"Maximum Figures/Units on a 6x4 table" Topic

Anyone have any experience and, hopefully, photographs on fielding playable (tactical) games on a measly 6x4 table with 28mm Napoleonic units in 20:1 or 40:1?

At 33:1 scale….15mm…..I've found a couple of infantry divisions and a Cavalry Brigade are about max……so maybe 500-600 total…..

Cannot directly give input for a miniature ratio of 20:1 or 40:1. Sort of like BP games at that ratio I think with their bigger miniature "block formations" at those ratios. So I would divide the number of units by 3 compared to what I play (read below) would be my thinking.

For comparison, I play 25/28mm napoleonics using a 1:100 ratio for most games. Ground scale is 600 yards to 12" or foot. So a six foot wide table is 2 miles of battlefield and 1.33 miles deep. Division per table frontage foot which includes reserves in rear (2/3rd up front, 1/3 in rear). So say four infantry divisions of 10-12 infantry units of 6-9 miniatures (600-900 men) per battalion unit each. Toss in one or two cavalry regiments with 4-5 miniatures attached to infantry division and maybe two batteries. One light and one battle cavalry (Dragoons or HC etc) division of 4-5 regiments, each of 4-5 miniatures each plus horse battery, completes the divisional command structure for basically a strong Corps.

So in summary: Four infantry divisions for 40-48 battalions, 8-10 cavalry regiments, and maybe 8-10 batteries. Plus a couple of train units and commanders. For your gaming as mentioned above in opening line…. divide the number of units by 3 if using a ration from 20:1 to 40:1.

That would be a full game, many use less miniatures/units, especially for the FRW period when divisional organization has more variety.

Many examples found on the Wargamerabbit blog: link

Are you looking for open flanks, or edge to edge troops?

Somewhere in between wall to wall carpeting and taking 4 moves to contact the other side.

Seriously, wanted an idea of the max before it becomes a crowded burden to move troops around a 6x4 table. Hoped for supporting photos of how games look on a table of the said dimension.

It's starting to sound like more than a dozen battalions per side and 2 regiments of horse is asking for a traffic jam.

I should mention that I plan to use very bloody rules and thus stands will be coming off at a rate of handfuls per turn.

A couple of my games not on 6x4 but close. Rules BP, basing to Shako 2 scheme.

First 6x6

Second 6x5

Tony

Here's my attempt at waterloo on a 5x3 dinning table, I keep meaning to do a AAR but never get round to it. It was a bit crowded, especially when the prussians arrived.

flic.kr/p/27xUdgW

I forget how to post images so that might not work…

That's "tight" I thank you for that photo. I have to say that I'd be worried about knocking stands of minis off the edge.

Yeah, but we had to at least try Waterloo. Usual games on that table are 4 to 8 infantry battalions a side plus 1 or 2 cavalry regiments. 6x4 would be better it's the depth that gets us really. I plan to get a fold up table tennis table when the wife's not looking…

Even 4 6 x 4 is a little short and shallow with 28mm figures @20:1 scale.

It depends on how the game is fought. If it's french vs British napoleonic, you can get more units on the table via chance engagements than if the British are pre-set defensively.