Saturday 24 September 2016

Old School Some Thoughts


I was thinking whilst walking the dog ( I do my best thinking while walking the dog) about what Old School means to me , I know peoples opinions vary on this subject , so this is just my thoughts -  Old style figures - Spencer Smith, Mini Figs, Hinchliffe etc which are painted in bright colours and coated with a high gloss varnish (modern Perry figures would not work with this style) . Single based figures - I like to knock my figures over when they become casualties and leave them on the table so the flow of the action can be traced by the fallen . Simple terrain - old Merit plastic trees , stepped hills and simple buildings . Rules I can remember in my head ! - Featherstone type or 'Charge' , these I realise are very luck orientated but I like them . I was wondering if I could use my collection of Spencer Smith Seven Years War figures for Featherstone Horse and Musket ? - where's the dog - I need to do more thinking !

12 comments:

  1. Of course you can, Tony! Mind you, I'd say anything to get you to show off your Spencer Smiths.

    All the best, WM

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  2. Hi,
    I agree totally with your definition of Old School, with the addendum that the accent should always be on "fun"--so what if the actual uniforms worn on campaign weren't nearly as colorful and fancy as those on the figures we paint? (For example, most of the troops on both sides at Waterloo wore grey overcoats because of the weather--not exactly what we see on the average table!) Is it really important whether such-and-such regiment did or did not appear at the battle being replayed? Does it really matter? (And if it does, why?) It's all a game anyway, played with toy soldiers. I once put on a convention game involving hundreds of Mexican-American War figures. Some goober walked up and asked only why I painted a particular uniform on one of the American regiments! What exactly was his point? Was he trying to impress me with his extraordinary level of expertise? He didn't--he was factually incorrect, but even if he had been right, so what?

    Well, enough of my rant. I'm lucky that since then, I've made friends with guys who feel the same way I do. We kid each other about our paint jobs and all, but it's part of the fun. Accent on the FUN!

    Best regards,

    Chris Johnson

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    1. Quite agree without fun games and rulesets don't get played, I also take liberties with uniform details, Tony

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  3. Hi Tony

    I used DF rules a few years back for an 18th Century version of Plattville.

    I think the artillery will need to be less effective - maybe one dice instead of 2 for casualties.

    I also think some thought needs to be given to the cavalry to cater for Cuirassier, Dragoons and Light cavalry.

    An interesting idea.

    Mark

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    1. Been thinking light cavalry moving faster (18") than heavy (12"), Cuirassier better save? , working on ideas, Tony

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  4. Yes! And Napoleon, I believe, always sought so called lucky generals. I'm interested in adapting Featherstone's rules to the mid-18th century. I am finding even the basic Charge set a bit too complicated.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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    1. Think there is a managable number of figures to an OS game before it get bogged down. I do like big battalions but am wondering if infantry units of 24 will be more usable, Tony

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  5. Of course! Featherstone is easy to adapt. Of course I prefer some of the simpler rules ideas in BWMS, very simple situation based morale checks with no modifiers.

    20 men + 2 officers strikes a bell but 24 will work fine.

    Not sure why "fun" is especially OSW, its very subjective anyway, competitive seems to have been very important. More about winning than history once the first shot was fired.

    As for luck based, I think that's partly an illusion and partly brilliant since it gives you all the uncertainty delivered by modern 'activation' rules and the like without the bother and frustration. Charge! is one of the few games I've played where a wargamer who knows 18thc tactics and has never played Charge! before can beat the pants off someone who knows the rules but not the history.

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    1. I tend to play OS solo so the 'luck' thing doesn't bother me, i play "Charge" with my 40mm figures and want to use my Spencer Smith for a different system, Tony

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  6. All the features you have mentioned certainly resound Old School- I think OS Gaming will work in various scales- even up to 54mm. Certainly books such as Wise, Grant, Featherstone emminate OS. Regards. KEV.

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    1. I like OS because I can remember the rules in my head, slowly getting ideas down on paper, Tony

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