French and Grenzer War - A New Beginning

ReCon! was held at Geek Partnership Society this past weekend and the War of the Jumbo Alliances got its name, The French and Grenzer War.   Offered up by the Jeff Knudsen Earl of Garfield (at least that is his title in the War of the Jumbled Alliances), the name has taken hold and I assume will last.  

This was the first ReCon! (roughly a quarterly gameday that has been on hiatus for the past year) at the Geek Partnership Society, for much of the past decade ReCon! has been held in Coon Rapids at the VFW hall.   The Building had ample lighting and considering I brought in four tables it had enough tables for the people who attended.     I am not going to beat around the bush when I say the rooms use provided enough space for the games that were played, but increasing the number of attendees is going to make the space tight.

After Action Report – French and Grenzer War

ReCon! – June 14, 2014

Fort St. Jimmy and the French Garrison



Forces

French Left (Fort St. Jimmy)
10 French Piquets
12 Canadian Militia
10 Ottawa Indians
2 6Lbs Canons




French Battle Line

French Center

36 - Bearn Infantry Regiment
36 – Languedoc Infantry Regiment


French Center-Right

30 – Croat Grenzers

French Right

36 - Colonial Compagnies Franches de la Marine
24 - Colonial Compagnies Franches de la Marine
16 – Canadian Militia


Compagnies Franches de la Marine

British Right

30 – Highland Infantry
24 – Provincial Regiment
10 – Gorham’s Rangers

British Center

48 – Von Mansbach Infantry Regiment
36 – Erb Prinz Fusilier Regiment
12 – Hessian Jaegers

British Right

British Center Left

24 – Colonial Militia
16 – Mohawk Indians

British Left
36 – Dunbar’s 48^th Infantry Regiment
24 – Amherst’s 15^th Infantry Regiment

British Far Left
24 – Colonial Militia
10 – Hazen’s Rangers

 

Hessian Jaegers

Orders

French Left – Hold Fort St. Jimmy
French Center – Drive the Hessians from the Field
French Right – Take the Blockhouse

British Right – Take Fort St. Jimmy
British Center – Hold against the French Center and assist in taking Fort St. Jimmy
British Center Left – Hold Farmstead
British Left – Drive the French from the Field
British Far Left – Hold the Block House

The Action

British Right moved against Fort St. Jimmy, quickly driving off the Ottawa Indian Allies, had some minor difficulty getting through the Chevel-De-Frise but by late in the game made it to the wall.  The Rangers finally cleared a section of the wall and storm the fort at the end of the game.

Hessian Brigade moves on the French Center.

British Center moved directly against the French Center which moved forward to meet them.   It was quick and bloody as the French Center pummeled the Erb Prinz Regiment.  Von Mansbach attempted to setup a defense against onslaught of the French Center and was defeated two turns before the Rangers stormed the fort.   The French Center was unable to move British Right fast enough to save Ft. St. Jimmy.

The Colonial Militia held the farmstead, as no one cared they were there.

Karlstädter-Szluiner Grenzer

On the French Right one composite battalion of Colonial Compagnies Franches de la Marine moved against the block house with Canadian Militia Support, while the second composite battalion of Colonial Compagnies Franches de la Marine held the link between the forests.   The Zolton’s Grenzers (named after the famous Grenzer Zolton who held an Austrian village by his lonesome for a turn and half against insurmountable odds) moved through the woods and fired on the Dunbar Infantry Regiment.   After most of the day the French and British forces were exhausted and for all practical purposes routed from the board simultaneously, leaving the Amherst’s 15^th Infantry Regiment on the field alone.

Strategic Redeployment of the Erb Prinz Regiment to the Rear!

View from above

The game was laid out for 8 players, with an option to expand to 10 players; however only 6 players participated.   While everyone had fun and was challenged by the scenario it would have been nice to have a couple more players.

The Units are for the most part full strength, or fairly close.  The game is  getting to the point of needing setup tables which I think will be a requirement upon completing the last view under-strengthed units.

