Risorgimento Project

[IAN 1963]

I am working on sets of unit portraits for the game to cover the Italian wars of the Risorgimento, starting with Garibaldi's campaign in southern Italy in 1860. If sombody can explain how to attach graphics files to posts I have early examples of a Neapolitan line Caocaitori (light infantryman) to show what my work looks like.

I have ample information on the 1860 & 1859 campaigns, (The Friekorps 15 Booklets) as well as the fighting in Lombardy and the Austro-Hungarian army in general in 1848 49. However, I have very little information on the fighting around Rome at that time, (The Army of the Roman Republic etc) and none whatsoever on operations & uniforms of The Republic of Venice. Does anybody have any pointers as to where I might find out more here.

Once there are samples of unit counter graphics up on the web site I also plan to produce customised sets of these as well. Also, does anybody know of any sources on orders of battle for the Hungarian war of independence 1848 49, and uniforms of the Hungarian independence army?

Finally, would anybody be interested in setting up an independent web site for 3rd party mods for the game in the way others have done for the “Combat Mission” series?

Very much looking forward to the game

Ian

[Le Tondu]

Hello Ian,

I do not know very much about this period of time, isn't there some technological differences between it and the Napoleonic Era? I'm thinking about artillery at the very least here with accuracy and rate of fire? Trains? Telegraph?

So with that said, a mod for "Black Powder Wars: Battles Of Napoleon" might not end up being a perfect fit. Like the Pacific mod for CM, it would "sort-of" fit.

I'm not against your creativity. On the contrary, I applaud it. Perhaps this would be a great mod to apply to a "Black Powder Wars: American Civil War" installment instead?

(I don't know. I'm just wondering here.)
[:)]

[IAN 1963]

Hi Tondu

I don't actually think very many modifications would be required here, apart from making muskets slightly more effective to reflect percussion locks, and rifles similarly more effective to reflect both percussion locks and the use of Minia bullets with both increased the range and rate of fire.

As for the Artillery there was some use of rifled muzzle loaders in 1859 and 1860 but again this could be catered for by modifying the stats of one two artillery pieces. In any case don’t think the artillery was very significant and was not either deployed in very large numbers or used and long range very much.

From what I understand from the Matrix and Double Shot Designs web sites changes of the type needed can be made when creating scenarios.

Not too keen of seeing a later 19th Century version of the game myself, as I believe the necessary changes can be taken care of better with a future upgrade that adds an editable weapons database. In any case there are already games such as “Age of rifles” for then, likewise Shrapnel Games are in the process of covering the 18th-century which in any case this game can do already. I would rather see completely new games using the engine for the Ancient Medieval & Renaissance periods. In the meantime however I look forward to playing Napoleonic battles, and working on third party add-ons for the period 1815 1860.

Thanks for your interest

Ian

[Le Tondu]

Ian,
Go for it buddy. Make your dreams come true!

[8D][8D]

[Iñaki Harrizabalagatar]

From the editor pictures I think this game will be easily modable, i am thinking myself of several posibilities, including XVII and XVIII century battles, a period very much neglected in computer wargames. Shrapnel´s Horse & Musket 2 is less than perfect for PBEM games, the system was really designed for on line games, and the random built in the combat code is so high as to make every single other factor irrelevant. BTW I hope that doesn´t happens to BoN, as it is a tendency I have seen in other wargames, the cumulative random, combat taking many factors into account, but as any factors has a random factor the total cumulative random is very high, rewarding the lucky player over the good one.

[Zap]

having access to the internet you might be able to contact a war museum or war historical society in Italy

[sol_invictus]

I would love to see this system cover the Wars of German Unification. Those are some wars/battles that definately have not been done to death.

[Le Tondu]

ORIGINAL: Iñaki Harrizabalagatar

From the editor pictures I think this game will be easily modable, i am thinking myself of several posibilities, including XVII and XVIII century battles, a period very much neglected in computer wargames. Shrapnel´s Horse & Musket 2 is less than perfect for PBEM games, the system was really designed for on line games, and the random built in the combat code is so high as to make every single other factor irrelevant. BTW I hope that doesn´t happens to BoN, as it is a tendency I have seen in other wargames, the cumulative random, combat taking many factors into account, but as any factors has a random factor the total cumulative random is very high, rewarding the lucky player over the good one.

Remember that Combat Mission is also we-go. It works fine with PBEM. BoN should as well. [:)]

From Double Shot Design's website:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BPW: Battles of Napoleon covers tactical combat in the age of Napoleon.

Features include:

- PBEM, solitaire and hotseat capability

- 2D maps and unit counters

- Full editor

- 100 meter hexes at 10 minutes a turn

- Challenging AI

- Detailed combat, movement, morale and C2

[Iñaki Harrizabalagatar]

I was complaining about H&M PBEM system, not about BoN, I do think WEGO is very suited to PBEM. And I hope random is not that important as well, could be very frustrating some times

[Tête de Porc]

The random built in the combat code [in Shrapnel´s Horse & Musket 2] is so high as to make every single other factor irrelevant. BTW I hope that doesn´t happens to BoN, as it is a tendency I have seen in other wargames, the cumulative random, combat taking many factors into account, but as any factors has a random factor the total cumulative random is very high, rewarding the lucky player over the good one.

I see your point, but I quite like the random element given that the player (in any wargame) always has too much information and control anyway.

I would love to see this system cover the Wars of German Unification. Those are some wars/battles that definately have not been done to death.

I agree 100%. There was some talk over at the Horse and Musket forum about a game in the works covering the Austro-Prussian war (no doubt with the Franco-German war as the intended the sequel), but I have no idea about the status of that project.

I think the wars of German unification and the other 19th century wars have a lot going for them. Interesting weapons and tactics, great looking uniforms - in some cases even more colourful and impractical than the Napoleonic ones...

The downside is of course name recognition, but now that wargaming isn't mainstream anymore (if it ever was) that's less of an issue.

I do not know very much about this period of time, isn't there some technological differences between it and the Napoleonic Era? I'm thinking about artillery at the very least here with accuracy and rate of fire? Trains? Telegraph?

Main differences are:

- Minie ball (c.1850) triples effective range of muskets.

- Breechloading rifle (Prussians c.1850, others c.1865) doubles rate of fire and allows soldiers to lie down while reloading.

- Rifled artillery (c.1850) increases range and efficiency of artillery.

- Breechloading artillery (c.1870) increases rate of fire of artillery.

Overall you could say that compared to the Napoleonic era the value of infantry went up, artillery down somewhat (with the new rifles they no longer outranged infantry), and the offensive value of cavalry went even further down. Infantry formations became less dense as the result of increased firepower, and soldiers on the defensive tended to dig in more.

Other improvements, like railroads and telegraphs, were of a strategic nature and had little or no impact on the tactical battlefield.