Saturday, October 20, 2007

Figure Basing, Organization, Movement Stands and Terrain Features

To attempt to answer the many questions that Sir Ed and I are receiving, here are the answers to the most common questions that we are seeing:
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Infantry and Artillery:
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The rules recommend basing 20mm to 28mm figures individually on 3/4" X 3/4" bases. They go on to recommend basing "some" 28mm up to 40MM figures individually on 1" X 1" bases. Typically, the larger bases should only be necessary for Suren, Stadden and Spencer Smith 30mm and the various ranges of 40mm and 42mm figures out there. However, you may find that you need the larger bases with some Foundry and similar "large" 28mm figures. All artillerists should be based individually as well as your infantry. The guns are left loose, regardless of calibre/size. Limbers and ammunition wagons are not required, but certainly add to the visual appeal of the game.
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Cavalry:
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The rules recommend basing 20mm to 28mm figures individually on 3/4" X 2" bases. They go on to recommend basing "some" 28mm up to 40mm figures individually on 1" X 2" bases. The same qualifications as to brand and style of figures apply as they do to infantry and artillerists.
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You do not absolutely have to base figures individually, but it does add to the appeal of the game and gives you the ability to remove single casualty figures, use historical formations, and use historical drill movements and changes in formation. However, the rules do encourage the use of historical 3-rank deep formations. If you base your figures in single ranks, this should not be a problem. If, however, you base your figures for one of the rulesets requiring 2-rank deep basing, and you do not have any single-based or single-rank figures available for the third rank, then we may have to make some accommodations in the rules to use these.
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Movement Trays:
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You are certainly welcome to bring your own larger movement trays with you, if you already have these available, but we recommend using trays that split your battalions into 4 "divisions" (As an example, a 48 figure battalion would have 4 stands of 12 figures each, with 3 ranks of 4 figures on each tray). We will be providing movement trays for all of the figures we provide, and will have some extra as well. If we know for sure that you're coming and what you're bringing, we will make sure trays are available. These trays will make it easier to maneuver your units in general movement, and still allow single figures to be removed. All of the trays that we provide, and we recommend that you do the same, will be sized for 1" X 1" foot and 1" X 2" mounted figures, so that we may accommodate everyone's available figures.
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Terrain:
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All necessary terrain will be provided for the game. However, if you own some especially nice period-correct buildings that you believe would add to the visual appeal of the game, please contact Ed or I and we will try and work it in. We very much want this to be a "team" effort and for every participant to add what they can or wish to the experience. We have not determined the exact scenario that we will be running yet, as that will depend somewhat on the available troops. It will probably be based on a dispute involving our Imagi-Nations, with the appropriate Historical allies involved.
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Hopefully this covers the majority of the questions that you may have. And, hopefully, I have answered them correctly. If Mssr's. Protz or Purkey detect an error of feel that additional information is required, then we encourage them to add to the comments on this topic. I heartily encourage anyone who has not already done so to acquire their own set of the "Batailles de l'Ancien Régime", or B.A.R., rules. We will have quick reference sheets available during the game, but the rules contain a wealth of information and diagrams relevant to the game and to the period. They are available for $37 (which includes postage) from Mssr. Protz's web site, which can be reached via the link at the right.
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Sir William

8 comments:

Gallia said...

Bonsoir Bill et Ed,
I've been receiving a number of inquiries about BAR and the game in Austin in the Autumn of 2008. Indeed the game is the generator of the emails here. However, to step back just a little, Der Alte's BLOG generated a lot of buzz beforehand in the chain of events.
Bon chance to all!,
Bill Protz

Frankfurter said...

As to good buildings, I'd volunteer the plastics (but I think they're too small for this scale) and the bridges pictured in the Seifreidsburg battle if I get to come!
:)
A

Ed said...

Excellent.

I wonder if we could somehow tie our big game into the Midwesterners campaign, as you did with the Seifreidsburg game?

Ed

Gallia said...

Tie in ideas were welcomed,
Bill P.

Ed said...

Well, judging from the complete hodge-podge of figures I'm expecting, it would appear that a Reichsarmee contingent is marching up from the south and runs into a motley Prusso-Anglo-Hanoverian-American-Hessian (of all flavors)-Brunswick-Schaumburg force detached from the main army...

chrisbump said...

My figures are based 6 to a stand, 3 abreast by 2 deep. I have created half stands, 3 abreast in one rank, so that I can deploy my troops in 3 ranks for this and other BAR games.

My battalions are 54 figures (actually regiments from the rules I am basing for).

My question is about movement bases. 54 does not evenly divide by 4. I am further curtailed in that my frontage of each division must be evenly divisible by 9. for example I cannot run divisions of 12 because I cannot create 4 troops abreast.

I can create divisions of 18, ie 6 abreast by 3 deep. However, my 54 man Battalions would then only have 3 divisions.

How should I plan for this upcoming event? Do I create movement trays for 18 and thus have 3 divisions per battalion?
How critical are the seperate divisions within the mechanics of the game?

Thanks,

Chris

Sir William the Aged said...

Chris,

I don't see this as being a major problem, but I am sure Bill Protz will chime in in case he see's something I missed. In the examples shown on page 10 of the rules there are examples shown of 3division regiments and Bill even mentions his 5 division Potsdam Grenadier Battalion (4 divisions of 15 and an HQ division of 6). As long as the frontage per figure is the same as your opponent's, then the only real way that the size or number of divisions comes into play is when marching in a column of divisions with intervals and changing into line, and in forming
square. As my own army is made up primarily of mercenaries, or at least former mercenaries, I am using the model for a BIG Generic battalion with 4 divisions of 12 and 1 HQ division of 6 for a total of 54 without grenadiers, which I use in converged or specialist battalions.

I don't think that any of us are going to be so anal as to quibble about mixed basing or "odd" sized divisions. I know of other gamers coming that will be using mixed basing like you, and of some who will be using other sizes of bases
with sabots to match our frontages. The important thing here is The Game itself, and the spirit of The Game. You may find that you really enjoy BAR above all other sets, return home and round up some converts and end up re-basing at some point. Or you may stick with what you're now doing and keep the ability to play
multiple systems and opponents.

Bill Mc

Chrisbump said...

I have completed a scratch built building that I would like to submit for your considerateion for the game in November. it is a pretty blatant copy of the Schuster estate created by HG Walls for Matt Pavone, with a little artistic license. How do I get pictures to you so that you might decide if it will work for the scenario or even if the quality is good enough to lay out for terrain?

Thanks,
Chris