The Erb Prinz Fusiliers in full retreat

In Batailles de l'Ancien Régime  aka BAR one of the unique aspects is awarding battle honors to units that performed beyond the level of expectation on the Table Top.   On this day no unit earned a Battle Honor.  The Provincial Regiment held strong but could not take Fort St. Jimmy was the closest unit to earn a Battle Honor. 
On the other end of the spectrum the Erb Prinz Fusilier Regiment unit is halfway to receiving a downgrade however.

It was a hard fought game, a minor British Victory that was extremely costly as 2/3 of the Regulars were pushed from the table or removed as casualties. 

British Forces storm Fort St. Jimmy

Rules Questions

Can a unit move full and Shoot?
What’s the penalty for crossing a Chevel-de-Frise?
Who can fight and how can they fight in a wall assault

Rules we got wrong

Fire Modifier for shooting at Chargers.
Who and when can a light unit shoot.

 

 

 

 

French and Indian War - French Piquets

Each French Infantry Battalion had a Piquet Company; permanently assigned to the Company was a Captain, a lieutenant, a second-lieutenant, and a couple of NCO's; all others who were assigned to the Piquet Company was on an temporary basis, usually only for a day or two. In theory each fusilier battalion was responsible for providing 3 to 5 soldiers every day for duty with the Piquet Company. After the term or assignment was up those temporally attached tot he Piquet Companies would be replaced by new soldiers from their permanent fusilier battalions.
In Europe the Piquet Companies were responsible for guarding the camp, providing advanced and rear guard on the March, protecting the Colors, Sentries and various other similar duties.   Those assigned to the Piquet Company were exempted from many of the daily duties of the other members of the Battalion, including camp construction, presenting arms, and the like.
In North America soldiers assigned to Piquet Companies were often assigned on a more permanent basis as the use of Piquet Companies was more widespread and strategic rather than tactical. 
Detachment of Piquet Companies occurred often as these "temporary" companies were assigned duties throughout Canada, ostensibly to protect, organize and train French Settlers and their forts from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains and the Gulf of Mexico.    It's estimated by one historian that there were as many as 500 such detachments through New France, I am extremely skeptical at such a number because even with only 10 men assigned to each of those (5,000 total) you are looking at roughly 25% to 50% of all regulars assigned out.   While their may have be 500 places that France had forces, the use of Troupes de la Marine, local Militia (Milices Canadiennes) most likely were the forces present.   That's not saying the Piquet Companies were not assigned out that way, rather in much smaller numbers, maybe 20 to 30 as opposed to 500.
Another use of Piquet Companies in North America was creating rapid intervention force, along with a Corps de Cavalrie.   During the Siege of Quebec Colonel Bougainville command such a force with 1,300 infantry and 200 cavalry and was assigned to watch the Western access to Quebec. 
As a gamer the question becomes how does one model this. 
As I am painting up Bougainville's force, I am also creating 10 companies of French Piquets, half will be treated as light infantry/skirmishes the other half in two converged battalions (one Regular, one Grenadier) it seems like the best way to model that specific force.
In addition in scenarios with Piquets I will simply be pulling figures from my Bougainville box. 
But still I am not convinced I made the best choice.

French and Indian War Era - Trapper's Cabin

 A couple images of a Trapper's Log Cabin that I am working on. 

The body of the house and roof are complete, I still need to fabricate doors and windows. 

I have already roughed up the surface so it is ready to be painted.

The roof as common in the era will be covered in dirt and sod. 

Once I figure out how to make a chimney it will be added to the back of the cabin.

In the background you can see some of the trees I worked on as well over the weekend.   I figure I need about 500 new trees or about 5 times what I made up this weekend.

French and Indian War Era - Trader Fort - Block House

The Terrain Board  is laid out so the Trader Fort will be constructed on rise, or small hill, above the surrounding territory.

The Block House will be situated at the highest point as indicated in the picture.   There will also be a Barn and a Storage Building located on the level to the left of the Block House.  

