"New English Civil War Rules: A Crowning Mercy" Topic

Hmmmm…

A link to the distictly poor Caliver website that leads nowhere specific…

Last time I bought a new ECW book from Caliver (Forlorn Hope, re-released version on pre-order) I never received my goods or a valid reason from Caliver as to why I never received the book. I even had to fight tooth and nail for a refund…

I think I will give this a miss – once bitten etc, etc

And just in time.

Hey wait. Their site is improving. I just got a BUNCH of info on ECW from their site. It is REALLY HELPFUL. It does need a web guys touch but I won't be trying it; too much for me and I'm out of country. But yes the site needs a HUGE make-over.

Between Wayland, Warlord and Caliver it seems like you don't have much luck Nosher. I've always had good service from Caliver.

I've always had good service from Caliver.

What are the chances of getting a brief overview of these new rules? 45 full color pages with a cheatsheet in the back sounds nice but its a bit light on details.

How does it create that "real feel" for the era?
Skirmish, Regimental, Army scale?
Units all on one stand or figures individually based?
Formations? Etc.

Basic stuff.

Some pictures and basing info here:
link

Book does not seem to be on their website. I got hits for Bickley but nothing for the ECW book.

Only 10mm upwards?

I'm beginning to feel all unloved…

What are the chances of getting a brief overview of these new rules? 45 full color pages with a cheatsheet in the back sounds nice but its a bit light on details.

Why bother saying anything about the rules other than their title and page length? It's not as if they were looking to sell them. Oh wait…..

Yes, well… I didn't mean to come accross as snarky. I'm actually interested in finding those things out. This is one of my favorite periods.

Yes, well… I didn't mean to come accross as snarky. I'm actually interested in finding those things out. This is one of my favorite periods.

I did mean to be snarky. But I think snarkiness is warranted.

Why do they make it as difficult as they do to get information on a product they're hoping we'll buy?

With attitudes like this I'm not sure why they bother telling us anything at all……..

With attitudes like this I'm not sure why they bother telling us anything at all……..

That's good advice. Don't just make it hard for your potential customers to find out about the product, don't even let them know it exists!

You usually have to pay a hefty sum for advice like that.

You can have it for free. Maybe you'll change your tone.

Ok, maybe I can ask the question without being taken for being snarky, or having an unruly tone.

I'm interested in buying a set of these rules as I've quite liked the author's previous work and I have a few ECW armies based for DBx type games. However I can't find any reliable information on how the game plays, basing, unit organisations, etc. and without that I would be very wary of buying sight unseen. Can anyone, the author or publishers perhaps, supply us with some more detail on that, or perhaps someone who has a copy could do a short review?

Since you asked nicely…

In playing the game the basic element is the base, which might have any number or scale of figures on it to suit the pocket and/or inclination of the individual wargamer, but which always took a fixed number of ‘Kills', converted from ‘Hits', to be removed from the game. Movement rates are standardised in the same way as base sizes by defining Terrain types rather than its effects on movement, as it proved to be clearer when playing and unambiguous in its interpretation. Like other game systems favoured by those of my generation the rules utilise an alternate movement system, with each player going through the four phases of the game: Movement ~ encompassing simple terrain effects as well as formations and formation changes; Give Fire!, which covers all small arms and artillery; By the Sword Divided! ~ which deals with Hand to Hand Combat: and lastly, Fighting Effectiveness ~ which determines the condition of units and armies to engage further in the battle, each in turn.
In addition to the core sections of the rules which outline the basic mechanics of the game and allow the possible use of a number of Optional Rules, there are additional sections outlining C17th Army Organisation and tips for translating this into your forces on the tabletop battlefield; rules for the use of a marksman, a Dumb Dyott perhaps; rules for using dragoons and horse in dismounted order; a simple but effective set of siege rules; rules for special characters within an army and their influence on the core mechanics; an outline of a campaign set in Staffordshire, together with some notes on Rushall at the time of the Civil Wars ~ my ancestors lived there in the C17th; ideas for sourcing your figures to build up an army together with a useful Bibliography for the novice Civil War gamer; and finally, a two page play sheet with all you need to get into action on the tabletop! All contained in a 48 page full colour A4 soft back format, illustrated with a number of photographs of games in progress in GHQ over the last year.
Another link to my Blog~
link

Hope that helps.
David Bickley

@YankeePedlar01

Would you mind giving a brief description of your basing scheme here, or on your blog?

Some of the lads in my local club have been interested in the period, and I have enough to field an army (perhaps 2) of Baccus 6mm. So, my personal interest is how you recommend basing for 10mm.

I'll have to wait a few months on the rules, but I can work on the armies until then.

I encourage players who have bought these rules to people their bases with figures of their chosen scale in whatever numbers their warchest will stretch to! Units will comprise a number of bases, depending upon their type, from one base for a large siege gun to several bases for a Regiment of Horse. Most Foote and all Horse and Dragoons {whether mounted or dismounted in the game}, together with most sizes of artillery piece are mounted on bases 80 x 50 mm for ease of movement on the tabletop battlefield {but players who have armies based for other rules ~ say 40 x 40mm ~ merely need to remember that two of their bases will equal one in these rules}.
David

So, if I were to go with base sizes (for 6mm) of 40mm x25mm (or even 20mm), the game would work scaled down to this level?

I mean, if at 25mm, a regiment of foote has three bases, and it still has three bases when scaled down to the sizes above, are there any mechanisms that would "break" or no longer function as designed?

Admittedly, I would also scale down all the ranges and movement rates.

Is there anything distinctive about the rules that sets them apart from what's come before? (e.g. Forlorn Hope, 1644, Pike & Shotte)?

From the description they sound rather generic (except for the period names for movement, shooting, melee). What is it about the rules that makes them tailored for the ECW period?

Thanks

They seem almost like a fast-play rule set.
Unless I'm completely misunderstanding the descriptions and pictures.

Based on what I see so far I'm willing to give them a shot.
I ordered a set. I'll report back once I get them and play a couple games.

Like Justin, I am still not sure from the author's response whether base size is critical or not.
My foot are on 30mm x 25mm bases ( 4 figures on each base and 6 bases to a regiment, plus a separate command base) and my horse on 40mm x 40mm bases ( 3 figures per base and 4 bases to a regiment).
I am certainly interested in the rules and happy to adjust scales to suit, but I don't really want to waste money buying a set of rules if they are never going to work with my figure numbers and basing.
Can anyone help?