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I have often been asked which figure scale I prefer for wargaming. The answer is not a simple one though. As a mortgage holding father of three I don’t have cash rolling out of my sock drawer, so 25mm (or 28mm as is now the vogue) are not really an option for me except for skirmish actions. And so my current armies are in 15mm. As I also like to play larger scale actions I have been tempted recently by various 6mm ranges for both there relative cheapness, and the possibility of fighting reasonable size battles on my less than reasonably sized dining table.
However it is not just cost that attracts me to smaller scale figures, but also the opportunities they present for more accurately reflecting the tactics of the more modern period. It seems to me very difficult for wargamers to even approximate the tactics of a large Napoleonic action with 25mm figures. When you get to the American Civil War I feel that the maximum scale that is practical is 15mm, otherwise both armies deploy in rifle range of each other.
Years ago I owned both armies for 1st Bull Run, in 5mm blocks produced by Mini-Figs. And I was able to fight the whole battle, including strategic movement on a 10x6 table. It looked great, and the whole feel of the game compared with the relative skirmishes of 25mm was a revelation. The difficulty though was finding rules that gave the feel of the battle you were trying to fight.
I was very interested then to receive a copy of 1870 for review. These are described as Grand Tactical Rules for the Franco Prussian War, and they are designed specifically for use with 6mm figures, ( but work well with 15mm as I found in testing). The rules encourage you to think big, large scale sweeping movements, mass charges, defence in depth. Consequently deployment becomes an important consideration. The games fought under 1870 move quickly, and the rules are so simple that the action did not get bogged down in debates about literary interpretation.
The author describes the rationale behind the rules as “…simplicity, large scale, and speed, a rule set which could be quickly read and understood, and which enabled the players to move rapidly through multiple turns without getting bogged down in extraneous detail.” And I believe that he has succeeded, using 1870 puts you in the place of the Army or Corps commander. Instead of concentrating on the fine detail of the deployment of skirmishers, or angles of fire, you leave that to the competence of unit commanders. Instead you need to ensure that lines of command and communication are maintained, and that your reserve formations are in the right place.
The rules include useful Quick Reference Sheets and are clearly presented and easy to follow. They include illustrations of formations available to the various armies, and how to represent them on the tabletop. Throughout period photographs and illustrations are used to supplement the text. While well drawn diagrams translate potential problem points within the rules.
However with 1870 you are not only buying a set of rules, your are purchasing a complete introduction to the period. Included is a detailed historical background, weapons details, excellent Orders of battle and fourteen fully detailed historical game scenarios. If this were not enough, the volume also includes an extensive and annotated bibliography, and tips on creating 6mm terrain. All that is missing is uniform details and standards for the combatants, although some of this information can be obtained by studying the wealth of illustrations included.
All in all an excellent volume that I have no hesitation in recommending. 1870 is available from the UK distributors, Caliver Books price £17.99
JOS