A Palisade of logs will in circle the remainder of the Fort.

Some additional detail work on the Block House.

Christmas Break Figure Painting

Completed a few more 25mm French and Indian War Figures over Christmas Break, excuse me Winter Holiday Break.

British
12 - Rangers
12 - 15th Infantry Regiment
8 - Independent Company

French
12 - Canadian Militia - Languedoc Infantry Battalion

I anticipate finishing up some additional figures by the End of the Year.
I have the remainder of the 15th Infantry and Virginia Provincials primed and some first colors slapped on them.   I have another unit of British "Local" Militia primed, a unit of Rangers and a second Independent Company started.
For the French I have another block of 12 Canadian Militia which I intend to have completed for the Bearn infantry Regiment, a block of 24 Grenadiers, 12 Marine Piquets and another unit of Native American Indians already primed.

There is little question I cannot complete everything on my list.
I need to fill in the needs first.
15th British Infantry Regiment (two Divisions)
12 British Local Militia
12 Canadian Militia (Bearn Infantry Regiment)
24 French Grenadiers (Composite Unit)

Native Americans

Here's to my effort.

A Few more F&IW Figures

EDIT: COUNTS UPDATED DECEMBER 26, 2013

I finished up a unit of 12 Canadian Militia Piquets (Skirmish) with a command stand.

I also got a good start on a unit of 10 Native American Indians and it's command stand plus a over all Command Stand for my Native American Indians. 

In looking at what I have Painted:

British

• 45th Infantry Regiment (54 of 54)
• 15th Infantry Regiment  (12 of 54)
• Virginia Militia (12 of 44)
• Artillery (12 of 12)
• Highlanders (23 of 23)
• Highlanders (23 of 23)
• Highlanders (8 of 50)
• Rangers (12 of 12)
• Rangers (12 of 12)
• Rangers (0 of 12)
• Independent Company (12 of 12)
• Independent Company (6 of 12)

French

• Languedoc (38 of 44)
• Royal Roussilon (32 of 32)
• Bearn (32 of 32)
• Artillery (8 of 8)
• French Piquets (12 of 12)
• Companies Marine (44 of 44)
• Companies Marine (32 of 44)
• Marine Piquets (0 of 12)
• Canadian Militia - Formed (16 of 16)
• Canadian Militia - Unformed (14 of 14)

Native Americans

• Unit 1 (12 of 12)
• Unit 2 (12 of 12)

British Allied - Hessian

• Mansbach (54 of 54)
• Erbprinz (42 of 54)
• Artillery (8 of 8)

Saxon in French Service

• Graf Bruhl (20 of 44)
• First Lubomirsky (0 of 44)
• Artillery (8 of 8)

Austrian

• Artillery (12 of 12)

Swedes

• German Grenadiers (26 of 46)
• Jagers (12 of 12)
• Friekorps (12 of 40)
• Artillery (8 of 8)

I guess I am beginning to see the end of painting the figures I currently have mounted up and primed, scary thought.  So I started looking through the unmounted and unprimed figures...

• Two Battalions of French Marching
• One Battalion of French Advancing
• Three Battalions of Prussian Muskeeters
• One Battalion of Austrians
• 30 Native Americans

In addition I have some ungodly number of American Militia to remount.

My Goal between now and next week is get a good number (30 to 60) Native American Figures painted and remount at least two units of American Militia.

A Ford Too Far - Preliminary Discussion

The Irish historian Cornelius Ryan wrote several narrative histories on the Second World War; the most famous include The Longest Day, The Last Battle and A Bridge too Far.  Cornelius Ryan's writings and the films made based upon his books had a serious impact on my views and choice of hobbies.   I have slowly been painting up the figures to run Operation Market Garden using 15mm figures and "Spearhead" rules.  

Over the years the Centurions have discussed using historical scenarios in different periods; for example the Battle of Gettysburg set in 1779 between the British (Union) and the Continentals (Confederates), or Waterloo in 1870.   

