tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post7913147494483452433..comments2024-03-28T03:31:19.790-07:00Comments on Archduke Piccolo: War of the Imperial Succession - A Chance Encounter (2)Archduke Piccolohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-10131994382135299932022-10-06T13:18:01.636-07:002022-10-06T13:18:01.636-07:00Thanks for your comment, Bob -
The combat mechanic...Thanks for your comment, Bob -<br />The combat mechanics I use take a bit of explanation, but I've always been rather fond of them. Fact is, I came up with the idea (about 35 years ago) because I simply hated 'saving throws'. But my system (and Charles Grant's) also had a way of 'normalising' results (in a statistical sense). The rationale is that of the incoming musket balls, one person in the target unit might cop more than one of them.<br /><br />Suppose you scored 8 hits from your musketry - just enough for a single group under my system. You roll the 8 dice, looking for as many different scores as possible. They all might roll the same number - there are 6 chances of that, out of 1,679,616. But you might roll all 6 possible numbers.<br /><br />One of the reasons for my going for groups of 8, with the obvious certainty of at least 2 duplicates to subtract was mostly to increase the probability of scoring all 6 numbers. The probability of doing so with 6 dice only, is actually quite low - 120 out of 7776, to be exact. To roll all 6 numbers with 8 dice is I think only about 1440/7776 - between 18 and 19%.<br /><br />Where musketry or other combat might fail is to be found in the dice failing to fall within the required Die Range - such as happened to the poor Tevastehus Regiment in the late battle. That's a rare event with 6 dice, even with a DR of just 3. They could reasonably (i.e. statistically) have expected 6 hits with 6 dice (trust me on this) - with 4 casualties the most likely result of this. Die range 'misses' usually occur with the artillery at longish ranges.<br /><br />... Maybe I ought to do a special blog posting on this?<br /><br />Cheers,<br />IonArchduke Piccolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-20646848533674485192022-10-06T10:53:22.732-07:002022-10-06T10:53:22.732-07:00Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
You’ve done it again and ...Archduke Piccolo (Ion),<br /><br />You’ve done it again and written a stunning battle report.<br /><br />I thought that your explanation of the rule mechanisms you’ve used was very enlightening, and I must admit to getting my box of dice out to try them out for myself.<br /><br />All the best,<br /><br />BobRobert (Bob) Corderyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13109130990434792266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-3527358511842544912022-10-05T17:23:46.811-07:002022-10-05T17:23:46.811-07:00Elliesdad -
You might guess that my daughter's...Elliesdad -<br />You might guess that my daughter's name is Ursula, who provided the name and personage of the Ursaminor Head of State (Princess). The 'Ursus Theodorus or displayed' seemed an appropriate charge for Ursaminor battle flags. The Tevastehus and Stalhandske infantry regiments came late to the army - just 3 -4 years ago - and received rather simpler flag designs - checks and bars.<br /><br />The Army of Jotun-Erbsten, which might not feature in this war (but who knows), was originally built up for the daughter of a friend. Now grown up, her interests have gone elsewhere, so the army in now in my possession. It's flags featured a 'cat sable passant guardant'. I made a mistake, though, as on the reverse side, the cat is passant guardant 'sinister', which was not my intention.<br /><br />The M'yasma Army is vaguely Russian in appearance (intentionally), but the flags are very like the Late Napoleonic Russian flags. I probably ought to reissue a more variety of flags - and I have plenty (still Russian) I could use. I don't plan on using the Russian flags from the 7YW, which I have used for another Russian army I have.<br /><br />These days I often download flags, but time was I used to make my own. Of my 18th century Imagi-Nations armies, I think only my Imperialists have downloaded flags. The flags of Hessen-Rohr were my design done with Microsoft 'Paint', but those of Altmark-Uberheim were hand drawn and coloured from Prussian originals.<br /><br />I think I may have just written my next blog posting... :-D<br /><br />Cheers,<br />IonArchduke Piccolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-13184178823097567932022-10-05T17:04:19.300-07:002022-10-05T17:04:19.300-07:00Hi pancerni -
I think somehow that keeping the ...Hi pancerni -<br />I think somehow that keeping the 'war game' aspect at least occasionally in view makes the whole story more engaging, somehow. Perhaps I've take my cue from Charles Grant's story of 'The Andau Raid' from his 'The War game' book.<br />Cheers,<br />IonArchduke Piccolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-9008153639965750112022-10-05T17:01:33.568-07:002022-10-05T17:01:33.568-07:00Thanks, Tim -
