Editors note: This letter was received in response the my article on the Franco-Prussian War (Euro Fury), Thanks Eric for the comments! Dear Bill, I am writing to you about your article in the HMGS/PSW newsletter concerning your efforts converting Fire and Fury to the Franca-Prussian war. Talk about timing! A group of us here in the Seattle area have just started doing the same thing. In fact, your thoughts and ideas mirror ours so closely its kind of spooky. We are going to use the same scales and organization as you. It sounds like our mounting plan for our figures differs from yours in only minor ways. We have not got around to reworking the charts yet but have formed our basic ideas in terms of how we want the game to play and look. We are looking for a game that captures the unique aspects of the Franco-Prussian war yet keeps the elegant playability of Fire and Fury. Our group has lots of experience playing that set of rules and the appeal of not having to learn a new set was an important consideration. We also want to play at more of a grand tactical level than rules like They Died For Glory and other rules allow. Same of our un-fleshed out ideas include: The obvious superiority of French small arms fire and Prussian artillery. We are going to allow French infantry to fire out to 16" and Prussians 12". This represents extreme ranges at 90-100 yards to the inch but we feel that it captures the right 'look' given the size of the figures and units. Prussian artillery will have a hefty range but only be truly deadly within 16" forcing the Prussian player to put his guns at risk to French small arms fire. We are going to force the French to attach their mitraileuse batteries to an artillery stand unless they roll something like a 6 on a d6 thus forcing historical deployment but allowing for the occasional general with the insight to use it up front with the infantry. Starting most of the French Corps Reserve Artillery either limbered up in reserve or even off the table and somewhat difficult for the French to bring into action. Like you we plan to modify the charts so that it takes into account going prone and staying there. Probably less retreating since to retreat under fire was as dangerous as advancing. We are working on our own version of the Prussian Company Column formation. Since our Prussian regiments are 8 stands strong we are thinking of two stands out front in 'skirmish' order followed by three columns of two stands - one wide by two deep - each about an inch apart. This formation gets the movement bonus of a column but reforms into a reinforced line whenever it gets a halt result. One long range plan we have is to work in rules for the Franco-Austrian and Prussian-Austrian wars. Once you have Prussian and French armies an Austrian army that can fight either one makes a lot of sense. We like what we see in you ideas and would very much like to take a look at your reworked charts. I'm including an envelope so that you can send us a copy. If you are interested perhaps we can share ideas in the future as we work on our own conversion. We look forward to seeing your ideas. Thank you in advance! --Eric Donaldson Back to Table of Contents The Messenger April 1994 Back to The Messenger List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1994 by HMGS/PSW. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com