However an intriguing idea was presented as Operation Market Garden set in the French and Indian War, dubbed a Ford too Far.   Would it work, can it be played, what rules, scale...

Obviously with a far number of 25mm Figures painted up already (even though not much is playable, see last post) the scale of the project was chosen for us.

As for rules, my love hate relationship with all rules is clearly in play, however we have been leaning towards Batailles de l'Ancien Régime (AKA BAR) locally and for now with nothing else peaking anyones interest BAR gets the nod.

So we have rules, scale, figures and now the start of creating a scenario.

To me the first step was breaking the game into playable areas or tables.   Specifically the space the table becomes the rivers/canals.   Between Table 1 and Table 2, the Rhine with Oosterbeek and Arnhem on Table 1.   Between Table 2 and Table 3 is the River Waal with Nijmegen located on Table 3.  Between Table 3 and 4 you have the Wilhemina Canal with Eindhoven located on Table 4.

The next step is locating whose where and how do you represent them.
The 1st British Airborne is located on Table 1 holding the crossing there in Arnhem.   The Polish Parachute Brigade is on Table two attempting to take the crossing from Arnhem.   The 82nd is attempting to take the crossing from Nijmegen on to table 2, and the 101st is attempting to take Eindhoven and the crossing onto table 3.
The Germans have a series of Kampfgruppe on each of the tables, including an SS Division, a Parachute Division, a Panzer Brigade and several unique divisions.  

The 1st Airborne - 80th Regiment of Foot
Polish Parachute Brigade - Allied Native Americans
82nd Airborne - American Rangers
101st Airborne - American Rangers
Guards Armored - Highlanders
Wessex Division - Regular infantry
Northumberland Division -  Regular Infantry

The question then becomes how many figures....
If you figure each player will command four units of 10/12 figures than ...
80th Regiment of Foot (Gage's Light Infantry) - Five skirmishing units of 10 figures.
Native American - Three Skirmishing units of 15 figures
American Rangers - Three Skirmishing units of 10 figures
American Rangers - Three Skirmishing units of 10 figures
Highlanders - Four Regular Foot Divisions of 15 Figures
45th Regiment of Foot - Four Regular Foot Divisions of 12 Figures
15th Regiment of Foot - Four Regular Foot Divisions of 12 Figures

Additional Figures
Grenadiers - 8th Armoured Brigade?

More later on all the Kampfgruppes

BAR Update - December 2

WOW!  Has it really been 9 months since I blogged on Miniature Gaming?   According to BlogSpot it has been, I just cannot believe it has been that long.

Any how...

Over the long Thanksgiving Weekend I spent some quality time with brush, paint and figures.   It seemed like I didn't complete much in the way of completed figures, twelve French Piquets (One Unit), four Austrian Artillerists, three command stands, half-a-dozen French Canadian Militia, and a solid start on another half-a-dozen French Canadian Militia.   That's 30 figures, plus 6 half-painted figures.   I shouldn't complain but...

I also spent some time looking over my French and Indian War / Seven Years War 25mm figure collection and attempted to decide upon some priorities.  I suppose that having the attention span of a six year old doesn't help me all that much; however here goes.

I think that creating playable forces has got to be the most important aspect.

On the French side you have Bougainville, Dumaz, Senezergues, and Montcalm's commands, Brigades if you will, however that is not the proper term, columns or lines is more of the vernacular for the period.
On the British side you have Wolfe, Monckton, Murray, and Townsend's commands. 
I also have two Saxon Regiments in French Service, two battalions of Hessians, and a number of Swedish units in the works for other SYW projects.

