GRANDE TACTIQUE

Scale

An infantry unit represents 2-3 battalions (a regiment or demi-brigade or just half a brigade), a cavalry unit represents 1-2 regiments, and an artillery unit represents 6-12 guns (the usual size of one battery).  The ground-scale for the base sizes and movement distances given here is 125m to the inch, which is scaled to the concept that each 2mm Irregular Miniatures block (whether column or line) represents one battalion. 

 

Basing

Here are the base sizes I use when playing in 2mm scale.  In 2mm, it is a good idea to use different base shapes / sizes for the different arms. I suggest:

• 2.5”x1” bases for infantry, featuring 2-3 blocks, each representing a battalion

• 1.5”x1” bases for cavalry, featuring 3-4 blocks, each representing 2 squadrons

• 1”x1” for foot artillery, featuring 3 guns with train

• 1”x1.5” for horse artillery, featuring 3 guns with train

• 0.5”x0.5” for generals 

• 1.5"x1.5" for squares

 

Using Other Base Sizes

There is obviously a great variety of base sizes out there, but any of them should be suitable for Grande Tactique since the exact geometry is not important in this game.  The key thing is that the infantry move should be such that the infantry can wheel at least 90° in an ordinary move (given as 3" in these rules).  From there, the movement rates can be expressed as proportions of the ordinary infantry move:

• The cavalry move is three times the infantry move.

• The cuirassier move is twice the infantry move.

• The infantry fleeing move twice their normal move and a little bit.

• Cavalry pursuing infantry move slightly less than infantry fleeing.

• Cavalry fleeing from infantry move somewhat further than their normal move.

• Cavalry fleeing from cavalry move their fleeing-from-infantry move plus a die-roll that could potentially double that.

• Cavalry retreating from infantry move one infantry move.

• Long range for artillery is slightly more than a basic fleeing cavalry move.

• Short range for artillery is the fleeing infantry move.

• The command range is the same as a cavalry move.

 

The groundscale arrived at can be calculated from the artillery range, since I take 850m as the maximum effective range for 9lber artillery.

 

Unit Points

It is best of course to use historical Orders of Battle and refight historical battles, but in order to arrive at a balanced game it is handy to have a rough guide to the value of the various troop types and qualities of troops; these are also used to reckon the scale of victory.