Comparing Black Powder to Field of Battle

A few months ago I bought a new set of rules that really intrigued me. It is called Piquet: Field of

Battle, 3rd Edition. (Here on I'll use FOB) You can find the rules at this link here:

https://www.piquetwargames.com/

If you want to see a play example here is a YouTube video from Sgt. Stiner's channel. This video really helped to sell me on buying the rules.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VamPhGFcn-4

Warlord Games' Black Powder, 2nd Edition rules (Here on I'll use BP) are also excellent. You can find their materials at:

https://store.warlordgames.com/

BP is the more well known and popular of the two rules. I judge this by the number of people on forums and gaming videos made. I don't think it necessary to post a video of BP rules in play here. A simple search on YouTube leads to dozens of BP battle report videos on a bunch of different channels to watch examples of play.

What I want to do in this post is compare the two systems and talk about what I, personally, like and don't like about the rules. Off the bat, I want to say both rules are awesome and easy to use. In fact, I recommend owning both.

I'll use a rating of 1 to 5 for my categories:

1= I don't like

2= okay

3=I like it

4=I like it a lot

5=I love it!

Here is how I rated both rules over all. Below the table are my explanations why.

Category                                                Black Powder            Field of Battle

Dice                                                                   4                              4

Scale                                                                  1                              4

Formations                                                        5                              4

Sequence of Play                                              3                              5

Movement                                                        5                              3

Unit Ratings and Damage                               2                               4

Shooting                                                          3                                4

Melee                                                              5                               2

Leaders                                                           5                               5

Victory                                                           4                               4

Presentation and Other Features                    4                               3    

Totals                                                             41                            42  Both are Excellent

Dice

BP only uses 6 sided dice. FOB uses 4 sided, 6 sided, 8 sided, 10 sided and 12 sided for most game play and a 20 sided for determining army points and leader/unit ratings.

1's are normally a bad roll in BP such as always being a miss and 6's always being a hit. when rolling orders a 12 is bad in that it is blunder and orders go awry. Blunders are fun!

FOB has what is called "Win Evens". That means if your die roll, whatever one you are using is higher than the opposing roll and it is an unmodified even roll than you may be able to do extra actions. 

I don't have an overall favorite in this category. I like both systems equally well. I'll rate blunders in a different category.

BP: 4

FOB: 4

Scale 

Both BP and FOB are almost identical in scale. a unit in each rule set is a battalion of infantry, a regiment of cavalry, and a battery of artillery. 

The Infantry battalions in FOB use 4 bases to BP's 6 bases. Same with cavalry. FOB cavalry and infantry have equal length for a 4 bases but the cavalry are wider. BP cavalry regiments are both wider and longer than their infantry battalions. An artillery battery in FOB is represented by 2 guns while BP uses 1 gun model. What is really cool though is that if you are consistant and use either BP's base measurements or FOB's base measurements you can still switch rules and it won't affect game play.

BP doesn't give measurements for leaders while FOB does. That's fine. So long as leader sizes in both armies are relatively the same it won't make a bit of difference.

However, where I think the big difference between the two rules is ground scale. An inch in FOB is about 40 yards. BP no scale is given. This became a big issue for me in trying to build a scenario from the BP rules. I didn't realize that my 28mm figures would require a 12' x 8' space to play it completely at that scale. I can still use BP for the scenario by switching to 6mm but I was not happy as I already spent money building my armies in 28mm first. In fairness, BP can be adjusted either by playing sections of the battlefield, reducing bases for 28mm units or changing to a smaller scale. 

The FOB rules don't have any historical scenarios given in them (I can't say about supplements as I don't have any for FOB yet). That isn't a problem for me as one can take a BP or other rule's scenario and convert it without much problem. There is in the back of FOB a card section that has 54 battlefield cards that are categorized as open, medium, or heavy terrain. All are 9' x 5' which is much more manageable and I don't fell bad if I remove square feet to make a battlefield more manageable unlike with cutting out parts of a historical scenario in BP to make it manageable.

So, my rating:

    BP: 1 (for no ground scale being given for their 28mm scenarios)    

    FOB: 4 (I'd give it a 5 if FOB included a few historical scenarios)

Formations

Formations are almost the same for BP and FOB. Both consist of line, march column, attack column, skirmish, and mass/irregular formations. However, here I'm giving the edge to BP. BP has mixed formations that FOB doesn't have. An infantry unit in BP can have a scattered line of skirmishers in front of the body of soldiers in line or column. FOB assumes that both armies will have similar screens so they are already incorporated in the fighting stats of the infantry units. They are there, just not seen. FOB skirmishers are entire skirmish units that are mounted on 4 bases and kept about an inch apart. In fairness, one can make infantry screens to either be on the FOB battlefield just visually or one can make up their own skirmisher screen rules.

