BAW using a grid...

[Dave8365]

Is there a conversion for playing BAW on a grid?  Based on the deployment system it seems pretty easy to adapt these rules to a grid format.  But I'd be curious if there was an "official" version.

Cheers,
Dave

[Sean Clark]

Not that I am aware of... But sinilar to Bloody Barons, this might be possible.

[martin goddard]

When "gridding" a game there are about 5 important things to consider and the it gets quite easy.

1. Stacking limit per square. Usually 3. Too many units and it creates a  "sledge hammer". Too few and combined arms goes out of the window.
2. Diagonals allowed or not? These days I say no but give a special rule for all proximity squares being short range.
3. Influence of other squares in terms of fighting and morale support. This is very important.
4.How to spread hits in a square. Should the winning criteria be hits (Longships and bigger foot formations) or kills (PBI)
5. Deploying armies close enough to discourage mass migrations upon seeing situations change.


martin

[Dave8365]

Thank you for the reply Martin (and Sean).

Taking your comments and having a look at Regiment of Foote, I wonder whether those rules might be utilized for BAW.  The one thing that is very different, of course, is the size of the units, and the square occupancy rules.  The number of stands per unit in BAW is substantially larger than RoF, which makes me wonder whether it is appropriate to impose a limit of one unit per box.  That addresses items 1 and 4 on your list.  Now, since my game mat is a 12x8 grid, that will give a bit more room.  But since each unit needs its own box, that should compensate appropriately.

As for 5, proximity, I think just outside long range (which i will assume is 2 boxes for now) is appropriate.  And I would use the same left/center/right zone deployment rules in BAW, so that should place the armies in critical distance of each other.

I'll dig deeper into RoF to consider items 2 and 3.  Though, as the author, I would appreciate your thoughts.

Cheers!
Dave

[Sean Clark]

Dave,

The original Regiment of Foote (on which BAW was based...) had similar unit sizes to BAW. Thet were cut down to 3 bases for the gridded version and work well, dieing by the half base.

For a gridded BAW you could do the same, perhaps using units of 4 bases like Bloody Barons, with 1 command stand and then a mix of fighting and shooting bases, perhaps signifying Armoured Ashigaru and Levy dependant on what mix you went for. Samurai units are easily distinguishable and from memory have no shooting bases anyway.

A unit 4 bases wide, or in a 2x2 formation would fit very nicely along with 2 others in a square.

[Dave8365]

Interesting.  I wonder if, instead of trying to adapt BAW using RoF movement mechanisms, RoF should be adapted to the combat system/troop types for BAW troops.

Maybe BAW 2.0 is in order....?

[martin goddard]

Grids do tend to send players into two camps.
Grids will become the default in ten years time (I reckon?).

I predict that Games workshop will make a battle game with a squared grid.
Then all the non grid players/moaners will say "I always liked grids anyway".


martin

[Smoking gun]

I predict that Games workshop will make a battle game with a squared grid.
Then all the non grid players/moaners will say "I always liked grids anyway".

martin

Martin, they already have Space Hulk and Dark Future.

Grids are great.

Best wishes,
Martin Buck

[martin goddard]

You are right.
I am thinking of battle games.


martin

[Dave8365]

Grids do tend to send players into two camps.
Grids will become the default in ten years time (I reckon?).

I predict that Games workshop will make a battle game with a squared grid.
Then all the non grid players/moaners will say "I always liked grids anyway".


martin

So I suppose asking you to lift the rowing oar and produce a BAW 2.0 in exchange for people giving you money to buy them is off the table?   ;-)

[martin goddard]

Hello Dave
Obviously I can never say never.
With the time available I am not sure I will ever get there.
My job list (Obviously self imposed) is truly massive.
I am so far behind on promised projects (Vietnam, HI, BB, WW2, WW1, ECW, FM etc)  that it would be admired by government bureaucrats.


martin

[Sean Clark]

However, there is nothing wrong with you developing a 'fan edit', not for commercial gain obviously  In a similar vein we have Walter Schnapps, a Square Bashing variant for Franco Prussian War.

Maybe an interesting article for the Mill!

[martin goddard]

I agree with Sean. Good idea for a  MILL article Dave.


martin