"ACW Grand-Tactical: 10s to Warlord Epics" Topic

Here's a comparison pic of a 10mm ACW base used for grand-tactical gaming (on the left), next to a base of Warlord ACW strip-style minis.

I've used the 10s for a number of 3D-board game conversions, but wondered if speed-painted Black Powder strips might also work as these "Regimental"-style pieces, to play grand-tactical scenarios with.

First goal was aimed at completing fast-painted pieces, and these Warlord strips came out fine. One upside to this fast-build project, is that just 4 to 5 bases will reflect a Brigade formation, and so cranking out Division-size units for gaming will be very doable.

I'd like to think some of the local area gamers will see the possibilities for this type of fast-build project too!

I assume a stand is a regiment. What rules are you using?

Hi 79th – yes.

I'm using with my ACW mod to Muskets & Tomahawks V.1 (re-scaled), but with the tick-off boxes seen on the labels to track strength losses (1 box = 50 effectives, and each active box earns a combat dice to roll).

I'm transitioning from using the hex-based Commands & Colors Battle Cry rules, to a non-hex grid board/system now.

Here's a better look with some perspective – (the goal has been "Easy-ACW" – with enough visual fidelity, but definitely wanting to do multiple Brigades up to a Division on a side, oh, and played within an afternoon too!).

Looks Great!

I'd agree: this is clearly a good way forward--fast, relatively cheap and good-looking. If I weren't sitting here with boxes of 6mm ACW on 60mm frontages, I'd be very tempted myself.

One suggestion: label everything twice--once calling it a regiment and once calling it a brigade. When you get to the seriously big battles--and restraints on table size, brought on by room dimensions or just arm length--at some point you'll wind up with bases representing brigades, and it's easier to just plan on the possibility from the beginning.

Thanks Fitz!

Robert, you're a man with a plan (and conveyed by experience too)!

Fitz and me were discussing recently how we might continue to support our area hobby shops – I suggested that there's good availability of Warlord Epic inventory still in the USA, which can/could be cross-purposed for other game systems and projects.

Our hopes to support the shops we play at could certainly benefit from more group projects…..but it's just hard to motivate guys to paint figures (let alone minis in "strips"), as they seem to get turned off by anything that isn't 28mm.

Off-the-shelf, thinking some of the Cigar Box Battle Mats could work with this type of project -

Fly, if you find a way to reach the GW Generation, please let me know. I persist in trying, but progress is minimal.

Might try a painting demo. Set up a small finished project at one end--emphasis on how good-looking, cheap and portable is is--and then troops at every point in the painting process to show them no magic is required. I've done it. It's not too hard to set up, even with printed commentary at each step. I don't say they'll all rush out and buy boxed sets, but you'll have made them aware of possibilities.

Robert, you're hittin' that bruised spot again…..

Caused by our positivity hitting hard up against a barrier of reality *but maybe this time* it won't end up being yet another lesson in negative reinforcement. (tongue in cheek)

I had mentioned talking with Fitz above about this idea, for him to see if it had any legs to run with, so here's what I proposed he forward to some of our area gamers (the guys on the east side of the Mississippi here around St. Louis) -

I've got something to put by you, and I believe you would be best positioned to facilitate this Eastside/Westside…….

Proposal: Begin an Epic ACW series to be hosted at BM East-West game days, organized around -

The East/West scenario books put out as support for John Hill's ACW rules, using

The Cigar Box Battle mats made specifically for these scenarios, with

The Warlord 13.5mm high Epic Black Powder minis on single bases, representing individual Regiments each, having

Custom-made stand labels I can supply using the books' game rosters, that would affix to the Warlord stands via magnetic attachment, and played with

My easy-play, one-page ACW rules, which I would supply copies of as print/files for free.

The draw would be for the Eastside gamers to buy any Cigar Box Mat(s) to host a scenario(s) featured in the Eastern Theater book, while the BM-Westerners would do the same, but using the Western Theater book and featured mats! "Ownership" being a part of the draw for each area group to lay claim to their respective theater battles, and to hosts these for locals, and any travelers from the "visitor team". I could see this tying in nicely with the Mark … initiative/outreach format too.

Initially, I would hope to have enough units made to enable either side of our Big Muddy Alliance to put on at least one of the scenarios with, but guys "buying in" and maybe building their own Brigades to command would be a fantastic development (and maybe good for the hobby shops too, if only in a small sales way, but maybe with an increased foot traffic).

Thinking this could be something starting in Winter/Spring next year, with some pump-priming occurring at game days this Fall/Winter.

What really appeals to me from an organizational standpoint – the scenario books are excellent and complete (and available to all in PDF or Print from Osprey).

The Cigar Box Mats work directly with the scenarios – the artwork between books and board mats is identical!

Ownership – I could see guys like …, …, …, …., maybe even ….. – Westside, along with …., ….., …, etc. – Eastside getting into the concept, and plunking down a little investment to bring these games to their respective game-day tables.

This was all meant to be sort of a trial balloon, but probably end up being a 'lead' one instead.

I'll likely move forward with the project somehow, or morph it into something closer to home (so to speak).