So, my rating is, because I like to see skirmisher screens:

BP: 5

FOB: 4

Sequence of Play

I love FOB's sequence of play much better than BP's. Warfare is not fought in turns. One of the most difficult elements I think in making a wargame is capturing the chaotic nature and initiative in battle. Events my happen simultaneously, or perhaps units initiatives of both armies will be staggered and unpatterned. 

FOB uses a card system and is played in initiatives. Both generals roll a die and compare the results the highest rolling general gets to choose to go 1st or 2nd. The difference in the dice totals is usually how many cards one turns over (same amount of cards for each player). Cards can be to fire and move/move and fire the army, fire and move/move and fire one command group/brigade, infantry and artillery fire and reload, lull (that gives the opposing army an opportunity to act on the acting players portion of the initiative), melee, leadership actions, army morale and more. One doesn't have to give specific orders. Just turn a card and your units can follow those actions.

BP uses a traditional turn method. One side gives orders that the units will attempt to carry out, moves, shoots, and melees (hand-to-hand) then the other side does the same.

So, my rating is, for best capturing the nature of battle:

BP: 3

FOB: 5

Movement.

I favor BP's movement rules more. Once you give move orders to your units and they pass a command role they can pretty much move in any direction and change facing as one wishes. The exception being the proximity rule where if a unit is close to an enemy by a foot it can only move in its forward or rear flanks, which is very fair. BP takes into account that movement is fluid and flexible as formations move around. lines will move around trees and bend at corners in hedges/walls. a line, as it moves, will go into a column or a mass to cross a bridge and reform as a line on the other side. I love this flexibility.

FOB's movement rules are more rigid.  a unit can only move forward or backwards. It can oblique by moving up to 2 the left or right flank of a line then moving forward. A command group/brigade rolls 2 dice. the first is the brigadier commander's staff rating vs. a die 6. A unit is not allowed to turn, not even a little bit, or change formation except on a "win even roll."

The rules for moving into terrain and town sections are pretty much the same. One can move up to an obstacle and stop. If they have another move segment they can enter/cross the obstacle. If there is a 3rd move segment is available one can continue to move/exit the obstacle. I'll give FOB and advantage here in that they rate the obstacle's density from 1 to 3. The greater the number the more dense the obstacle and difficult to pass if not impossible for some units.

A big similarity between both rules is that a comparison rolls are made. The bigger the difference between the dice rolls, the more movement a brigade/command group can have. Both rules allow for up to 3 segments of movement.

So, my rating is:

BP: 5

FOB: 3

Unit Ratings and Damage

FOB has 4 ratings for units. a combat die  (d4-d12) used in shooting and melee, a defense die based on unit quality (d4-d12) used only in shooting, and unit quality from rabble, raw, regular, crack, and elite. There is also a rating of 4 unit integrity (hereafter called UI) for infantry/cavalry and 3 UI for artillery.

BP also has 4 ratings. a hand-to-hand combat rating for melee, and a shooting rating. These are a number of 6 sided dice a unit will get to roll. Normally 6 dice for melee and 3 dice for shooting. They also have a morale rating which is normally a roll of 3 or more and a stamina rating which is normally 3.

The terms for damage are different but mean the same in both games. BP uses the term casualty while FOB calls it Unit Integrity or UI. A unit in BP can take more damage. In FOB a unit is destroyed at 4 UI damage. Most units in BP have 3 stamina or less. Once a unit has met casualties equal to its stamina it becomes shaken and will pretty much run away and be useless in fighting, but unlike FOB, it is not automatically destroyed. It may have to take a break test in which if it fails it could be destroyed. Both rules allow for units to be rallied by leaders where damage can be removed and disorder and rout.

 I do find FOB's ratings to be easier to track. Once you get 4 UI your dead. In shooting and melee if you suffer a point of damage you fall back. If you take 2 or 3 points of damage you most likely will rout. You don't need to consult any tables to remember that.

However, with BP you have to roll a break test and consult a table for what happens to a unit suffers damage equal too or more than it's stamina rating, Thus, battle goes slower in BP because one has to consult the break test table often and takes more time to memorize.

Both rules also have rules for falling back, rout and disorder that I'll mention shortly.

So, My ratings in this category are:

BP: 2

FOB: 4

Shooting

Both FOB and BP have similar shooting rules and do about the same amount of damage. Both rules roll for hits vs. a morale or defense die and if the hit roll is greater it may do some damage. A unit in BP is disorders if the hit roll is a 6. A unit in FOB is disordered if it suffers 1 damage and has to fall back. 

