Black Powder Epic Scale Waterloo

[Keith Flint]

There doesn’t seem to an ‘epic scale’ forum group at the moment so I thought I’d put this post under Black Powder.

Looking at the advertising for this figure range, particularly the ‘Epic Battles – Regular Tables’ line, I’m a bit confused as to how things are going to work. There seems little doubt what epic battles means – it means battles like Waterloo. As for regular tables – well, if there’s any such thing, I reckon most gamers would say 6′ x 4′.

So how would a gamer put on a representation of Waterloo on a 6′ x 4′ table using the 80 figure units (called regiments on the boxes) which have a frontage of 240mm (about 9.5″) in line. Seems impossible to me.

Hoping that someone can set me straight!

• This topic was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Keith Flint.
• This topic was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Keith Flint.

[Charge The Guns]

Hilarious, good one Keith 😆!

Which of the Epic scale armies are you thinking of getting?

(Excuse me for asking, but are you the same Keith Flint, author of Shadow of the Eagles?  Interesting looking set of rules.  The cover alone is tempting!)

[Keith Flint]

Hi – yes, I’m the author of SotE. As you say, Partizan did a good job of producing a great looking product – I was lucky they have an agreement with Chris Collingwood to use some of his outstanding artwork.

I did have an idea I might use the French and British epic Napoleonic figures as a quick way of putting together some Napoleonic armies. The fact that the Brits are in red plastic whilst the French are in blue also meant I could even start by using unpainted figures.

Overall I think the epic figures themselves are great and could be very useful for putting on large Napoleonic battles – but not when organised as the Warlord artwork and advertising material would suggest. I’m hoping Warlord have some tweaks to BP in mind to guide wargamers along a more realistic path.

[Charge The Guns]

Ah yes, Chris Collingwood is outstanding.

I agree the bases of red and blue figures would be great for more abstract type games, sort of 3D counters.  A bit like the Perry’s battle in a box.

I think I would go for 3 bases in a regular sized using, 4 for large, and 2 for small, if I were using the epic figures under Black Powder.  This would then match the stamina values (a handy reminder) and also mean that for frontages a large unit was twice the size of a small unit which also fits the melee factors.  However, larger size units do look rather splendid 😀.  From seeing what has been done with the ACW stuff, I expect people will just  do what they think looks good / works for them.

[Lochmoigh]

More important, when does it ship?

[Keith Flint]

Thats the way Warlord want you to think! You should think about what you’re going to do with them before you buy them.

[Legere]

While these are great for ‘standard’ BP on big tables they do stick with the standard BP basing and 24cm frontages.  While you could tinker with that (3 bases for standard size battalions) it does create problems for depicting attack column and square, problematic IMO given most battalions will be standard.  Another option would be to reduce the bases sizes by half, either cutting the WL bases or (if that would make one end look tatty), use 30x20mm bases purchased elsewhere.  That though would throw out the command stand ratios but I suppose you could do some kit bashing to an extent.  Some troop types may well be way over-represented doing that too.

[Legere]

I ended up opting to split the infantry bases in half giving bases of 30 x 20mm and stick with 4 bases per battalion.  The cavalry are also based on 30mm wide bases, 3 per base but sticking to the Epic standard of 3 bases per regiment.  The 50% reduction allows for a full Black Powder game on a 6′ x 4′ table (the equivalent of playing on a 12′ x 8′ table if using the standard / 28mm basing) and also conveniently doubles the number of infantry battalions and cavalry regiments.  Of course it also allows me to use the figures for other rules too should the need arise.  There’s several rule sets I’m interested in using 30mm wide bases, none using 60mm.

[leopard]

not sure on the waterloo version but have played the ACW version and found a massive problem – the game is BP, that bit works, the issue is the change of scale – units have gone from 28mm to ~12mm, no issues, they look really nice. the models have gotten smaller, you have gotten more of them, but the formation width hasn’t really changed – which in itself hardly matters except the command radius is now in cm..

for that to work the units need to be scaled in width as well.

we had a test game with three infantry and an artillery unit and a commander, on a 6’x4′ table, and it felt a bit cramped, could have had at most twice that, but the command ranges crippled it.

if you also downscale the unit widths it works fine

do think bases 40mm wide would have been much better, you are then compatible with other sets of rules more generally, and given the quality of the plastic models becomes very attractive to use warlord models elsewhere

[General Disorder]

What plastic is used for the epic scale figures? Can I prime them with a blast of Rustoleum Painter’s Touch Paint and Primer?

 

• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by General Disorder.

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