"How long are your Napoleonic Rules?" Topic

A comparison of the word count of various sets, distinguishing core rules from extras. More detail at the link: link

Cousin Jonathan, that I have used for War of 1812 games, is about half a dozen pages of A5.

Interesting, thanks! I've done a quick count for BBB and reckon it at 16,000 words for the core rules, 18,000 if you include the explanatory examples.

I'd love to see you tackle BBB in a review some time. Check out the BBBBlog to see what other reviewers think of it:
link

Chris

Bloody Big BATTLES!
groups.io/g/bloodybigbattles

About four foot three…

As though I only use one set!
CLS3 (30mm 1:20) is maybe 10,000 words.

Modified Wessencraft (used for microscale, but works for anything with a common frontage) runs about three pages, so 1,000 to 1,500.

Modified Charge! for Dummies (used for 1/72, 28mm and 54mm, but works with everything individually based) is about those same three pages.

Since no one bothered to count up Empire III should I?

Thanks all, happy to add further Napoleonic ruleset details if provided.
BBB is post Napoleonic I believe?
Robert what is CLS3?
Yes please 14Bore if you can get Empire data?

errr, 7' 9 1/2" … give or take a cm…

The current set of Strategos N runs c.8500 words.

CLS3 is Column, Line, and Square, 3rd edition.

BBB was designed for the later part of the 19th century, but of course, since many armies still used Napoleonic weapons and tactics for decades, BBB can be used for Napoleonic battles too. Lots of Napoleonic AARs on the BBBBlog and an increasing number of scenarios in the files on groups.io.

Ok cheers what is total text length and pages of BBB Chris?

CLS3rd doesn't seem available though a review I saw says 250 pages… hmm. V2 is 170 pages…
PDF link

Strategos N I've never heard of and can't find either?
Links?

My rules fit on one side of a standard sheet of paper.

I just picked up BBB with the idea of using it for the Napoleonic Wars. I find BBB a very interesting set. It reminds me in some ways of F&F with some clever new ideas and mechanisms. For instance, I really like how you Chris have handled skirmishers at the grand tactical scale. It is simple but captures the right feel.

I think Chris you would be doing the rules a favour if you struck out "Late" from the secondary title and changed it to "Rules for Wargaming the 19th Century." I think bringing out official lists and scenarios for the Napoleonic Wars would increase its popularity considerably.

I'm with Fritz. Heck I have a hard time remembering what I had for lunch let alone 50,000 words of rules.

I checked this morning. The modified Wesencraft I use for microscale is 853 words. The version of Charge! for Dummies I use for 1/72 individual mounts is 863 words.

Markonz, I'm sitting here with a copy of CLS3 in my hand, and the last page is Page 36. There are also two pages of ready-reference charts. A friend scanned it to Word, and I need to clean it up, but Word says 14,000 words and 40 pages.

CLS II was I think 50-60. Your link is not the CLS II but to the "Battle Manual" which had tremendous redundancy.

I agree with Marcus Brutus. For me BBB is one of the best grand scale Napoleonic rulesets. I use house rules to play Napoleonics but these are not necessary and all the important stuff is already included.

Even though Age of Eagles is the predominant F&F inspired Napoleonic ruleset I think in the current day and age Age of Eagles is too complex and requires too many figures for most people to play.

Napoleonic Command 2nd Edition comes in at 16500 words for the full text, and 7000 words (12 pages) for the core rules. Compared to the heavy hitters in the chart, it's kind of a lightweight.

Thanks, Marcus Brutus, Shugyosha.

I have too many other projects on the go to do it myself, but other members of the BBB coterie are well advanced with designing and playtesting scenarios for two likely scenario books: one on the Peninsular War, the other a collection of all of Napoleon's biggest battles. I've played Wagram, Aspern-Essling, Leipzig, Borodino, Waterloo, Friedland, Austerlitz … some of these and others are in the group files:
link

I have taken a good look at many of the scenarios. Lots of good ideas but I think some standardization of period specific rules would help galvanize BBB as a go to set for Grand Tactical Napoleonic gaming.

Empire 5. Pretty long,

John

Interesting chart. When I see "core rules" make up less than half the "full text" of a rule set, I wonder how much of that extra stuff is fluff.

DAF one page, that sounds interesting. Certainly a fast set to learn, are they also fast to play?

Either far too long, too long or too short!

I use General de Brigade. Long set of rules, but as I solo game and have a static table, suits me fine.

Have added a few of rules listed here cheers, Robert the links to CLS3 are all broken, if you can fix I'll add that too cheers.

I just picked up BBB with the idea of using it for the Napoleonic Wars. I find BBB a very interesting set. It reminds me in some ways of F&F with some clever new ideas and mechanisms. For instance, I really like how you Chris have handled skirmishers at the grand tactical scale. It is simple but captures the right feel.

I agree with the comments about BBB, I have been looking at rules for a while, trying to identify the best one for Napoleonics, and for 6mm BBNB is what I will start with, followed by Blucher. For 15mm I was going to gravitate to DBN, but I have seen some pretty good games of BBNB using 15mm so that set of rules may be suitable for everything. I did a Video‌ on my current analysis, which I plan on expanding.

Wow, that's quite an accolade in your video, Peter: "BBB is probably the best set of rules out there if you want to recreate a historical conflict". Thank you!

All right Chris, I am going to buy BBB, it sounds promising.

But this is the absolute last set of rules I will try, no more after this, forever, never again, and I mean it!

But this is the absolute last set of rules I will try, no more after this, forever, never again, and I mean it!

I have heard this before, from myself.
Chris – Its my pleasure. My conclusion is based on my current analysis of Napoleonic rules, and after more play testing and discovering new rules it may change, but I suspect by not much. One caveat, what I consider a good set of rules may not align with other folks opinions.

Indeed, Peter, it's very much a matter of taste.

Tortorella, feller: thank you, and I hope your taste matches mine and Peter's. In particular, I don't know if BBB's treatment of retreats, routs and rallies will satisfy you – but if it doesn't, well, maybe you can improve it with house rules.

Best of luck!
Chris

I have done it! So BBB is on the way, and I have found a couple of bloggers who have fiddled a bit with the rules for Naps. But I have a feeling that I need to do some more reading. A lot more. And then I might tackle some add on rules for the the three Rs.