Warlord Pike & Shotte Rules

[grant]

This was the answer to my questions:


Hi Grant

The basic command formation is a 'battalia', each battalia is made up of
elements (or units if you prefer). The smallest viable infantry battalia is
one that represents a regiment of 1 pike block with 2 musket wings.
Each element has its own stat line, and there are rules for how they
interact, how close they have to be etc.
A battalia may well contain multiple pike and musket elements (12 seems to
be the maximum feasible number) to represent tercios, Dutch brigade
formations etc.

A pike element needs to have a minimum of 12 figures (including the command)
to be a standard sized unit. Pike need to be a minimum of 3 ranks deep to
gain all benefits (we have found that 16 seems to be the most common size
for a pike block).
Musket elements should be a minimum of 8 strong, in 2 ranks.

Standard ratio is 1 pike element to 2 musket.

We have a campaign system written, we just need to make sure there is room
in the book or whether it is something we put online.

Hope that helps

All the Best

Steve

[jazbo]

"Pike need to be a minimum of 3 ranks deep to gain all benefits"

Alram bells ringing!

Ranks? Surely BP is great concept because a unit is a unit. Specific ranks for all benefits sounds a bit too much like Warhammer to me.

[grant]

Perhaps the concept of "push of pike" requires that depth; a massed body needs depth for momentum!

Not Warhammer. Realistic!

[jazbo]

Grant, you seem to be missing my point. If "Pike need to be a minimum of 3 ranks deep to
gain all benefits" then this means that its not "a unit is a unit is a unit" anymore, which is what makes BP so simple and flexible.

Can the author confirm or not if the rules require players to count ranks in the P&S version of BP?

[Cubster]

But you need to change the shape of your unit to get certain formation benefits - column, line, square, etc ... Isn't this just the same concept?

[grant]

Grant, you seem to be missing my point. If "Pike need to be a minimum of 3 ranks deep to
gain all benefits" then this means that its not "a unit is a unit is a unit" anymore, which is what makes BP so simple and flexible.

Can the author confirm or not if the rules require players to count ranks in the P&S version of BP?

For your point. I just don't like the point at Warhammer and scream "Bad!" common thing to do.

Three ranks deep could be any number of figures wide, for example my P&S are 4x3, because I thought it would like good that way. Guess I get lucky. .

Compared to BP I will need about the same amount of figures, too. I run 24-36 on 6 bases for BP. For P&S, I will a block of pike x12, and two sleeves of 8 shot. Simple!

And just like in BP, I am 100% that no one needs to be a slave to the written word; hey, once I buy a set of rules, I will use them whatever way I want. I can even light them on fire if I feel like it.

For Last Argument of Kings, for example, I went with a whole battalion on a single rectangular stand, but in 6mm not 28mm. Hey, it works.

Also Steve will take questions by email - see a few posts earlier. I only posted his response as a convenience issue, perhaps I shouldn't have bothered if it got people so excited...

[Cubster]

And just like in BP, I am 100% that no one needs to be a slave to the written word; hey, once I buy a set of rules, I will use them whatever way I want. I can even light them on fire if I feel like it.

Don't you watch the news man? That'll result in widespread rioting ... in Nottingham.

[grant]

[mikeland]

And just like in BP, I am 100% that no one needs to be a slave to the written word; hey, once I buy a set of rules, I will use them whatever way I want. I can even light them on fire if I feel like it.

Spoken like a true Royalist... Always burning things

[grant]

And just like in BP, I am 100% that no one needs to be a slave to the written word; hey, once I buy a set of rules, I will use them whatever way I want. I can even light them on fire if I feel like it.

Spoken like a true Royalist... Always burning things

Well played sir, well played.