detailed vs brigade level detailed

[Houtje]

I read the AAR's, but could not find an answer: what is the difference between a Detailed Battle and a Brigade Level Detailed Battle?

[Erik Rutins]

In the original detailed combat, you would fight with divisions as units. In the new Emperor's Edition, you can also fight at the brigade level. More units, more detail, more tactics, more fun! [8D]

[Gil R.]

Quoting from the draft of the manual, here's how it works:

Units enter combat divided into brigades, based on strategic-level Strength; up to three brigades for infantry, or two for cavalry (but only one for artillery). Brigade units are identical to their divisional counterparts in terms of starting Morale and special abilities, but are smaller in Strength. Specialty infantry units (Light, Riflemen, Jager, and Nizam-i-Cedid, as well as Guard-level infantry units) split into one brigade of the same type, and one or two regular infantry brigades, reflecting the presence of these elite units among the rank-and-file within these divisions.

Also important is that turns are faster (just 20 min., not one hour) and hexes are smaller (150 yards vs. 600 yards). There are also around two dozen minor rules changes that are the result of units being smaller.

Overall, brigade-level lets you take what would be a small battle at the division level and expand the number of units, and make a big battle about three times bigger, not to mention more challenging.

[Kadota]

With the smaller scale map and larger battles, will the overall map size be larger?

[Gil R.]

No, same size map.

[Houtje]

Thanks for the speedy reply; it will be like HW in FoF, then. Which is great.

[ericbabe]

There are some differences in rules as well.  At division level properties of units such as formation and facing are more abstract and so don't have as much of a bearing on combat, and combat bonuses from such things as flanking are not as significant.  There is also a change in scale: division level is fought with 600 yard hexes and 60 minute turns; brigade level is about 150 yards per hex and 20 minutes per turn.