Peter Pig's PBI Rules

Obtained this today. I’ve been intrigued by the meta-game aspect of Recce that was mentioned in a review on TMP, and I wanted to see if it was something I could adapt for use with my usual rules as part of the pre-game setup. Based on what I’ve read of the rest of the rules in a quick glance through I’m not sure I’d play PBI as written, but so far nothing has jumped out at me as egregiously counter to what I look for from a WW2 game.

I can see myself purloining parts of PBI and the Lardies’ “I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum” for use in my Flames of War scenarios, so PBI and IABSM will accompany me as my reading in Aussie. I should be able to get some thoughts set down for my return at least. Sigh, another review to write.

P-J

Miniatures Rules

As most wargamers will recognise, it’s not uncommon for an individual to hop from rules system to rules system particularly with regard to the “latest and greatest” rules set at the club. I fall prey to this phenomenon all too regularly, particularly with regard to Napoleonics and the Ancient/ Medieval periods. Wheras once WRG exerted a stranglehold on my gaming prior to 1700, I don’t think I’ve used a WRG set of rules in two years, preferring conflict and era specific sets to the broad brush approach. The days of sticking to one single set are gone as far as I’m concerned. I prefer to use a Horses for courses approach.

So here are my current flavour of the month rules sets:

Ancients and Medieval
• Warhammer Ancient Battles

Playable, fun and fast. The trappings of history without the strictures that often get mistaken for “simulation”

• Warmaster Ancients

A more recent, mass battle attempt that I’m more inclined to play the bigger battles with. Whether it’s able to handle the scenario driven games as well as it’s older half-brother is another matter.

• A Glutter of Ravens

Purely an exercise in trying something different and justification for assembling a 28mm Gripping Beast army. It helps that the rules are very well researched and useful as a reference irrespective of the rules used.

Renaissance/Pike and Shot
• Warhammer English Civil War

The only real contender for this period. I enjoyed Gush for many years but this has supplanted it as a playable and enjoyable game.

Napoleonics
• Big Battalions

A new (to me) set that I enjoyed playing, I’d like to give it more attention

• Age of Eagles

Fire and Fury goes Napoleonics. This is the latest iteration of rules used at the club, and as such it’s one of the few sets that we all agree on. With that out of the way, people are even buying new 15mm Napoleonic armies – something that I never thought I’d see although admittedly the new armies are primarily AB and Eureka 18mms. The good painters are the ones behind the new armies so it’s not surprising they’re not prepared to put up with average figures.

American Civil War
• Johnny Reb

The rules I use for the smaller scenarios and snapshots of the bigger battles. I’m more familiar with versions 1 and 2 hence my preference for them.

• Fire and Fury

The Brigade level rules that work for giving me the overall feel for the flow of a battle. Some tweaks are necessary, particularly the use of 2D6 rather than a single D10, to give less emphasis to the out of the ordinary results.

19th Century (1859,1866 and 1870)
• Fire and Fury

I use Nick Dorrell’s amendments that appeared in Wargames Illustrated. One of the few areas where system familiarity defined the choice.