Unit sizes for Colonials

Home › Forums › Historical › Black Powder › Unit sizes for Colonials

Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • May 7, 2024 at 6:46 am #189989
    Donald
    Participant

    I’ve been using the ‘Hail Caesar’ rules for some time. They’re very good IMO.

    I decided to buy the ‘Black Powder’ rules & possibly expand the ‘family’ across more eras of our gaming.

    We do the Sudan & AZW. The rules we use are a heavily amended TMWWBK’s set.  Our basing is for individual figures on movement trays & we don’t want to radically re-organise this.

    Essentially, we have British etc infantry in units of 12 figures (2 rows) on rectangular trays @ 14cms wide. native infantry are in units of 20 figures, on an irregular tray @ 170cms wide.

    All other unit types are commensurate with this.

    I can’t see why I couldn’t declare the native units to be Large & the British Standard?

    Clearly, at some time soon I should run a trial game but I thought I’d ask here if I’m completely off the rails.

     

    donald

    • This topic was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by Donald.
    • This topic was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by Donald.
    Attachments:
    1. Zulu-photo.docx
    May 7, 2024 at 9:03 am #189995
    Charge The Guns
    Participant

    That should work fine, Donald 👍.

     

    May 8, 2024 at 11:43 pm #189998
    Donald
    Participant

    Thanks. I imagine a skirmish unit would then be 6 figures.

    And, in melee, if everything lines up, you should be able to get two Standard units hitting a Large unit.

    I’ll run a solo game to iron things out, then invite a few of my more patient pals for a few games before “releasing it to the general public.”

    donald

    May 28, 2025 at 1:32 pm #191137
    Bowman
    Participant

    Hello Donald,

    Black Powder is very forgiving with respect to basing and unit sizing. I myself use figures on round bases on movement trays as then they can be suitable for various skirmish games. So my Samurai, fighting Koreans, (using Pike and Shotte, actually) can be used in my Ronin games.

    I also have the same irregular movement trays as you use for your Zulus, as I use for mine.

    For the sake of your opponent, I would suggest that large units do look larger than regular units. That would be especially helpful if your army has both large, and regular units in it. Having said that, I don’t see any problem stating that all the Native units are large and the British units are all regular. As long as that is made clear to your opponent, things should be fine.

    Have fun!

    Ralph

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.