"Testing the variant – combine arms" Topic

Two tests have been uploaded to the blog.

The test has been developed as a scenario
with optional rules for season and time of day.

18thcenturysojourn.blogspot.com/2025/03/testing-variant-combine-arms.html

Two tests have been uploaded to the blog.

The test has been developed as a scenario
with optional rules for season and time of day.

18thcenturysojourn.blogspot.com/2025/03/testing-variant-combine-arms.html

Is this another new variant of "DBSYW", timurilank, or a scenario test? I agree, though, that the 2nd game seemed to work better.

I've had a couple of games of DBSYW, last year, but admit that not many of the rules stayed in my brain.

Dal Gavan,

The variant streamlines the WRG Wargames Rules 1685-1845 to a fast play system,
while keeping all the good stuff from the original set; evade moves, feint charges,
pass through moves and more.

Reduced to 6 pages from the original 44, the game needs less time to reach a decision.
link

I remember those rules. I think I still have my original set, somewhere. As Rob said in his comments, the reaction tests were over-done and the British and French had big advantages over the other nations (especially if the French were in column). I actually preferred their earlier set, "flinching", supermen lancers and 10-company Prussian battalions notwithstanding.

From your test games, mate, the blend is working.

Someone once did a Seven Years War version of the 1685-1845 rules. The volume of reaction tests was reduced by applying them at brigade level (rather than battalion).

Found them! I was wrong – the reaction to first meeting w/opposition are applied to brigades (rather than battalions)

Seven Years War Army Lists. A Companion to the 1685 – 1845 Rules. Wargames Research Group January 1992.

Barter Books – GBP28.00

Keep Wargaming – GBP5.00

Keep Wargaming – WRG Titles

Noble Knight – USD35.00

Fleabay USA – USD 15.95

Good sleuthing, Stoppage. That still leaves a lot of other reaction tests to roll for. Besides, with my dice-rolling abilities I really don't want to test brigades instead of units. :-)

Dal Gavan, "Flinching"
I believe the scale was 1:15 making battalions quite large.
From that set, we adapted the manner to visually represent
disorderd or shaken units, eliminating the use of markers.

Stoppage,
Good find.

True, Timurlank, but that was fairly common in the early to mid 70's. Grant was still using 53 figures a battalion (about 1:12), Young (Charge) was using up to 70 or so, and I'd already organised my figures on Grant's rules. One good thing about the 1685-1845 rules- they tripled the number of units I could put on the table, though 1/3 of the battalions lacked colours.

I can't remember how they represented disordered troops. What was it- turning the flanking figures to face the rear?

Each base was turned slightly right or left breaking up an orderly line.

We use recoiling ˝ base depth to depict a unit in ‘disorder'.
and losing elements would denote the unit will become ‘shaken',
both of which would take effect on the subsequent bound.

If this was the result of shooting, a general in direct control
of the unit could rally it on the following turn, by expending a pip(s).

Thanks for clearing that up, mate.