The narrative has gone rather sidewa...Thanks, Tim -<br />The narrative has gone rather sideways, but it's the more interesting and fun, for all that!<br />Regards,<br />IonArchduke Piccolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-53641958269702138902022-10-05T07:16:52.427-07:002022-10-05T07:16:52.427-07:00Another interesting battle report Ion. The battle ...Another interesting battle report Ion. The battle in the village was hard-fought, with both sides suffering considerable casualties. Now it’s time to draw breath before it’s time to go-at-it again (admittedly on another day, when both armies have had chance to regroup, reorganise and maybe gain reinforcements). <br /><br />The flags of the Ursaminor forces are especially lovely. <br />I don’t know why, but how on earth did I miss commenting previously? <br />I’ve looked back at your earlier post and the flags are clearly shown. Perhaps I need a new pair of spectacles? Oh well, count this as my “thumbs up” 👍👍 for such impressive flags. The bear is a nice touch and appropriate too. <br />Please offer my apologies to the brave soldiers of M’yasma - I suspect they too almost certainly have jolly pleasant flags. It’s just they might not be as photogenic as those of their opponents.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />GeoffElliesdadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09265204443922617741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-43350259196709636732022-10-05T05:00:57.398-07:002022-10-05T05:00:57.398-07:00Great reading! Looked like a grand time, especiall...Great reading! Looked like a grand time, especially liked the roll results at the end, put the action in perspective. pancernihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09108442113999809459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-72247310099983578152022-10-05T03:15:50.091-07:002022-10-05T03:15:50.091-07:00This is all very jolly - and looks great too!This is all very jolly - and looks great too!Tim Gowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00561988214539953646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-88226426268761937482022-10-05T02:17:38.136-07:002022-10-05T02:17:38.136-07:00Jennifer,
In answer to your question: 'Yes'...Jennifer,<br />In answer to your question: 'Yes', is the short answer. They are my own rules, but the musketry mechanics owes a lot to the Charles Grant system. As I remarked to Steve, I thought at the time I was inventing it (for an American Civil War set I was putting together ('Bluebellies and Graybacks') having forgotten Grant's system. But I'd already had my system pretty much 'in place' when I rediscovered Charles Grant's.<br /><br />My rule set also owes something to 'Charge!', 'Wizard's Quest' (my 'Die Range' system, which obviates subtracting for range, etc - or at least it used to) and the 'Terrible Swift Sword' game system (for morale/ reaction testing).<br /><br />Still pretty old school, and the battles are satisfyingly tense.<br />Cheers,<br />IonArchduke Piccolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-63784248863463152412022-10-05T02:08:20.869-07:002022-10-05T02:08:20.869-07:00A good deal of my 'Cornet & Drum' rule...A good deal of my 'Cornet & Drum' rule set owes something to the Grant War Game system. I made certain changes to the way he does musketry (you might notice the similarities. Actually I thought I was inventing my system, but a memory must have remained of his method.<br /><br />The reason, by the way, for my choosing groups of 8 hits instead of 6 was partly to reduce the impact of the steps between groups; but also the 'redundant hits from a group of 7 or 8 still increased the expected number of casualties arising from the hits. I recall doing a fair amount of probability maths on this! <br /><br />The thing might look complicated, but I find it goes pretty smoothly once becoming familiar with the method.<br />Cheers,<br />IonArchduke Piccolohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15533325665451889661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-14155342716295968452022-10-04T23:04:51.683-07:002022-10-04T23:04:51.683-07:00A nice old-school battle. Are these your own rules...A nice old-school battle. Are these your own rules or are they based on The War Game / Charge?Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11669958718617450721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6650770985225450559.post-26835339974128314012022-10-04T22:41:59.290-07:002022-10-04T22:41:59.290-07:00Excellent stuff and interesting to see how you go ...Excellent stuff and interesting to see how you go about working out casualties during the game and post battle. Quite apt as I was reading Grant's The War Game last night.Steve J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12143308117853983963noreply@blogger.com