Big Battalions (BB) by Doctor Jason Monaghan are a set of quick play Napoleonic rules. The 8.5 by 11" rulebook has 64 pages with a soft color cover. Only about 25 pages are actual rules, the rest taken up with optional rules, army suggestions and player and design notes. The rules have several examples and aren't too long. There is also a quick reference card. The rules are quite generic and flexible and don't tie players down to a basing scheme. Units represent infantry battalions, cavalry regiments and artillery batteries. Infantry and cavalry units have from two to six bases with two to four figures per base. Units with skirmishers have skirmish stands with one or two figures per base. Units are grouped into brigades and commanded by a leader. The rules are written to work with any figure scale from 6mm to 25mm listing the movement rates and weapon ranges as a number of range "bands".
The most innovative aspect of BB are the command cards that are dealt to every leader each turn. The command cards have various orders on them like HOLD, MARCH and ATTACK plus others. An ATTACK card allows all units to engage in combat but they can't change formation. A MARCH card will allow units to use the higher march movement rates but they can't attack. A HOLD card will allow units to rally.
The command cards simulate the fog of war by not allowing players to do what they want each turn (I didn't get an ATTACK card so I can't attack). Each sides overall leader can save cards and send them to his leaders each turn. Leaders can have personalities. For example, a dashing leader must always act on an ATTACK card.
Except for skirmish and ranged artillery fire, melee and short ranged musket fire is combined and resolved in one step. Each side rolls a die and adds various modifiers similar to DBA/DBM rules. The highest total wins and the difference in the totals 'is consulted on the loss table. Results vary from units taking casualties to the defender routing before the attacker closes in.
Ranged artillery and skirmish fire is handled by each unit making hit rolls causing casualties. Morale checks are easily resolved with few modifiers unlike most wargame rules. Once a unit routs or is shaken, it's worthless. The designer states in his notes that he feels a separate fire phase is a waste of time when all we care about is the final result.
We completed our first game (a 1831 Polish Rebellion battle, pretty obscure) with twenty units on a side in roughly three hours with few problems. Everybody learned the basic concepts after a few turns. The only changes I would make is to allow artillery fire after movement and double the number of dice that artillery batteries roll when firing. Artillery batteries can only cause up to two hits in grapeshot range which I feel is too ineffective. The target only takes a morale check if it suffers two or more hits in combat.
If you are looking for a playable set of rules with a frustrating command system, I recommend BB. If you want something more detailed with separate infantry fire and detailed morale check rules, these rules aren't for you. There is nothing wrong with this, just different approaches for different folks. I plan on modifying these rules for my Greek War of Independence period. This set is available from On Military Matters, 31 West Broad Street, Hopewell NJ 08525 for $20.00 plus $3.50 for postage and handling. Their website is www.onmilitarymatters.com.
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© Copyright 2001 Hal Thinglum
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