Volley and Bayonet

GDW even more than SPI and Avalon Hill could be all things to all gamers, from RPGs to board games to miniatures rules. Volley and Bayonet presents a shift away from the more fiddly and detailed tactical rules of the time towards something which in some sense is closer to a board game than one with miniatures.

The rules cover land warfare in the 18th and 19th century between massive armies.  As such, the ultimate unit is the figure base representing roughly a brigade.  The number of figures mounted on the base is meaningless though for 25mm, the recommended number is 10 through 12 with an appropriate label naming the unit.  A person could if they wished mount as few or as many figures as they wish.  The base size and label are really the most critical pieces of information.

Scale is also along the same lines with an inch = 100 yards.  Each turn equals an hour of time.  The goal is to allow players to game very large battles in a space around the size of a ping pong table.

The rules do not present the kind of competitive format as in WRG games.  They are intended to simulate engagements rather than promote a contest of equals.

The rules are still in print.  The quality of the rules shows an understanding of miniatures play that the authors achieved through experience.  Of course, supplements abound.

An interesting and unusual supplement for the American Civil War, this slender book provides scenarios for battles in the eastern and western theaters.  It includes a few smaller battles requiring a few bases of figures.  A scenario will include a map of the terrain as well as a breakdown of the units available and the strength points assigned to them.

Additionally, there is a section in the back of the book which utilizes the GDW game A House Divided as the basis for a campaign game.  Instructions are provided for transferring a battle from the game board to the table top using generic units from both North and South.  The actual game board is included in a rather dull black and white so owning A House Divided is not a requirement to playing a campaign though the actual board game will look a lot nicer.

 

Summer’s Over


Summer is gone very fast. The weather has cooled and Homecoming Day is only one day from now. The rainy days have ended and the blue sky days have arrived. I am making plans for Christmas but thought a recap of summer was in order.

The trip to Prague went without any real missteps or successes. Once again, I missed doing the things I had planned to do. Prague was not as friendly a city as some. People would get a ‘look who’s just walked in the door’ expression when I would come in. I did just through dumb luck chance upon a hobby store. It was a disappointment. A lot of Airfix and Revell plastic kits and not too much else though there were some nice vehicles for model railroads. In my finest Czech, I asked how much they cost. With a withering look, the man behind the counter handed me a card, told me that there was a website listed on the card, and I could look up the price there. I retreated quietly from the store.

Not much else happened in Prague. There were hordes of tourists where one expected hordes of tourists. The only time the Czech language was useful was once when I tried to get a small plate for my daughter and the waiter thought I was asking for a side dish. The Vyzerahd Citadel was a pleasant walk and Andel was an interesting area. My daughter was delighted with the Kingdom of the Railways and had to be dragged away. Beer was plentiful, food was hit and miss. The trams were fun to ride on and I had my one moment as an experienced tourist instructing a British woman to board the No. 22 tram on the other side of the street to reach Prague Castle.

Back home, I weathered a hurricane. The storm was expected to peak at 2 in the morning but when 2 AM arrived, the rain and wind lightened and the frogs in the backyard started singing and the hurricane was past. Nothing was broken or pushed over and nothing flooded. The toddler slept through it all.

I have stacked as many rule books as I could find on a bookshelf. I am furiously trying to paint all the plastic Perry miniatures that have been piling up and am within sight of success. I painted enough Assyrians to start looking for some matte board to mount them on. I also have more 10mm Saxons than I know what to do with.

It was a forgettable summer in some ways. At least, I have a moment to write about it.