As I take a closer look at the French Side for the F&IW:
Bougainville Flying Column
Levis' Militia Cavalry - 200 Men - Don't own figures
French Piquets (IR) - 100 Men - Completed
French Piquets (CdM) - 100 Men - Figures Primed
French Piquets (Militia) - 120 Men - 6 Painted / 6 half-painted
Composite Grenadier Battalion - 240 Men - Not started
Native American's -

Dumaz's Column
La Sarre (II) - 360 Men - Not Started
Montreal Militia - 8 Figures Painted
Quebec Militia - 8 Figures Painted

Senezergues' Column
Guyenne (II) - 360 Men - Not Started
Royal Roussilon (II) - 360 Men - 12 Figures Painted
Montreal Militia - Not Started
Trois River Militia - Not Started

Montcalm's Column
Langdoc (II) - 360 Men - 24 Figures Painted
Bearn (II) - 360 Men - 24 Figures Painted

Levis' Brigade
Compagnies Franches de la Marine - 960 Men and 240 Militia - 48 Figures and 24 Figures 

The problem, even though I have 150 to 200 figures painted I haven't complete one command, what worse is that each of the commands needs about 50 figures to make it playable.   

On the British side I am even more in shambles as many figures are half-painted.    I have commands stands completed for four or five battalions but very few actual line figures painted.  

So what can I get completed to make pained playable forces.
Bougainville's Flying Column needs Militia Piquets and a number of Native American's completed.   arguably this is my closest to playable command.   One I should focus on in the short term.
The next closest to playable is Montcalm's Column of two battalions, I am short 24 figures and actually have these figures primed and based up.
Levis' Brigade is in practical purposes playable, but under strength, a couple of artillery pieces and some more Marines are in it's future.

The British, well since I cannot put what I have painted into any kind of semblance of order I am practically starting at ground zero.   I have two divisions of the 48th Foot done (24 Figures) and 24 figures primed I need to finish those before moving on to the 15th Foot.   I also have 30 figures of the 78th Highlanders started and well I also have the 60th (Royal Americans) and a Virginia Militia Battalion started, plus two Independent Companies, three Ranger Companies (basically done).   Wow are they a mess.   I guess that why I am focusing on the French.
Dumaz's and Senezegues' Columns are the furthest from playable.

A productive Saturday

I awoke on Saturday with a pretty massive head cold, thought about the 40 minute drive to Coon Rapids for ReCon! and decided that it was not in everyone’s best interests for me to share my cold.

I understand that the War of the Jumbled Alliances game went off and Tom Zwirn has decided that at the next ReCon! he will be running a double sized Thirty Year's War game using Field of Glory - Renaissance Edition. Tom also announced he has finished rebasing his Rally Round the Flag 15mm Figures for Regimental Fire and Fury and will be selling off three Brigades of figures.

Since I was not going to ReCon! I spent the day organizing, cleaning, priming and painting figures.
The organizing is probably my biggest accomplishment, I love to organize everything but my hobby stuff, and I broke down and did a pretty good job. I found 60 Dismounted Tarleton Figures, a number of 15mm Napoleonic figures, but failed to find the 25mm Courier De Bouis that started my organizing.
I got 60 British Highlander figures cleaned up and mounted on bases and primed that will become the 78th Regiment of Foot, Frasier’s Highlanders for the my Quebec campaign of 1759.
I also got a number of other lose figures cleaned up and mounted and in many cases primed. Cannot believe I need French Officers and Drummers and British Command for the French and Indian War.

When it comes to painting:
I completed for the Austrian Kaiser’s Infantry Regiment I completed the command section of 8 figures, one mounted officer, and the first company of 15 figures. I also got a good start in the second company of 15 figures completing the Officer and NCO, getting all the major color blocks done, leaving finer detail like cross belts.
I got a good start on the French Royal Rousilon Infantry Regiment, completing the command section of 8 figures, and 12 of the eighteen figures I was planning to paint at the beginning of the day, the group grew to 24 figures, but I need Command and Drummers.
For Bougainville command of French Grenadiers and Pickets I got the figures mounted up and ready to paint. His command will have 30 Grenadiers, 30 Courier De Bouis, 30 Canadian Militia and 30 Indians. I have 15 Militia and 15 Indians completed.
I also re-mounted my 30 British Rangers for the French and Indian War onto circular bases from their old square basis to be consistent across my collection for the period, I need to finish flocking these bases in the near future.
In total I got about 45 figures painted for the weekend and another 15 basically done.

