Saturday 11 January 2014

Irregular Wars 2nd Edition

With the new year well underway I thought that it might be time to post something. The problem though, is that there is little physical hobbying that I can show so far. The first game of the year for me will be tomorrow and I have not had a chance to paint anything in a while.

However, I have had a lot of time in the evenings to do some writing and I have already put together a first draft for a second edition of Irregular Wars. There are quite a number of changes and I am rather hopeful that there will be a great deal more clarity in some aspects of the rules. There is still a lot of work to be done, but the rules are in a playable format and I will now be in a position to play test them for a while. 

Certainly drop me an email if you are interested in stepping in at this stage of development. I could certainly do with a few more dedicated playtesters. If I have learnt anything about wargaming over the last few years, it is that all players think differently and play differently. Even if I find that the rules are flawless, somebody else may break them in moments!


Draft cover...?
The new edition will be a single booklet, sold as a digital (pdf) download or as a hardcopy US Letter sized soft cover format through Amazon. For those who aren't familiar with the American page size in question, it is slightly shorter and fatter than it's British and Commonwealth equivalent (A4). As with the last update, I will endeavor to get a low low nominal price set for people wishing to upgrade the pdf from an older to a newer version.

Gentlemen Adventurers - just a picture to set the mood... from the re-enactment group of the same name
Armies will be roughly the same size and composition as they were in previous versions although some company types will now behave a little differently according to the special rules. The game will still be written with 30x30mm basing in mind (at 15mm scale) but work almost as well with 40x40mm bases.


Period skirt - and why not ; )
A sample army list is provided below to show what they will look like. Initial feedback is very positive. I am toying with an abstract points system for players who don't care for the inbuilt but more randomised recruitment system.


ENGLISH ADVENTURERS
Initiative 3; Command 6u
This faction represents those forces of Englishmen recruited to take part in the private ventures which typified Tudor and early Stuart overseas expeditions, whether they be military, piratical or colonial in nature in the New World or East Indies. The list might equally be used for Englishmen such as Thomas Wyatt who raised their standards in rebellion against the state. Gentlemen adventurers tended to be the financial backers of these ventures or their representatives and could be expected to be both well-equipped and valorous. Depending on the chosen background, volunteers might represent ships’ crews or trainbands equipped with a variety of mixed melee and shot weapons; armed mobs represent poorly equipped colonists or rebellious peasantry. Cimaroons served alongside English privateers such as Drake when raiding New Spain; native scouts represent friendly Indians aiding English colonists.
Compulsory companies
No.
Company
Resolve
Move
Melee
Short
Long
Special
1
Gentlemen adventurers (11pts)
5
3u
3
5+
-
Charge +1
4
Volunteers (9pts)
3
3u
2
4+
5+

Optional companies

No.
Company
Resolve
Move
Melee
Short
Long
Special
1d3
Volunteers (9pts)
3
3u
2
4+
5+

1d2
Volunteers (9pts)
3
3u
2
4+
5+

1
Gentlemen pike (14pts)
6
2u
4
-
-
Pikes
1d2
Militia half-pike (10pts)
4
3u
3
-
-
Long spears
1
Billmen (11pts)
4
3u
4
-
-
Pole-arms
1
Marksmen (8pts)
3
4u
0
4+
4+

1d2
Longbowmen (9pts)
3
3u
1
4+
5+
Archaic missiles
1
Crossbowmen (7pts)
3
3u
0
5+
5+
Archaic missiles
1d4
Armed mobs (7pts)
3
2u
2
6+
-
Charge +2, Unreliable
1
Preacher (10pts)
3
3u
-1
-
-
Pious
1
Ships guns (10pts)
3
-
-1
5+
4+
Heavy ordinance
1d3
Native scouts (11pts)
3
4u
0
5+
5+
Archaic missiles, Elusive, Natives
1d3
Cimaroons (12pts)
4
3u
1
4+
4+
Charge +2, Wild
1d2
Cimaroons (12pts)
4
3u
1
4+
4+
Charge +2, Wild

8 comments:

  1. I may well give this a punt

    ReplyDelete
  2. Interesting news. I enjoy reading your website and your posts on Irregular Wars. Do your rules work with 40mm x 20mm based troops?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The mechanics are designed for square bases - usually 30x30 or 40x40 for 15mm figures; 60x60 for 28mm figures.

      If you have figures on 40x20mm bases you could either place them on a sabot base with a 40x40mm footprint, or use two bases together as a single company.

      Delete
  3. Presumably, the "size" attribute from the previous editions stays unchanged ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Glibbo,
      Yes, the number of figures per base will be unchanged although there will be a bit more flexibility allowed. Basing considerations, including suggested numbers of figures for different troop types will get a decent section devoted to them in the rules allowing the army lists themselves to fit the new format.

      Delete
  4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi,
    I acquired version 1.5 recently and I must say that I had a very good first impression. Good job!
    I'm particularly interested in the Portuguese and their enemies in New Indies, but when I looked at the army lists, I noticed some missing optional units. Are you previewing to update/increase the army lists in V2?

    Cheers,
    Blackbeard

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Certainly. Drop me an email, I'm willing to consider any suggestions at all. The 2nd Ed Portuguese already look a little different with the nominal change of curassiers to fidalgos, and the addition of a couple of new unit types. Let me know what you think is missing.

      Delete