Looking for something that is a bit hard to figure out

[Konstantinos Travlos]

I have come to the conclusion that most of my wargaming will be done on 2×2 or 3×3 foot wargame tables. But I would still like to do some 28mm mass battles. Considering the space issue, I wanted to ask if there are any rules there that eschew measurement for movement, instead using area movement but that

 

a) are targeted to ancient to 18th century warfare

a) Do not use squares or hexes, but instead break down the battlefield to  center and flank areas (I know the Perfect Captain was working on such an abstract system with Pikes Level). – ergo the ancient to 18th century warfare limit above (since in Europe at least armies deployed with center and flank wings etc)

b) are fairly open architecture

My main 28mm wargaming will be 17th century, and fantasy (really getting into the aesthetic of glorantha or mixes of ancient/dark ages aesthetics)

I envision units to be 80mm-120mm frontage, commanders playing a role (armies realistically been 5-15 units per side)

Any help with suggestions are welcome

 

With Respect

KTravlos

[Paint it Pink]

I suggest checking out Wargame Developments who run the Conference of Wargamers.

Home

Here’s a couple of links to members of WD that I follow that may be fruitful.

Chris Kemp’s Not Quite Mechanised will help with concepts:

https://notquitemechanised.wordpress.com/

Bob Cordery’s Wargame Miscellany does rules for portable wargames:

https://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/

One is good, more is better
http://panther6actual.blogspot.co.uk/
http://ashleyrpollard.blogspot.co.uk/

[Guy Farrish]

I’d second Paint it Pink’s suggestion of WD.

I’d also have a look at Peter Pig’s Bloody Barons 2nd Edition (not first).

This has large scale Wars of the Roses battles fought on a battlefield divided into areas and has a novel way of dealing with Cavalry attacks. It is aimed solely at WotR but has potential for use in other periods. Not sure it is applicable for linear 18th century and almost certainly not for later when there is better c&c but definitely worth a look for your main interest areas.

The rules are available in hard copy, pdf or you may get sufficient idea from reviews and videos.

Bloody Barons 2020

[Fred B]

Ganesha Games’ Of Armies and Hordes might work, although it doesn’t tick all the boxes.

It doesn’t do the center and flanks, but nor does it use squares or hexes. Instead it uses areas that are signified with terrain on the tabletop. So a swamp might be an area, as well as a field or a town. Irregular Wars has a good post about the rules and shows how he makes the areas. This approach to movement should work fine for 28mm on a smaller table.

Another thing that it doesn’t quite tick is that it was made as a fantasy ruleset. So it would probably do fine for ancients and medieval without much tweaking, but I am not sure how it would work for later eras.

Although I haven’t played the game myself, I thought the area movement a clever solution that I want to test in the future – maybe it will be up to your liking as well. Even if you don’t use the system wholesale, I don’t think it would be hard to transplant the area mechanic into a different ruleset.

[Jim Webster]

I was going to mention Peter Pig as well as he tends to do area based rule sets

https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/

[willz]

Konstantinos Travlos wrote:

I have come to the conclusion that most of my wargaming will be done on 2×2 or 3×3 foot wargame tables. But I would still like to do some 28mm mass battles. Considering the space issue, I wanted to ask if there are any rules there that eschew measurement for movement, instead using area movement but that a) are targeted to ancient to 18th century warfare a) Do not use squares or hexes, but instead break down the battlefield to center and flank areas  With Respect KTravlos

I would have a look at Command and Colours AWI, they utilize left, centre and right areas of command on the battle field.  This systems works on a small table (as well as a large).  Just use the best bits that suit you and make your own version.

[Not Connard Sage]

Might be worth having a look at Peter Pig’s ECW rules, Regiment of Foote.

 

Or perhaps you could wrangle Dadi & Piombo’s Baroque on to a smaller board.

Obvious contrarian and passive aggressive old prat, who is taken far too seriously by some and not seriously enough by others.

[Konstantinos Travlos]

Thank you all for your contributions. I wish you all well.

[MartinR]

Have a Google for “Marston Less”, rules aimed at ECW but I’ve extended them back to TYW and Renaissance. Table is just divided into left, centre, right.  Easy enough to push forward to a later period.

Also Phil Sabin “Lost Battles”, aimed at Ancients but easy to convert to any mass linear battle environment. My WSS version was called “Marlborough Light” and I ran it at the Conference of Wargamers some years ago.

Tbh, 3×3 is huge if you are using element based units and are generous with the ground scale. I ran the whole of Operation Goodwood (all 14 Divs including the Canadians) on a 2×3 with brigade sized bases.

"Mistakes in the initial deployment cannot be rectified" - Helmuth von Moltke

[Konstantinos Travlos]

That is a good point MartinR. I think a bit was me being despondent and overdramatic. That said it is a good chance to explore new things. I must say Of Armies and Hordes seems intriguing. I will also look for your suggestions.

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