Epic Battles – unit scale for converting battles?

[Alexander S.]

Hello,

is there a specification in Epic Battles Pike & Shotte regarding the scale of the units for converting historical battles? I didn’t see anything in the rulebook, but maybe I missed it.

So how many soldiers, cannons or horsemen does a base or unit represent?

[Dave Morris]

The original Pike and Shotte rules simply used small/ standard/ large to describe units and gave a frontages for each. I worked on the basis that standard was about 600 men for infantry, 300 for cavalry. Three of the Epic bases side by side gives a frontage of 18cm, which fits into the “standard”  range. Given the inflexibility of the models, not sure how you could represent “small “. Personally, I think the figures are awful in so many ways that I will stick to playing with my 28mm and “real” 15mm.

[Alexander S.]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your reply.

so you mean the standard unit in Epic Battles who has a Frontpage of 3 bases and 4 bases at all, are about 600 men and the 3 Bases Cavalry 300 men?

[Charge The Guns]

Hi Alexander, I think 600, or 300 for cavalry, would work quite nicely for standard size units in larger battles.  It was common in this period to form battlefield units in standard sizes, normally having to amalgamate and split different regiments to achieve this.

In the Epic P&S rule pool they point out that what your unit represents would probably vary depending on the size of the engagement you are fighting, so that 1:600 a ratio is not fixed and you can change it without affecting the rules.

[Alexander S.]

Hi Charge the Guns,

Thank you for your comment.

I will use this ratio now as a rule of thumb. In the past we had often the problem of scaling the units and battle field. So as you will know, you will need large tables and man models to represent such major battles.

I think it is not problem here to dobble the ration,  1:1200/ 1:600, and half the distances.

 

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