I spent some time looking at my American War of Indepence Collection, but I will leave that for another post.

25mm French and Indian War

Over the past week I have painted up some more figures for the French and Indian War (Seven Years War in North America) that have been sitting on my painting table way to long.

I completed the 10 British Artillerists and 2 Cannons, 20 British Independent Company Soldiers, and am getting started on some more figures for the French La Sarre and Guyenee Infantry Regiments and the Command for my Compagnies franches de la marine. I think most of the those figures have spent the better part of two years on my painting table. All toll it is 76 figures, most of which are at least half-painted. I'll just say cross-belts and be done with it.

Looking in the British box I see another 20 Rangers in the half-painted stage plus a full Regiment of Foot plus the Royal Americans in Hunting Shirts,that are at least half-painted. The French box is even worse with three battalions of figures painted white many with the black bits already painted.

I have to get out of the habit of starting one project and jumping to the next, very very bad habit.

Not as productive as I wanted to be.

I was not as productive over the weekend as I wanted to be. I cleaned and primed 20 AWI British with Command as British Independent Comapnies for AWI and 30 Figures in Hunting Shirts as the Viriginia Regiment; both units are for the French and Indian War.

In addition I finished up a company of 10 figures as Rangers for the French and Indian War. The figures didn't turn out to bad.

I used another technique for faces, I think I will use this method for a while. The Faces are completely painted "Dark Flesh" and than I add in a few spots of lighter flesh. It is not as clean as the method I used on the Compagnies Franches de la Marine however it takes about half the time and beyond 3 inches you couldn't tell the difference.

I think the unit is James Roger's Rangers but i will have to pull up the source material for me to know for sure.

Just to let everyone know I wasn't slacking completely, I also painted up a unit of Virginia Continentals for Fitz. Not exactly the greatest paint job as it was getting late on Saturday when I did these 12 figures. I used the 7th Virginia Re-enactors as a guide to paint the figures, so they don’t um match the descriptions in a couple of Ospreys, the one thing I didn’t do, and if Fitz wants to he can, is put hat tape on them, since neither the contemporary painting and descriptions list hat tape.

Compagnies Franches de la Marine

As I prepare for my upcoming Warfare in Colonial America game at the Levee Café in Hastings for my Birthday May 8^th and 9^th I am attempting to finish painting the figures I own for the period. It is sort of depressing that I need to order six bags of figures as the Local Stores don't have what I need, on the plus side I am saving some money. Any ways I have been working on Compagnies Franches de la Marine over the past week. I have 31 figures of Old Glory 25mm figures, without command in Blue Waist Coat in Fatigue Cap, which I divided up into 6 companies of 5 figures. The problem is there is little to differentiate the companies, so basically as I finish up the last of the figures it looks more like 3 companies of 10 figures.

I changed how I was painting faces about half way through the project, I may go back and attempt to update the first 12 figures or so but I am not sure I will have time before the May games with another 120 figures left to paint. I'll post pictures later today, but I like the way the later figures turned out.

This weekend I will be working on a battalion (30 Figures) of Colonial Militia in Hunting Shirts, they shouldn't take long, Air Brush a Dark Brown, a Quick Dry Brush of a lighter brown, leather work, face and Weapons. In addition I have a few more 15mm 1809 Austrians to mount up, but that's another posting. I am hopeful that beyond them I can get to my two units of British Independent Companies or more Indians, I guess we will see.

Images of the Guyenne Infantry Regiment

Below are three images of the Guyenne Infantry Regiment showing the four stages (of five) of flocking the base.



The First figure is mounted to a base.
The Second figure has a few tufts of field grass glued to the base. The field grass is supposed to add depth to the viewers perception of the base without becoming a focal point.
The third figure has a light brown ballast glued to the center of the base.
The fourth figure has an outer border of burnt grass flock glued to the base.

