Post by bruce on Aug 11, 2018 14:46:01 GMT
Age of Eagles is a rule set that has stood the test of time with a very large following, like the ACW Fire & Fury rules from which it derives. With more than 3,000 members in its Yahoo Group, great support from author Col. Bill, and variants for other eras, it’s a highly successful franchise. There are loads of well done historical scenarios available on line.
This is a big battle game, scaled to 15mm, but like most rules, it is adaptable. The brigade is the basic unit, made of 6-12 or so 20mm stands of troops. This is not a problem for me because I can change base sizes using my magnetic system. It is possible to adapt other basing systems, but you might need to adjust the movement and range scales accordingly. But right away this seemed like I would need a whole lot of stands to play, and I think you could be headed down this road if you so chose. I made my generic play test brigades 4-7 stands, combined into 4 – 5 brigade divisions, 3 to a Corps, with separate artillery and cavalry, (these can be attached by a leader) You also need a lot of leaders, one for each brigade, division, etc.
Movement is in two phases, Reserve and Tactical. Somewhat like March Attack, as I recall. Reserve movement takes place in areas 18 or more inches away from the enemy and is less restricted/modified as you deploy your forces. Tactical movement at 18 inches or closer means you are engaged.
There are a fair number of modifiers for movement and combat in this game. You must roll a D10 to activate each infantry and cavalry brigade after modifiers for movement. As units take losses, they are harder to activate and control. Skirmishing is abstracted, units have fire points and a results chart for fire resolution. Close combat depends on modifiers and die rolls, but it’s a fun and easy system that had me ordering cavalry charges with glee. Leaders are critical – their location, support, ratings etc. move the game and modify results. And they are vulnerable.
This all makes for a pretty entertaining solo game. The command system is based on die rolls, leaders, and a number of modifiers. You do not have full control and once things get rolling, it has a great feel and maintains interest. There are victory points to accrue.
I always wonder about reports from various conventions where newbie participants are said to understand rules after 3 or 4 turns. I am just too dense perhaps. Age of Eagles is said to be relatively easy and accessible. As with any game, the early going can be confusing as you consult the charts and rules, but by and large, I agree. It is very well organized and thought out – and just plain fun.
The drawbacks: You do need what I think is a massive number of stands to represent units in some historical OOBs, of which there are many available. For me, this will need adjusting. And, some may find it hard to accept that an important division seems inexplicably stalled because of some bad die rolls. But I found this great for solo gaming, lots of twists to the narrative. A bit old school perhaps. AOE is more than 20 years old – though the current edition is from around 2016. Its still around for a reason.
Coming up: a review of another set of rules that have a long history – Volley & Bayonet.
This is a big battle game, scaled to 15mm, but like most rules, it is adaptable. The brigade is the basic unit, made of 6-12 or so 20mm stands of troops. This is not a problem for me because I can change base sizes using my magnetic system. It is possible to adapt other basing systems, but you might need to adjust the movement and range scales accordingly. But right away this seemed like I would need a whole lot of stands to play, and I think you could be headed down this road if you so chose. I made my generic play test brigades 4-7 stands, combined into 4 – 5 brigade divisions, 3 to a Corps, with separate artillery and cavalry, (these can be attached by a leader) You also need a lot of leaders, one for each brigade, division, etc.
Movement is in two phases, Reserve and Tactical. Somewhat like March Attack, as I recall. Reserve movement takes place in areas 18 or more inches away from the enemy and is less restricted/modified as you deploy your forces. Tactical movement at 18 inches or closer means you are engaged.
There are a fair number of modifiers for movement and combat in this game. You must roll a D10 to activate each infantry and cavalry brigade after modifiers for movement. As units take losses, they are harder to activate and control. Skirmishing is abstracted, units have fire points and a results chart for fire resolution. Close combat depends on modifiers and die rolls, but it’s a fun and easy system that had me ordering cavalry charges with glee. Leaders are critical – their location, support, ratings etc. move the game and modify results. And they are vulnerable.
This all makes for a pretty entertaining solo game. The command system is based on die rolls, leaders, and a number of modifiers. You do not have full control and once things get rolling, it has a great feel and maintains interest. There are victory points to accrue.
I always wonder about reports from various conventions where newbie participants are said to understand rules after 3 or 4 turns. I am just too dense perhaps. Age of Eagles is said to be relatively easy and accessible. As with any game, the early going can be confusing as you consult the charts and rules, but by and large, I agree. It is very well organized and thought out – and just plain fun.
The drawbacks: You do need what I think is a massive number of stands to represent units in some historical OOBs, of which there are many available. For me, this will need adjusting. And, some may find it hard to accept that an important division seems inexplicably stalled because of some bad die rolls. But I found this great for solo gaming, lots of twists to the narrative. A bit old school perhaps. AOE is more than 20 years old – though the current edition is from around 2016. Its still around for a reason.
Coming up: a review of another set of rules that have a long history – Volley & Bayonet.