"FIW Rules for Multi-player Larger Skirmishes" Topic

I'm getting back into FIW after a few years hiatus. To date, I've used Donnybrook and been happy with that for fast-playing skirmishes and about 30–40 figures per player. Also considering what rules to go with for bigger battles since I have painted up many more figures than ever needed for Donnybrook, and built up an even bigger stash of yet to be painted (the doom of the Sash & Saber Kickstarter some years back…).

When last I was pondering this, I picked up a copy of Muskets & Tomahawks 2 along with the Redcoats & Tomahawks supplement. At the time I got that, I recall the comparative reviews noting that it played faster than Sharp Practice or Rebels & Patriots.

M&T still the best choice for a club/convention game? Or does anyone have another preference and why please?

I used GASLIGHT, with modifications for FIW.
Eliminate all "steam punk" rules and go with the standard skirmish rules. It works
I used it for my infamous "Rescue Demi Moore" game that I ran at home and at conventions.
I also ran "Diss Sir Robert Johnson". With a large mansion and outhouses. 🙄
If you want larger "factions", use Battles by GASLIGHT.

You need a dictator as GM. But, so what else is new?

Prepare "cheat sheets", and the players can run the game by themselves. As they should.

Rebels and Patriots, easy to learn and play in a club/convention game. By the end of the game the players know the rules quite well. Easily modified with special rules to suit your taste. Also easy to scale up the game, I often have three players a side, each with their own company.

A secong vote for Rebels and Patriots.

Only ever played M&T. Only played it once. Played M&T in this weekend game. The table was set up as the northern (?) shores of one of the major lakes (can't remember which).

I picked up the rules pretty quickly. I thought they worked just dandy and the game, on a big table with 6 players a side, trundled along very nicely for two day's play. I'd happily play the rules again – if it ain't broke….

Another vote for Rebels and Patriots!

That's a mighty fine looking weekend-long gaming table Olicana!

I've done some more poking at Rebels & Patriots reviews and ordered a copy to compare with M&T2.

I think when I was first looking for bigger battles than Donnybrook, the unit sizes of R&P looked too big to adjust many of my Donnybrook units. At least from when I had started building for Donnybrook. Digging through the current figure collection, I'm in very good shape and might only need a few odds and ends to round some regiments up.

Also turns out I got much further along on painting the KS haul (and other acquistions) than I recall. All the 'new stuff' is at least primed, much is actually painted but still needs flocking.

I'm a BIG fan of Donnybrook as well as Sharp Practicev2. Have you considered a rule system written for the period…like This Very Ground from Iron Ivan. These were my go-to set for the F&IW gaming action for many years.

I've haven't played Rebels & Patriots or Muskets & Tomahawks before, so insights there.

It comes down to what you want to run and how much effort you're will to invest in teaching a new player a game system fairly fast.

P.

Oh…I almost about "Fire on the Frontier", an expansion from Firelock Games, "Blood & Plunder" game system. An awesome gaming system if you haven't tried them them.

P.

Those two are both designed as smaller skirmish games, do either scale up well into the larger end or are you just suggesting other options for Donnybrook?

I've been very happy with Donnybrook for being able to easily work in a number of light gothic horror elements befitting games set in Sleepy Hollow and the historical period. Clarence Harrison and Barry Hilton have been teasing a Donnybrook Dark version for years, but other projects keep slipping ahead of it. But Clarence has been happily sharing ideas and brainstorming on the Facebook group.

Reflecting back, it was the Cultists faction and the Bokkenrijders article in WI that really drew me to Donnybrook in the first place.

I bring a band of fugitive Bokkenrijders to the Dutch country around Sleepy Hollow where they have also been recruiting new members.

My annual spooky movie fest always runs from the Day after Labor Day until the day before New Year's Eve. This year will open with Sleepy Hollow (25th anniversary this Halloween). At some point I'll be re-watching the Legende van der Bokkerijders miniseries too (Dutch, no subtitles, but from the acting and staging and having read googley translated plot summaries, it's easy enough to follow the action).

For even smaller skirmish games though, I may well do The Silver Bayonet in Sleepy Hollow too.

R&P arrived today.

At first quick read through, it definitely looks less fiddly than M&T2 and much easier sledding for multi-player.

Thanks for the feedback!