The fifth stage, not shown, will be dull coating the entire figure. Because I am using dull coat I tend to use brighter colors because the dull coat "dulls" them out and especially the ground work gets much darker.

Images of Quebec Militia

A picture of the first company of the Quebec Militia for the French and Indian War, circa the Plains of Abraham - 1759

Weekend Projects

I plan on working on the following projects this weekend:

25mm French and Indian War - Canadian Militia

25mm French and Indian War - Langdoc Infantry Regiment

25mm French and Indian War - Guyenne Infantry Regiment

25mm American Civil War - 2nd Wisconsin

25mm American Civil War - 84th New York (20th New York Militia)

All figures just need to be based and seal coated.

I have decided to be a little more fancy with my basing technics for these figures. After mounting the figures I am going to attach some clumps of "Field Grass", glue a light brown ballast to the center of the base, and than use a burnt grass border around the figures. All this extra effort I hope will show off the detail of the figures.

"Drums of War on the Mohawk" and "Batailles de l'Ancien Régime"

In an effort to keep the subject line and the subject the same…..

There are about two or three local players who are very interested in both "Drums of war on the Mohawk" and "Batailles de l'Ancien Régime" rules. "Drums on the Mohawk" is the French and Indian War rule set while the "Batailles de l'Ancien Régime" [aka BAR] are the Seven Years War variant of the “Drums”..

Those players locally interested in the rules (including Brent Olson who is currently the primary catalyst) are interested in playing the game at 1:10 figure scale using 25mm figures. Brent has picked up several battalions for both sides (of both wars) and is looking for more players and of course people interested in painting more figures. Personally I am slowly working on a Prussian Brigade for BAR, emphasis on the word slowly since it is not really one of my top ten periods.

With the scale of the figures and figure the big issue of playing either Drums and BAR will be the space requirements of the gaming surface, it is going to need a BIG table, roughly five to six feet per player a side plus a few feet on the side to allow wiggle and maneuver room. Thus a six player game (three per side) would require a table between 15 and 20 feet long. This space requirement limits the game (at those scales) to conventions or other larger gathers. Brent Olson is totally cool with that.

Bill Protz, the rules author, has an idea for his version of gaming utopia, when he wrote the rules he envisioned that players would paint up a brigade (or two) of their favorite nationality and when he showed up at a convention to run a game players would bring their own figures along and push them. I think Brent is hoping the same is true for players in the locally. I unfortunately gave this a try several years ago and was grandly chastised for such a proposal so I am my usual cynical self now that Brent is pushing the idea. Brent however has attracted some interest both locally and in the Greater Minnesota region, including the Fargo and the Red River Area Wargamers group.

Being that several SPI members have French and Indian War figures painted up and already singly mounted it would not be that much more effort to fill out a few units and give the game a decent three tries. It would be a totally different feel than the Brother Against Brother games you have played.

As for moving “Drums on the Mohawk” to the Napoleonic period, I think the game loses some appeal when you start decreasing the number of figures in a unit which is “semi” required as the number of units involved in the battles begin increasing. IE I can’t convince myself that painting for 1:20 isn’t a bad thing how am I going to move down to 1:10, tripling the number of figures need? Honestly I thought about it this morning but I can’t think of another Napoleonic Game that plays at 1:10.
Once you drop figure scale down from 1:10 to 1:20 there are already a number of interesting games at that level, In the Grand Manner and General de’Brigade come to mind, so I would wonder why recreate the wheel. Now as an aside I know of several reasons some people might, but that is another discussion all together.

For the Napoleonic period I personally am interested in gaming at roughly 1:30 figure to men ratio. There are several sets of rules at 1:20 and a couple at 1:40, as well as many more at 1:50 and 1:60, I could never understand why there were so few rules available at what to me appears to be a nice ratio, as such I spent a lot of time writing a set and writing a variant for another.