"Scenarios Need Generic OOBs?" Topic

For a magazine article, should scenario authors provide a generic Order of Battle so that readers can use rules of their own choice for the game?

Or do you prefer to see OOBs for a specific ruleset?

I'd prefer generic. But with minimal work I suppose any OOB could be made to fit any rules set….

Generic, or at least use terms that are easily understood and translatable.

It's not much work at all to convert a British Grenadier scenario to Age of Reason or Flames of Liberty (TSATF).
If the author's intent is to produce a BG scenario, go right ahead.

For 'table-top teaser' style articles generic OOBs are best because most of this type of scenario are suitable for more than one period and rule set.

Terms such as heavy cavalry,light cavalry, line infantry, light infantry, elite, etc. are usually best.

Line infantry could be anything from a French Napoleonic Ligne battalion to a phalanx of hoplites. Heavy cavalry could be SYW Cuirassier or Parthian cataphracts.

Good scenarios are generally suitable for most periods so why limit them with specifics.

Always "generic." If I know the rules I'm going to use, then it's no problem translating "300 trained rifles" into "2 stands of Class B infantry," but the reverse is impossible for anyone not familiar with the rules. Those magazines will be on my shelves or for sale in the flea markets long after the Hot Ruleset of the Week has gone where old rulesets tend to go.

Mind you, I've no problem with discussion about how some forces might best be represented under the rules, but the author has to tell us what the forces are, not how some rules writer might categorize them.

Generic every time.

Most scenarios should be historical and be adaptable to any rules of the same unit scale, similar figure ratio and ground scale. For example Johnny Reb III and Regimental F & F or Napoleon's Battles and AOE. The scenario book should provide instructions for doing this.

But it is not that difficult to convert a scenario on your own. They just have to be the same unit scale. Generic scenarios are useful too but not to the exclusion of period correct scenarios. Both have their place.

Researching and writing your own scenario of a historical battle is very rewarding. That way you customize your scenario to the rules your using.

I have a file drawer full of regimental ACW scenarios written for JRII. Over the years I have played many of these using other sets of regimental rules. Never throw away your scenarios. With a small amount of adjustment they can be used over and over.

Even if the periods are different you can still use them. I used some Napoleonic scenarios for the FPW and I have seen ACW scenarios adapted to the ECW. Just so long as the ground scale, figure scale and unit scale are similar.