"6mm Franco Prussian Rule Set" Topic

Hi,

I'm brand new to 6mm wargaming, looking to start a Franco Prussian project. Found the models just need a decent ruleset that can handle 6+ players each with a fair amount of units. Bonus points of it includes Campaign/Fog of war.

Maximus

Field of Battle

The campaign is something you'll have to come up with though. But that isn't too tough….

1870 and 1871. Wonderful resources. 1871 is supposed to be a streamlined (i.e. more playable) version of 1870. link

We use Brigade Fire and Fury with the Age of Valor modifications. AoV is designed to go with Age of Eagles (Napoleonic Fire and Fury), but it works just as well with BFF. It can handle any number of players. If you are getting into the FPW, you should also buy 1870 and 1871, as they are packed with useful information.

Buy 1870 and 1871 as reference tools – indispensable.

Take a look at Bloody Big Battles for the game rules. Flexible with regard to scale, but able to do big multi-player games well.

Here is a detailed rules summary:

link

I have a copy for sale here:

link

As above, buy 1870 and 1866 for reference.

I'm a big battles kind of guy so of the commercial sets I'd go with Bloody Big Battles or To the Last Gaiter Button. TtLGB also includes a full campaign game.

Volley & Bayonet does a decent job for the FPW, as does Horse, Foot and Guns. It is entirely possible to use Fire & Fury for the FPW too (see e.g. the Wyre Valley Wargamers mods).

tbh, I wrote my own set in the end. I wanted to do full battles on a small table in a reasonable length of time. That required a degree of abstraction (although BBB makes a good fist of it, some FPW battles are HUGE, others aren't).

There is also Bacchus' "Polemus" Franco-Prussian War rules that come in two different "scales." link I will state that I have not played them.

For big battles then the above mentioned "Bloody Big Battles" may be what you need. I've played them a couple of times pitting Russians against Turks in the 1870s. They play well.

Of course almost all of my Franco-German War gaming is in 28mm using "Chassepot and Needlegun" so you can take the above with being just some suggestions.

Jim

Thank you, gents, for the several kind mentions of BBB.

Maximus, if you want to see more reviews of BBB, try here:
link
I encourage you to read reviews of other rulesets too – there is plenty of choice.

To answer your bonus questions with specific reference to BBB:

The rulebook includes scenarios for the 9 biggest battles of the war, linked as an episodic campaign, in that victory in one scenario will give you some suitable small advantage in the next. Another six or eight FPW scenarios are available on the BBB groups.io group and can be integrated into the campaign. See this report of the Corlears Hook Fencibles' fight-through of the whole of the war, during 2017:
link

Fog of war is not a feature of the BBB ruleset (though occasional scenarios may have some fog-of-war elements, eg those for Mars-la-Tour or Coulmiers). Uncertainty is provided by the dice – you may be able to see what the enemy is doing, but your troops won't necessarily react the way you want.

I hope this helps. Good luck with finding the ruleset to suit you.

Chris

Bloody Big BATTLES!
groups.io/g/bloodybigbattles

First, decide how you want to base your models. There are two different ways:
- many small bases that make a unit,
- one large base, that is one unit.

For small bases use Bloody Big battles, Fire& Fury, 1871 or To the last gaiter button.
For big bases use Polemos, Volley & Bayonet (or a home made variant of Blücher or Altar of Freedom).