Friday, January 1, 2010

Campaigns

Does anyone have any recommendations for feasible campaign systems for SYW? I have run a napoleonic campaign, using the 'Empires in Arms' boardgame, several times with considerable success and pleasure, but it doesn't seem so appropriate for the SYW campaigns.

8 comments:

Bluebear Jeff said...

I don't care for the "Warfare in the Age of Reason" rules, but they have a well-regarded campaign game included.

The original "Koenig Kreig" had a campaign suppliment . . . but I don't think that it is included in the new high-priced re-printing of those rules.

There is a boardgame that I know a number of people have used, but whose name currently escapes me. It has a map of an imaginary bunch of cities.

-- Jeff

Robert said...

If you can find a copy of Frank Chadwick's old "Soldier King" by GDW, I think that may suit the bill nicely. Rather simple, point-to-point movement but was fine if the object of the campaign was just to generate miniature games.

More complex, and hex-based, was "Frederick the Great" by Avalon Hill, which would do the job nicely if you wanted more detail- great map. Also long out of print, unfortunately, but some may turn up on ebay or other sites from time to time.

Otherwise, I'd second Jeff's suggestion for the campaign game in the AoR rules.

I have copies of all the old Koenig Krieg rule sets, including the campaign game. It was quite complex if you like that kind of thing, but using that along with the "Festung Krieg" supplement for gaming siege warfare you really could conduct a long-term 18th C. campaign.

WSTKS-FM Worldwide said...

Look at Henry Hyde's campaign rules in issues 11-14 (???) of Battlegames. I'm doing this from memory, but it was around in those issues that he covered running 18th Century campaigns fairly simply.

Best Regards,

Stokes Schwartz

Die alte Aechzener said...

Well I have both WitAOR and (bizarrely) Soldier King, lurking in the games room, so I shall go dig both out - thanks! - and I shall see if I can find a copy of the KK campaign rules anywhere (not liking my chances of that so much).

Frankfurter said...

If you can find the 2nd edition of Koenig Krieg, it has campaign rules for both Frederick and for the WAS period too ... along with the best siege warfare rules I've seen ...
:)
A

Bluebear Jeff said...

"Soldier King" was the boardgame I was trying to think of (thank you, Robert).


-- Jeff

A J said...

I agree with Jeff and Robert, the Warfare in the Age of Reason rules have a good campaign system, including rules for sieges. I rather liked Henry Hyde's rules in Battlegames too. You might look for Tony Bath's "Setting up a wargames campaign" book, which I *think* is back in print. They're definitely Old School but comprehensive and easy to use.

Die alte Aechzener said...

I have Bath kicking around in the library somewhere, but didnt really feel like the right flavour for SYW I must admit - tho I've used them happily for a couple of Ancients campaigns over the years.

I'm afraid I havent got a clue what Battlegames is, however, or where to look.