I've been a F&F player for a long time -- since the rules came out, and GHQ started making 10mm Civil War minis.
So...why should I switch to the Micro-Force Rules? Huh? Why? Gonna make me? Huh?
Seriously. What is it about these rules that would make me want to learn a whole new system, and rebase all of my ACW stuff?
In other words, how bout some more info? I want to be marketed to. Sell me. I bought the GHQ Micro-Amrour rules after downloading and playing the demo. Will there be a demo for this set of rules? How bout some play examples with some pics of someones very nice setup? All rulesets seem to have a focus, some aspect of the conflict that they are built around, like morale, or leadership. What does this set depict particularly well?
$20 is a great price for a good set of rules. I would just like to make sure that I'm getting more for my money than I deserve.
Why rebase? Their are no gaming police to mke you rebase
Get the rules and try them out. I still play F&F and plan to keep
on playing it. But I also want to try some smaller brigade size actions
and these rules look good for that. Now I can fight some of Jackson in the valley,
or some brigade sized actions of bigger battles (culps hill, or little round top)
"...government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."
Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863, The Gettysburg Address.
Sell you? OK, here is a couple selling points for you.
1) If your figures are already based, there is no real need to rebase your figures. The number of figures on a stand are irrelevant to game play. Casualties are to a unit's cohesion and half and full stands. As long as the stand sizes are of the same size for both sides game play will not be affected. This was done on purpose, I figure if I would not want to rebase my figures, that is a ton of work, then I wouldn't want players to have to rebase to play GHQ's rules. Here is what the rules say:
"Players should not feel that they must adhere exactly to the base sizes above. If you already have figures based for use in another rule system, use them. Plus or minus 1/8†is not going to significantly affect game play as long as there is consistency in the base size used by both players.
Figures can be arranged on the bases in any manner you wish. Again the goal here is aesthetics. How figures are arranged on a stand has no effect on game play. The more natural the arrangement, the more realistic the appearance will be on the table."
2) If you have already play and enjoy the WWII rules (I REALLY like the WWII rules) than you will be able to pick up this system quite easily. Cohesion is central theme of the rules. Cohesion represents a units training, leadership and experience which are that factors that determine how well a unit can receive, understand and execute their orders. The melee resolution mechanics are also quite unique.
Well as you already pointed out $20 is a great price....go for it.
Daryl L Nichols Jr
Designer
Micro Force: The Game - American Civil War
I playtested the rules with 15mm figures with 3 figures on 1" x 1" bases. As long as it's all consistent you'll be ok.
Why do I like these rules? The cohesion is what sold me. It adds a big fog of war because you don't know if the unit will follow orders. So, the uncertainty is what appeals to me. There were times when my units were in the right position, I rolled the die and they failed their cohesion.
Would these rules work with 20mm figures already based for F&F? I like the modern rules by GHQ, so I'm thinking of trying the ACW rules as well. Thanks.
ShortRound, as long as your base sizes are consistent between the two sides that is not an issue. The number of figures on the individual stands won't be a problem either since casualties are by half and whole stands.
The rules were written for 10mm but if you want to preserve the same 20mm "scale" of the battlefield just double all movement distances and weapon ranges and I think you will not have any issues.
At least 1 of the playtesters, Joe, used 15mm figures and had no problems.
If you try the rules with your figures let us know how they work out for you.
Double the ranges and movement and I think you will be good....good luck.
Daryl L Nichols Jr
Designer
Micro Force: The Game - American Civil War
ShortRound, as long as your base sizes are consistent between the two sides that is not an issue. The number of figures on the individual stands won't be a problem either since casualties are by half and whole stands.
The rules were written for 10mm but if you want to preserve the same 20mm "scale" of the battlefield just double all movement distances and weapon ranges and I think you will not have any issues.
At least 1 of the playtesters, Joe, used 15mm figures and had no problems.
If you try the rules with your figures let us know how they work out for you.
Double the ranges and movement and I think you will be good....good luck.
Daryl:
Thanks for the info. I hoped that the scale change would be as you described. Now, if Mrs. Claus is good to me.
Gentlemen,
Last night my gaming group played our very first game of MicroForce: ACW. I wanted to sit down to hammer out a quick After Action Report for all of you that may be in doubt about these rules.
BLUF - These rules are excellent. Buy them.
Here's the long version:
Action played was a small engagement just to get the feel of the rules. 1 Regiment on 1 Regiment, each with an Artillery Battery supporting. Tabletop was flat with a roughly 1' square fenced area, along with 2 farmhouses.
Right from the start, things started to go wrong for players as the regiments attempted to close on their side of the fenced area. The cohesion rolls (while I curse them) add a nice fog of war flavor to the game, and simulate "real life" better than alot of other ACW systems. The Rebs got a slow start off and couldn't march for a turn or so, while my yankee boys moved onto the fenceline. All the while, his Artillery (unlimbered now and still at the startpoint - I must say I underestimated just how much damage he could do with an Attack Value of only .5) neutralized my own supporting Battery which moved up to the fenceline and my 3" rifles didn't see much action for the rest of the game thanks to the "Steady boys" table).
(first question we ran into was - how exactly do we read and apply the casualty results of say.. ( 2 / .5 ) ? Would that be "2 steps lost, but player can only lose .5 of a stand? Or what about ( 3 / 1 ) would that read "player loses 3 steps, but may only lose 1 stand?)
