB2 | 19 Jun 2018 4:21 a.m. PST |
"More obscure than it deserves to be"? Given that it generated almost as many major battles as its near-contemporary, the American Civil War; and that it mobilized nearly as many men and cost about 1/2-2/3 the number of casualties; and that it resulted in the unification of Germany, quite a pivotal historical moment; and that the asymmetry of weapons and doctrines makes for interesting tabletop match-ups; all told, I'd argue FPW merits more attention than it gets from wargamers. What seems to count against it is a common perception that it was such a walkover for the Germans that it therefore couldn't possibly be fun to play. (Which doesn't seem to put people off putting other gallant-but-doomed armies on the table, eg Poles in 1939, but there you go.) And vs ACW in particular, of course, understandably FPW loses out among American wargamers when it comes to local/personal connection. Chris Bloody Big BATTLES! link bloodybigbattles.blogspot.com |
Please delete me | 19 Jun 2018 4:45 a.m. PST |
I would say obscure, but I find it interesting. But it is obscure in an obscure hobby. |
Dynaman8789 | 19 Jun 2018 7:00 a.m. PST |
|
138SquadronRAF | 19 Jun 2018 7:02 a.m. PST |
Obscure is the 1894 Sino-Japanese War, the Chaco War, etc. Um, no. I have in the past gamed both and the former is an interesting naval conflict that I still game. Personally I find the three Wars of German Unification, and in particular the FPW to be more interesting than the American Civil War. Add to this I don't have to argue with Revisionist what the war was about and have to put up with all the "Lost Cause" scatalogical offerings. |
ColCampbell | 19 Jun 2018 7:08 a.m. PST |
Neither. Along with other mid to late 19th Century European wars, it seems to have an increasing interest. My wargaming buddy and I have substantial Franco-German War (what it should be called as the German Empire wasn't in existence until the very end) force using 28mm figures from various manufacturers and Larry Brom's rule set "Chassepot and Needlegun." We've had a number of games over the years and had a lot of fun. link Jim |
Bismarck | 19 Jun 2018 7:57 a.m. PST |
I agree with ColCampbell. It seems that periods rise and fall in popularity. In our local con, some years back there was little WWII being played. Now it seems to be the rage. FPW was very popular back in the 90s with Larry's "Chassepot and Needlegun" along with several other wide spread rules including They Died for Glory, Les Gens Brave, 1870 and a few others. Great period, colorful uniforms and linear tactics meeting the beginning of modern weaponry. Not to mention huge battles. Still my favorite period of all time. |
Jcfrog | 19 Jun 2018 9:51 a.m. PST |
It should be played more. Still looking goid, very different tactics than any other war, the battles are big and a few smaller, or at least possible to extract part of some big for those who want… 28 mm without a hangar. Plenty enough (never,😝?) doc. 1870 BW rules 10 and 15mm figures to do aplenry. A few decent boardgames to play campaigns. Realistic and enticing what ifs that make it even more interesting. What do you need? |
Old Contemptibles | 19 Jun 2018 10:16 a.m. PST |
When I started playing FPW years ago it was obscure. Now I don't believe it is obscure any longer. link link link link |
Gunfreak | 19 Jun 2018 10:20 a.m. PST |
Less obscure than the Lingonberry War. More obscure then the Zulu war. |
John Leahy | 19 Jun 2018 12:49 p.m. PST |
Yeah, not obscure. We have been playing it since the 80s. I prefer the war in 1866. I have armies in 15mm and 1/72-20mm for it. Bought 1000 painted 1/72 French, Prussian and Austrian figs for it. Big fan if the 3 wars! Thanks. John |
Lion in the Stars | 19 Jun 2018 2:58 p.m. PST |
Given it's impact in history, probably not played as much as it should be. I mean, we spent ~2 weeks covering the Wars of German Unification in my International Relations class in college! |
Oberlindes Sol LIC | 17 Jan 2019 12:29 p.m. PST |
The current poll is a dead heat between "mainstream" and "obscure". Go vote! |
Brownand | 24 Jan 2019 6:00 a.m. PST |
Rallynow, which figures do you use? |
Dragoner | 30 Jan 2019 11:25 a.m. PST |
Maybe a bit overlooked at the moment, but it has always seemed to be popular enough that quite a few sculptors take a chanse on releasing elaborate ranges. There seems to be an increasing interest in other periods than the typical "nappy, acw & ww2" enabling quality sculpts to be made, which is what it comes down to. If the figures look good and have significant variety they seem to do well. |