Ridiculous Vanity

Age of the Sun King, Louis XIV (1660-1714). These rules have been written to provide rules for a period "...seemingly ignored by the wargaming community..." - namely, the campaigns of Louis XIV.

The tactical rules break each day into up to seven Day Segments, each of which is composed of a random number of turns (based on the competence of the commanding generals). Rules cover melee and ranged combat, charges, morale, command control (with written orders), and skirmishers. The basic maneuver units are infantry battalions (3 stands), cavalry double-squadrons (2 stands), and artillery batteries (1 stand). Army lists are provided for Austria, Brandenburg/Prussia, England, France, Holland, the Ottoman Empire, Poland, Russia, Spain and Sweden.

A good portion of the rulebook is taken up with the Campaign System, allowing various strategic scenarios to be played on a map of Western Europe. The campaign rules cover supply, diplomacy, non-player nations, economics, and sieges; the advanced rules add mercenaries, an abstract naval combat system, and political rules for special situations (i.e., the powers of the Pope).

The rulebook includes these scenarios:

• The Battle of Utrecht, 1676 (battle)
• The Wars of Trade and Devolution, 1660+ (campaign)
• The Dutch Wars and the Decline of Polish Power, 1670+ (campaign)
• Eclipse of the Ottoman Moon, 1680+ (campaign)
• Louis XIV and the League of Augsburg, 1690+ (campaign)
• Marlborough and the Age of Giants, 1701-1714 (campaign)

Designer

Manny J. Granillo

Publisher

HRG Worlds

Year Published

1995

Status

In Print

Contents

• 102-page spiralbound rulebook
• four data cards
• double-size black-and-white campaign mapsheet

Scale

Ground Scale	1" = 20 yards
Time Scale	Each tactical turn represents 15-40 minutes
Figure Scale	40-60 men per infantry figure 75-125 cavalrymen per figure 1 artillery battery per figure
Miniature Scales	Designed for use with 25/30mm figures, but with conversions given for 15mm and 5/6mm.

Basing

Type	# of figures	Suggested Stand Size* width x depth
		25mm scale	15mm scale
Infantry	4**	1 1/4" x 1 3/4"	3/4" x 1"
Cavalry	2**	1 3/4" square	1" square
Artillery	1 gun 4 crewmen	1 3/4" x 2"	1" x 1 1/4" or more depth as needed
* any basing scheme can be used, if both sides conform to the same scheme ** Use one less figure per base for skirmishers

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