Query on War of the Spanish Succession

[Miletus]

I was wondering if it would be possible to create passable army lists for the War of the Spanish Succession, using the troops types created for the Roi Soleil era? I know next to nothing about the war but I'm interested in reading up on Marlborough's campaigns and then doing some skirmishing.

Does this sound feasible, or would it be pushing the existing troop types too far, into an era where they would cease to function realistically?

Any thoughts/ideas very welcome!

[Adraeth]

Well, P&S seems to be based on the tabletop game Field of GLory Renaissance and the spanish succession war is not included in that game, the last one are the first wars of Louis XIV for the spanish netherlands, i doubt P&S will have an add-on for malburian wars .... however, i remember that rbodleyscott said before that P&S engine would be used for different time and period .... i really hope for a XVIII - XIX century based game from Malborough to Napoleon ... awesome!!!

[imitation_legionary]

Hopefully the game series will get there. There are no modern computer wargames covering that era, which is both interesting and popular, so it would be great to have the P&S franchise develop in that direction.

As for differences, the pike disappeared from most armies in the 1690s but the Swedes and Russians kept them (in a roughly 1:2 proportion to musketeers). The major new development was the flintlock, making salvo fire a lot easier, and the socket bayonet which replaced the pike. Artillery was a bit more mobile than it currently is in the game.

[jomni]

Well, P&S seems to be based on the tabletop game Field of GLory Renaissance and the spanish succession war is not included in that game, the last one are the first wars of Louis XIV for the spanish netherlands, i doubt P&S will have an add-on for malburian wars .... however, i remember that rbodleyscott said before that P&S engine would be used for different time and period .... i really hope for a XVIII - XIX century based game from Malborough to Napoleon ... awesome!!!

Individual unit formations would be more crucial in that setting.
It's not just modding the army list and squads file. It needs new code to impart the benefits of line, Attack column, marching column, and square formations. Practically a new set of POAs.

[smjohnso77]

Please , please add some battles from the War of the Spanish Succesion in Pike & Shot! If you can do the battles of King William's 9 Years War and Culloden then the Spanish Succession would be easily added. Could the designers work on this? Thank you, Smjohnso77

[rbodleyscott]

Please , please add some battles from the War of the Spanish Succesion in Pike & Shot! If you can do the battles of King William's 9 Years War and Culloden then the Spanish Succession would be easily added. Could the designers work on this? Thank you, Smjohnso77

I have little doubt that one of the user scenario designers will do this before too long.

[Paul59]

I've actually been thinking about this, with a view to covering the Great Northern War and possibly the WSS. The main issue seems to be representing a battalion in 3 rank formation using platoon firing, and the increased fire effect that it should have. I have three possible ways of doing this;

a) Give the unit higher experience and elan ratings. This is easily done, but is not a very satisfactory way of doing it in my view.
b) Give the unit battalion guns. Again, easily done, but not very satisfactory as I would often want to give that unit battalion guns anyway.
c) Give the unit a bigger UnitSize (say 800), and mod the CombatTools.BSF to allow a larger UnitSize for firing only.

Does anyone know exactly how I would change the CombatTools.BSF to achieve this? I have never altered that file before.

Graphically representing a 3 rank battalion is not a problem, as I can mod the thinner Archer or Crossbow units to have a firearms effect.

[rbodleyscott]

I've actually been thinking about this, with a view to covering the Great Northern War and possibly the WSS. The main issue seems to be representing a battalion in 3 rank formation using platoon firing, and the increased fire effect that it should have. I have three possible ways of doing this;

a) Give the unit higher experience and elan ratings. This is easily done, but is not a very satisfactory way of doing it in my view.
b) Give the unit battalion guns. Again, easily done, but not very satisfactory as I would often want to give that unit battalion guns anyway.
c) Give the unit a bigger UnitSize (say 800), and mod the CombatTools.BSF to allow a larger UnitSize for firing only.

Does anyone know exactly how I would change the CombatTools.BSF to achieve this? I have never altered that file before.

Graphically representing a 3 rank battalion is not a problem, as I can mod the thinner Archer or Crossbow units to have a firearms effect.

How many units do you envisage their being not in this frontage. I can't help feeling that if you increase shooting effect beyond that currently enjoyed by pure musket battalions with regimental guns, the overall effect will in fact be too deadly.

In P&S, the musket battalions have to be more deadly than mixed battalions, but as the time scale is not fixed, the early 18th century game may be better balanced by toning down the effect of any units not using the new formations/drills, rather than by increasing the effect of units using the new formations/drills.

[Paul59]

Thanks Richard, that seems like sensible advice. It was mainly the British and Dutch that used 3 rank formations (and the Platoon Firing System) during the WSS, the French and Imperials still used 4 or 5 ranks and outdated firing systems. The British and Dutch infantry therefore had a big advantage in firepower over the French. Maybe I will reduce the percentage of Muskets for battalions using more than 3 ranks.

thanks

[rbodleyscott]

Thanks Richard, that seems like sensible advice. It was mainly the British and Dutch that used 3 rank formations (and the Platoon Firing System) during the WSS, the French and Imperials still used 4 or 5 ranks and outdated firing systems. The British and Dutch infantry therefore had a big advantage in firepower over the French. Maybe I will reduce the percentage of Muskets for battalions using more than 3 ranks.

You can rationalise that as being the percentage that can actually fire in the time represented by one firing round.