Is FOG right for me ?

[RobF]

Hi Guys

I have a few needs from a game that while not unique, certainly limit my choices for a ruleset.

I want to play with 25mm figures but I am short on space for a table so what's the smallest size table I can play on.

Are the rules easy enough to teach to unwary non gamers who are silly enough to ask "what are those toy soldiers for?"

I am a million billion miles away from any other gamers ( I am a Brit in Bulgaria ) so how good are the rules for Solo play

Lastly how few figures can I get by with and still have a fun game ?

Thanks in advance for any replies

[hammy]

Hi Rob,

Having read your post I suspect that the anser is probably not. FoG works fine with 25mm figures and the rules are easy enough to get the basics over to the unwary. Combat for example is entirely driven by the concept of 'advantage' and most of the time advantages are very logical. Compared to DBA for example FoG is really quite intuitive.

Where you are likely to run into issues is table size and number of figures. While 15mm FoG works OK on tables as small as 4' by 3' with the starter armies I think things would be very cramped with 25mm starter armies on tables that size.

Solo play is not going to be a problem. There is no hidden stuff so you can easily play both sides just like in many other games.

If low numbers of figures is also a driver you might want to look up Basic Impetus, either that or hold your breath and wait for a potential FoG lite but at present there is no announcement on that

[RobF]

Thanks for the reply and the honesty.

I am prepared to go to 15mm if I can tick all the other boxes and a 4x3 board is sounding good.

The amount of figures is not a serious problem - how many 15mm figures would I need per side then for a 'starter army'

PS - I know nothing about 15mm figures so will now need to go and find who makes some nice ones that are suitable for the armies listed in the main rule book

[lawrenceg]

Well, the official Hun "starter army" needs 83 figures. Most need more than that.

You can get away with slightly smaller armies, but not much smaller, as you will drop below the number of tactical units needed to make the game interesting.

If looking for 15 mm figs, you could do worse than start at

http://www.madaxeman.com/main/15mm_anci ... pliers.php

[hammy]

Thanks for the reply and the honesty.

I am prepared to go to 15mm if I can tick all the other boxes and a 4x3 board is sounding good.

The amount of figures is not a serious problem - how many 15mm figures would I need per side then for a 'starter army'

PS - I know nothing about 15mm figures so will now need to go and find who makes some nice ones that are suitable for the armies listed in the main rule book

15mm with starter armies and other 600 point armies on 4 by 3 will give a good game. There are a number of manufacturers who are doing pre sorted FoG starter armies so you should have a good degree of choice.

Some other places that have lots of links to manufacturers are http://www.madaxeman.com and http://www.miniatures4wargamers.com.

As for number of figures the Roman starter army in the rule book works out at:

3-12 Command (3 bases of 1-4 figures per base)
24 Cavalry(8 bases of 3)
32 Hastati (8 bases of 4)
32 Principes (8 bases of 4)
16 Triarii (4 bases of 4)
16 Velites (8 bases of 2)
24-32 Italian foot (8 bases of 3 or 4)

[davek]

One of the great advantages of the ancient period is that you don't have to stick with one set of rules.

People wanting simple rules with a few figures in a tight space often go for DBA. It is not a system I play but I know several wargamers who have used it to introduce their kids to wargaming from ages a young as 7 or 8.

If 6 x 4 is possible for you then 25mm FOG is.

FOG DBA and a good number of other rule sets use WRG standard basing for most troop types. So if you build 2 DBA armies, probably about 50 figures in each army, you can also use them as a base for FOG armies.

Don't get me wrong a lot more people play 15mm ancients than 25mm, it's just that I am a 25mm man myself and like to encorage the scale as much as possible. You never know I might visit Bulgaria one day and come knocking at your door for a game

[SirGarnet]

Are the rules easy enough to teach to unwary non gamers who are silly enough to ask "what are those toy soldiers for?"

Explain the figures represent large numbers of troops for fighting historical battles, they have different advantages and disadvantages depending on who they are fighting, and that combat is uncertain so dice provide a random element. If you know the rules well, sit them down and they can push and fight troops very easily. I'd start with heavy melee troops rather than bringing a lot of shooters and evaders into it at the start.

( I am a Brit in Bulgaria )

Bulgars vs. Byzantines sounds like a crowd pleaser!

so how good are the rules for Solo play

Good, but favoring a different approach from DBX games. In those, a random-roll based general set up/battle plan and then going with what the PIP gods give you in minor tactics worked well. In FoG, I like working out tactical doctrines and a battle plan for each army and playing to those, while die rolling to choose at decision points with equally viable options. Thinking well ahead for both sides, and even rewinding some moves and combat results, can be a lot of fun and educational.

Lastly how few figures can I get by with and still have a fun game ?

A small battle with around 4 battle groups per side under a single commander gives a fun game. At that level, I suggest ignoring Attrition Point victory conditions and fighting it out.

Cheers,

Mike

[grahambriggs]

Thanks for the reply and the honesty.

I am prepared to go to 15mm if I can tick all the other boxes and a 4x3 board is sounding good.

The amount of figures is not a serious problem - how many 15mm figures would I need per side then for a 'starter army'

PS - I know nothing about 15mm figures so will now need to go and find who makes some nice ones that are suitable for the armies listed in the main rule book

Rob,

You'll find a huge range of manufacturers for the armies in the main rule book and can probably pick them up painted if you're flush from places like hinds figures.

A narrow table would actually improve the game for the Crecy armies in the book since the field was restricted. To do that one you'd need:

French: 9 figures for the three commanders. 48 mounted knight figures for the men at arms. 60 or 80 figures for the crossbowmen (either 3 or 4 to a base), 60-96 figures for the mob (5 to 8 to a base)

English: 9 figres for the 3 commanders (assuming they are mounted). 48 figures for the dismounted men at arms, 66-88 figures for the longbows (3-4 to a base), 24-32 figures for the Welsh (3-4 to a base ). Two guns with a few crew, plus something to represent 12x4 cm width of ditches and pits.

Both sides will need a camp; perhaps a few knightly pavilions would be the thing.

[RobF]

Thanks for the info.

I did actually order the rulebook after all but assumed the standard book only had army lists for ancients ?

[grahambriggs]

The standard rule book has Rome v Carthage and English v french only.

[ars_belli]

The FoG rule book includes only four sample 'starter' armies (Mid-Republican Roman & Carthaginian, HYW English & HWY French). The army lists proper are published in a series of separate books, organized by period: http://www.fieldofglory.com/catalogue/

Salve,
Scott