Hates, loathes, detests, despises...(I'm not talking about anyone here)...

[skywalker]

What really rubs me up the wrong way is people who turn up at shows and do nothing but criticise the standard of painting of the armies being used. Our club has had a bit of that over the years, come on we are a small club who tries their best to put on a game using the resources we have. Not everybody can paint like most of the people on this forum 

[FierceKitty]

For me, and speaking 10mm, I can accept 24 figures in six elements of four as the minimum size for a small battalion, as I play it in 19th century colonials. I strongly suspect I'm influenced by the unit sizes in the first sort of acceptable set of rules I ever played. Where I don't actively want a unit to look dismally outnumbered, I usually go for 30-40 figures; more than that for enormous hordes.

[Luddite]

For me, 28mm figures only really look the part if used 1:1 in skirmish style gaming.

I have a few 28mm 'unit' armies - mostly based on 50x50mm bases in 2 mounted or 4 infantry figures, and that's OK but it just doesn't look like a proper army.  Not in the way that a mass of 10mm figures on a base can really look like an army.

Personal preferences of course.  *shrug*  

[Subedai]

 
'...I don't wish to hi-jack this thread (for too long, anyway - I'm sure we'll soon get back on topic) but I would be interested to know what constitutes the perfect number of figures before individual wargamers' minds accept that what they are looking at is a regiment or battalion. After all, whatever our minds come up with as 'acceptable' to enable us to cross our own credibility thresholds, it still does not compare to a 1:1 unit. The first time I saw a 1:1 unit (a French Napoleonic Young Guard battalion in 15mm), I was blown away - and so was all my angst about unit size. In the absence of seeing the real thing, it was the most effective way for me to imagine what a real battalion looked line in line, column and square and thereafter, typically scaled down war-games versions were simply incomparable...'

I'm right with you on that one. I once saw a game of 1:1 6mm ECW on something like an 8' x 4' or larger table and there were about four units per side! It looked fantastic and gave you an insight as to the enormity of controlling such a behemoth on a real battlefield.

[Sandinista]

"what constitutes the perfect number of figures before individual wargamers' minds accept that what they are looking at is a regiment or battalion"

In my LoA forces I am using small 21 figure infantry units, but lots of them to give the impression of lots of battalions in multiple lines. My French army will have 40 foot battalions when finished (840 figures). If I was to copy the wonderful looking 60 figure units shown elsewhere I would need 2400 figures and 3 times the table space.

My 15mm medieval Scots spearmen are in blocks of 48 and they look beautiful   

Cheers
Ian

[Maenoferren]

oooh, oooh can I join in....
too late already in.
Rules that, as have already been mentioned, 5 pages of rules and the rest pictures ... to add into this... 'this is How I played a game' my chums and I got out our toys, had a cup of tea and then set them up. Meh! I dont give a monkeys' what you did, if it isn't helping explain the rules go away and put it online. Not in something that cost me x amount of pounds which would have been better suited buying figure to play my own version of the game.
oh and the free figure was nice but as my whole army is in 10mm... i now have a nice free figure sat on the bookshelf (Sitting on a pile of books on Gladiators and ancient Rome)

rant over...

[Subedai]

Sorry to repost but I just had to put the bl**dy quotes in the right bl**dy place!

I'... don't wish to hi-jack this thread (for too long, anyway - I'm sure we'll soon get back on topic) but I would be interested to know what constitutes the perfect number of figures before individual wargamers' minds accept that what they are looking at is a regiment or battalion. After all, whatever our minds come up with as 'acceptable' to enable us to cross our own credibility thresholds, it still does not compare to a 1:1 unit. The first time I saw a 1:1 unit (a French Napoleonic Young Guard battalion in 15mm), I was blown away - and so was all my angst about unit size. In the absence of seeing the real thing, it was the most effective way for me to imagine what a real battalion looked line in line, column and square and thereafter, typically scaled down war-games versions were simply incomparable...'

I'm right with you on that one. I once saw a game of 1:1 6mm ECW on something like an 8' x 4' or larger table and there were about four units per side! It looked fantastic and gave you an insight as to the enormity of controlling such a behemoth on a real battlefield.

[fsn]

"what constitutes the perfect number of figures before individual wargamers' minds accept that what they are looking at is a regiment or battalion"

Ain't no such fing as perfect (post war British tanks and Milady's graceful ankles excepted.) Think it depends on the period. For Napoleonic (most clip clop, pop pop)you MUST have the colour party of at least 4. To my eyes they look a bit silly with less than 16 blokes round them - better still 20. I like the big battalions - 40+ and play at divisional level.  Means that my Pendraken Napoleonics will not initially have every type going - I do not plan any French Guard - but I will have lots of line infantry, dragoons and light cavalry - not unlike (he said hopefully) the original.  

Problem for me is when you have units made of more than one type. For example a Republican Roman legion or an ECW infantry regiment.  One lot of pikes, two of muskets - you need at least 36 to a regiment. (That's a little over £4.50.)

[fsn]

Damn. Now I've looked at the Pendraken ECW page and that copy of the "English Civil War: An Illustrated Military History" by Philip Haythornthwaite has just fallen into my hand.

... Ooooh! Purple uniforms!

[Sandinista]

Damn. Now I've looked at the Pendraken ECW page and that copy of the "English Civil War: An Illustrated Military History" by Philip Haythornthwaite has just fallen into my hand.

... Ooooh! Purple uniforms!

And lots of nice ECW flags, that Leon still needs to put on the website

Cheers
Ian

[Westmarcher]

One lot of piles, two of muskets ....

Could offer you some ointment for the former.

Never had a double dose of muskets. Is it worse? 

[Fenton]

Could offer you some ointment for the former.

Never had a double dose of muskets. Is it worse? 

Maybe it depends if you have gone off half cock

[Westmarcher]

Maybe it depends if you have gone off half cock

... or maybe put your ramrod in where it shouldn't have gone?

[Last Hussar]

Using the phrase "Dark Ages".

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Why all the negative waves! It's a beautiful day!