"How Big and How Long are your AWI games?" Topic

What figure scales, unit numbers (and approximate number of figures per unit) and table dimensions do you generally do your AWI gaming?

I have a 15mm collection. I play at about 40 men/stand of 2-3 figures (the RF&F standard). That puts a lot of militia units at 4-5 stands, a lot of regular units at 6-8 stands, and some fresh units fresh off the boat from Europe at 15 stands or more. Practically speaking, most of my units are in the 4-8 stand range.

I shoot for 4-8 units per player, which works out to about a brigade or maybe two, but sometimes small brigades or independent units get amalgamated under one player.

Most of my tables have been 5'-6' wide and 8'-9' long. I've done a few games on 10'-12' tables, but with the pace of marching and limited artillery, 5'-6' by 8' is plenty.

- Ix

54mm figures, 4x6 table, 10-12 four-man units per side, usually two hours, up to four players plus umpire.

28mm, 10-12 units, 12-24 figures per unit(24 being the norm), 4'x6' area(the table is a little wider to allow for dice,rulers and beer. Games take 2.5-3.5 hours.

28mm set for RFF so much like the Yellow Ademiral. I have put three to four brigades to a side. Just set up a game for two weeks from now. Two brigades of Hessians, a brigade of militia and a brigade of continentals. Usually play on a 6 X 12. The table for this game is 6'wide and over twenty feet long (used all my folding tables). Its a Hessian convoy of four wagons trying to get to its base with the Americans coming in from different directions and at different times. Mostly through woods and rough terrain. Should be a challenge; but then some idiot will roll hot dice and and the whole things will be in the trash bin by turn four. H

I didn't answer the "how long" part – about 4 hours. I can't really keep a group of gamers playing the same game for longer than that. With setup and breaks for food and chatting, we're usually together for about 6 hours.

The number of turns varies based on the scenario and players, but I consider 4 turns an hour a (slow) bare minimum.

- Ix

I use 25mm troops…

I've done Monmouth, Brandywine, and Guilford Courthouse using Volley & Bayonet on 6x8 tables… about 3.5 hours per game.

Joe Collins

Mostly through woods and rough terrain.

My tables are usually loaded with terrain too, but not a lot of rough. I've set most of my AWI games in bucolic settled countryside, so the terrain at the table edges tends to be deep forest or rough hills or something else to keep units away from the Edge of the World™, but most of the table is blanketed in a patchwork of farm fields and open areas punctuated by scattered bits that get in the way – a small village or farmstead, fences, streams, small bogs, little stands of woods, some small hills or ridges, etc.

When I'm recreating or bathtubbing a real battle, the main features of the terrain look like the maps, but I've also done a lot of "loosely based on X" scenarios where the terrain is largely made up. My primary goal is always to give both sides a tough fight with tactical options.

- Ix

28mm, 1:10 ratio of figures:men
Tables between 6x4 feet and 8x6, occasionally larger.
Playing games of 300-1000 figures per side in a couple of hours.

My last "big" game was Camden 1780 and it more or less played in real time…

2,000 40mm AWI figures and still growing. Inf. 16 per unit, Cav. 8 per unit, Art. 8 men and two guns per unit. Table is 15' x 5'. Usually not all figures are used in a game. Usually about 800 figures lasting 4 hrs. Figures include: American, British, Loyalists and French, also a few Indians and Naval troops for the Americans and British.

Oh I forgot, I also have the Hessians.

heh heh, he said 'how big and how long', heh heh

Frankie Howard says "Oooooh"

We only use 6mm figures by Baccus and only play Ruse de Guerre that allows you to scale your battle to any size you want. Regular infantry are 24 figures per base. Skirmishers and lights are normally 8 figures, cavalry 9 figures all on the same bases 60mm x 30mm. You can buy complete armies from Baccus.

The number of units and figures can vary from game to game. It's not unusual to have 2,000 figures on the table which is 9' x 5'. Easily can be played on smaller tables. I think I'm getting close to 5,000 figures.

Games are designed to have 6 or more players so they generally take about 6 hours to play. If need be you can always scale the games down for fewer players and finish in a couple of hours. I know of a solo player who plays games in 90 minutes.