I waited for him to get up to the fenceline about 6" away from my position, where i had my guys hold fire for opportunity fire. WOW what a first volley. Absolutely devastating (so I thought - being a Johnny Reb III player, I figured after this volley "game over - 75% casualties let's go home now and have a beer". No such luck. Even after a crippling volley the Rebel regiment thins out but is still a potent force.) His morale holds after a cohesion roll and I am thinking "okay - I'll sit tight and cut him down because you KNOW he's going to charge." He does, and even after pumping another volley into his now-disordered formation, he can still "bring the pain" on the battlefield. This was a real nail biter folks, and that's precisely what makes it so damn fun. I felt like a Brigade Commander, paying particular and worrisome attention to one of my blue-clad regiments as it was attacked by a Rebel Regiment.
Second question, for OPPORTUNITY FIRE, can a moving regiment be the object of more than one Opportunity fire attack in a turn? I had 1 Regiment and 1 Battery at the fenceline. So when the Rebs approach, could I fire at his regiment with both? Can I combine Attack Values? My Arty's cohesion of "9" after casualties answered the question for me b/c I could not for the life of me, pass the roll to fire, but the question still stands.
Again, let me say that if this was Johnny Reb, I would have been on the highway by now with all my stuff packed up. Here is an attack which was succeeding with 1:1 force ratio and the Reb player's spirits were riding pretty high (as opposed to some other rules sets where everyone is depressed at the sheer volume of casualties and inability to take a position without 4:1 odds and artillery Battalion in support. The JR games feel more like a funeral by the game's end)
But I digress, he moves over the fence, disorders, and charges. This is when my guys' decide they want to stop passing cohesion rolls, and even with only minor casualties, they fall back. It's refreshing because they fall back 1D6. It doesn't feel like a full blown retreat, just a tactical withdrawl to another position.
The rebs continue to push me back RIGHT TO THE TABLE'S EDGE where we finally lock into melee. I've been looking forward to this - AWESOME MELEE SYSTEM. The dice option really makes for some exciting play and is a really "out of the box" and clean-cut solution for melees.
He hammers me on one melee round and the 2 Regiments are locked in a death struggle for 3 turns. The very last turn of the melee, my last die roll is a "6" compared to his last die roll which is a "1". Defender wins the melee by 5 and his entire regiment is annihilated. General Lee would not have been happy.
In all, and with GREAT RESPECT for the designers of Johnny Reb and other popular ACW sets, I recommend the MICROFORCE rules to ANYONE who is an ACW gamer, ACW enthusiast, or especially, BEGINNERS in the hobby. The systems are easy to grasp and alot of fun to play. ALso, to the Die-Hards with MA's in history, I think the rules are pretty historically accurrate if you're looking for a simulation also. They hit the nail on the head with these. THey seem to correct some of the questions my group had with "GHQ MICRO ARMOR" the game also. These take Micro Armor one step further. Mission Accomplished!
I am very pleased to hear you had a good time. For me that is what gaming is all about, having some laughs with friends over the table top.
I also humbly thank you for your kind words on the rules.
In answer to your questions.
" (first question we ran into was - how exactly do we read and apply the casualty results of say.. ( 2 / .5 ) ?"
Check page 12, right above the "Butcher's Bill" in italics there is an example....in fact it is the exact example you show. The 2 represents the cohesion steps the unit loses AND the unit loses .5 stands. The lose of cohesion is the loss of the NCOs and Jr. Officers wounded or killed and the general confusion and disorder caused by the volley. The .5 or 1/2 stand represents the wounded or killed soldiers. ACW units when they took casualties kept the line intact by feeding soldiers from the rear into the front. As they ran out of soldiers, the lines got shorter...so with a really devastating volley you lose cohesion AND stands and your line shrinks.
"Second question, for OPPORTUNITY FIRE, can a moving regiment be the object of more than one Opportunity fire attack in a turn?"
Yes, both your infantry and your battery could exercise opportunity fire. They would not be combined, but would be separate attacks. The attacks would be considered against a moving target so you add +1 on your Butcher's Bill roll and keep in mind you can fire even if you fail your cohesion, you just have to add +4 to your die roll on the Butcher's Bill. (My apologies, after I re-read the Opportunity Fire rules it wasn't real clear that you could fire more than one unit.)
Again thank you for your kind words and best wishes for many more fun games in the future.
Daryl L Nichols Jr
Designer
Micro Force: The Game - American Civil War
I am very pleased to hear you had a good time. For me that is what gaming is all about, having some laughs with friends over the table top.
I also humbly thank you for your kind words on the rules.
In answer to your questions.
" (first question we ran into was - how exactly do we read and apply the casualty results of say.. ( 2 / .5 ) ?"
Check page 12, right above the "Butcher's Bill" in italics there is an example....in fact it is the exact example you show. The 2 represents the cohesion steps the unit loses AND the unit loses .5 stands. The lose of cohesion is the loss of the NCOs and Jr. Officers wounded or killed and the general confusion and disorder caused by the volley. The .5 or 1/2 stand represents the wounded or killed soldiers. ACW units when they took casualties kept the line intact by feeding soldiers from the rear into the front. As they ran out of soldiers, the lines got shorter...so with a really devastating volley you lose cohesion AND stands and your line shrinks.
"Second question, for OPPORTUNITY FIRE, can a moving regiment be the object of more than one Opportunity fire attack in a turn?"
Yes, both your infantry and your battery could exercise opportunity fire. They would not be combined, but would be separate attacks. The attacks would be considered against a moving target so you add +1 on your Butcher's Bill roll and keep in mind you can fire even if you fail your cohesion, you just have to add +4 to your die roll on the Butcher's Bill. (My apologies, after I re-read the Opportunity Fire rules it wasn't real clear that you could fire more than one unit.)
Again thank you for your kind words and best wishes for many more fun games in the future.
Daryl L Nichols Jr
Designer
Micro Force: The Game - American Civil War
