Rising of the Clans First Playtest

The collection is growing at a nice rate. The most recent additions include artillery and cavalry for both sides. I got them all out on the table and put my homemade rules to the test. I learned A LOT! I am trying to keep things simple, so trying to avoid saving rolls. I just want a hit to be a hit. In the first playtest, the opening volleys were much more severe than I would have liked. The adjustment I made was to lower the unmodified chance for a hit from 4, 5, 6 to a 5 or 6. It was a tremendous improvement. I like using cards to determine who goes when. The Black Powder rule of commanders rolling for each unit also worked pretty well. The uncertainty of how many activations a unit will get in a turn is also a plus in my opinion. I am thinking of adding disorder to outcomes. It would take one activation to remove the disorder of a unit. Units would become disordered moving through friendly units, crossing certain terrain features or as a result of hand to hand combat. I also will allow division commanders to move at any point in the turn that they wish. Here are some shots of today's playtest.

These are examples of the commander cards I am using.

In my first playtest, the first fire of these government highlander units combined with a blast of cannister from the supporting gun reduced the battalion of the Atholl brigade by 50%. That was just too high. Lowering the chance of hitting from 4, 5, or 6 to 5 or 6 was much more realistic I think.

The same was true here when a government battalion was fired upon by two units of lowlanders and a gun. The change mentioned above gave a much more realistic outcome. Something a commander has to consider is the possibility of being charged while unloaded. This reduces his ability to inflict casualties in mele by one.

My first unit of government cavalry.

Bagot's Hussars are also now on the field.

The guns now have limbers so they can be depicted as limbered and ready to move.

A Jacobite gun fires at long range with three dice hitting on a 4, 5, or 6 because it gets a plus one midifier for its first fire. One casualty is inflicted on the government highlander regiment.

Four clans of highlanders poised to charge. A very intimidating sight.

Barrel's regiment braving the fire from the Jacobite lowlanders. My latest battalion is in support.

An overview of the entire action.

The Royal Scots Regiment. Next up on the painting table are two more regiments of government dragoons.