ECW Rules Part 2 - Into the Glossy Era

The nineties were a bit of a miniatures gaming doldrums for me.  Locally, Warhammer and Warhammer 40K were (and are) very big, and I had had little exposure to them but discovered their marketing practices the hard way when I think I bought a rulebook about two months before it got “revised” (translated as binned).  The historical gamers were either DBA etc, or 15mm (or often both):  25/28mm historical gaming was not on anyone’s horizon.  I was still roleplaying although boardgames had started to feature much more.

Warhammer Ancient Battles came out in 1998 followed by Warhammer ECW in 2002. 

This is the first of the “glossy” rulebooks on this period that I have.  There were probably earlier ones but they managed to pass me by.

I’ve never played these rules (although have done a certain amount of WAB).  Some things it had going for it though:

~Officers, standards and musicians had a game effect

~The Personalities and specialists including The Marksman (aka sniper).

With the demise of Warhammer Historical then the rules are probably consigned to history as the chance of any other publisher being able to pick them up are I suspect nil,  given that I imagine dealing with GW is difficult. 

Probably at the same time I buy the 3^rd edition of Forlorn Hope.  Now A4 sized, with computer aided layout.  Despite never having played it I still like the features from it that I mentioned in Part 1.

Forward to 2012/13.  My chum in Oxford announces he has bought Pike and Shotte and we have been talking about some miniatures gaming weekends for a while.  Warlord Games have it in their January 2013 sale, so a splurge. 

Pike & Shotte – 208 pages of hardback glossy goodness (well eye candy at least).  I’ve not played any of the Warlord systems (Hail Ceaser, Pike and Shotte, Black Powder) to comment on if /how they work. 

On a quick glance through:

~We are back to Pike and Shot figures being that – none of this unit ratio that appears in Forlorn Hope. 

~However, no apparent unit/sub unit awkwardness but it seems like a straightforward command roll to see if the shot get the benefit of the pike support if charged by Cavalry. 

~The organization (battalia) suggests some interesting command and control issues.

~Halbards are there (Double handed infantry arms p87) – although not as they originally appeared as say  train guard or bodyguard – I suspect in context this rule is going to apply to Highlanders/Irish in Pike and Shotte. 

Clubmen are there

Snipers are there as a “by agreement” addition (p168)

Downsides

~Generic again – the Italian wars of 1494 to the War of the Grand Alliance (1689?).  It is covering the Pike period, but I do like my English Civil War flavour.

~No baggage camp as an inherent part of the rules. 

No Train Guard with Firelocks.  Firelocks are there but in a “storming party” role and a quick glance at the stats would suggest that a storming party is something you need to use in a game..

I suspect Pike & Shotte will be the next ECW system I play  - because as always – it depends on what you can get an opponent for.   

On a quick whim I looked at the authors:

Warhammer ECW: John Stallard.  With help from Jervis Johnson and Rick Priestley.   Playtesting by Steve Morgan.

Pike & Shotte: Steve Morgan.  Based on the Black Powder game by Jervis Johnson and Rick Priestley.  Special Thanks to John Stallard.

Forlorn Hope: Pete Berry and Ben Wilkins.