A unit may rout in BP if it it takes damage equal or more to its stamina and fails on a break test. A unit in FOB routs on 2 or 3 casualties. 

The effects of being disordered are pretty much the same in both games. Units move slower and fight/melee less effectively.

The big difference is in how artillery shoots. 

BP gives ranges based on the types and calibers of guns. a 12lb smoothbore cannon fires farther than a lighter 3lb cannon. FOB ranges are pretty much the same regardless or piece or caliber. Howitzers, cannons, machine guns, morters, etc all, for the most part fire the same distance. There are exceptions based on historical period, nationality, and between rifled and smoothbore guns. 

The amount of casualties a battery can inflict is greater in FOB than in BP. BP can do a max of 3 casualties (called UI in FOB) and that only at close range. It can do up to 2 casualties at medium range and 1 casualty at long range. FOB can do much greater damage even at long range, although the chances of doing so are smaller. The farther the range, the smaller the dice that a battery can use to inflict losses. In FOB the type of gun does make a difference for damage. The heavier the gun, the greater chance it will have a high die for causing damage. i.e. a regular quality, 3lb light gun will usually be able to roll a 10 sided dice for damage but a regular quality, 12lb heavy artillery gun will usually be able to roll a 12 sided dice for damage. 

Personally, I really like the greater effectiveness of artillery in shooting in FOB which tips the scale in that rules favor.

BP: 3

FOB: 4

Melee

This is also called hand-to-hand combat (especially in BP). 

BP rules a unit can have melee with more than one unit and those units can have support from other units on the flanks and the sides. first, the attacker rolls their hand-to-hand dice then for each hit made (a roll of 4 or more) the defender rolls morale saves. The defender suffers a casualty for each hit that isn't saved. Then it is vice-versa. The defender rolls their hand-to-hand dice, the attacker rolls morale saves and takes hits for each hit. the side that takes the most hits is usually the loser but supports can change this. 

I really like this. Both sides can take damage in hand-to-hand combat and both units could rout, be disordered, or destroyed if both units make break tests. I like that there really isn't a limit to the number or units that can be engaged and that units close behind can influence the combat via support.

FOB rules only one unit is going to suffer damage and the melee goes on in rounds until a unit suffers at least one UI of damage. Only one other unit can support the melee and both units must be in contact with the enemy. Results are rout or fall back for the loser. the winner can only follow up to where the loser wat at only on a win even. There is even an optional pursuit rule that hurts the winner on an odd win roll by giving damage to the winning side equal to the what the loser suffers. I personally don't like this rule and don't use it.

BP also gives more options to winning a melee. The winner can stay where he is at, follow up, advance, making a sweeping advance and melee a 2nd time (and that is so cool to do!), change formation. Both rules allow for towns to be taken by melee winners.

Also there are differences in responses to being charged. Both rules allow for closing fire by defenders against chargers. FOB is more flexible than this in that all units that are in position and in range to the chargers can make closing fire (called opportunity fire in FOB). Both rules have rules for cavalry to evade charges by infantry. However, again, BP has 2 more options. Cavalry can counter-charge if charged by cavalry and can turn to to face an enemy if charged. Again that is so cool!

So my ratings for this category are

BP: 5

FOB: 2

Leaders

Leader rules are very similar but FOB as the advantage here. In BP there are rules for leaders to be killed if leading a unit in combat or if contacted by an enemy. However, there are no rules for how to replace a unit. Players have to make their own house rules for that. Also, when a BP leader helps a unit rally it has to move to contact that unit. A leader with a good staff rating can even lead a unit in combat and add a modifier in melee. FOB doesn't have this. There is also a Follow Me order that a general can give to a unit where it leads an individual unit in it's command that FOB doesn't have. BP also does something fun in that a leader or leaders can have traits such as being aggressive or cowardly that can affect how it's brigade will behave on the battlefield. Units can't do anything if out of command except fight if attacked.

FOB allows for a leader to rally a unit and not have to be in contact with it. So long as the unit is in command the leaders command radius it can rally it. I really like that rule. Both rules do not allow leaders to be targeted (but FOB has an optional sniper rule to allow for this. That's cool!). However, rules for a leader becoming a casualty are there for when a unit in the leader's command are shot at, have melee, or rallied. There are also rules for how to replace a leader that is removed.

Overall, I really like them both. It wouldn't be hard to take the best of both rules and combine them. FOB gives great rules for generating and replacing leaders. BP gives great rules for traits and additional command options for leaders.

BP: 5

FOB: 5

Victory

Victory in FOB is determined by winning with the most army morale points. A game begins with each army getting a number of army morale points relatively based on its size. Victory in PB is determine by a victory points that players subjectively create in their scenarios. Both rules are fine by me. 

BP: 4

FOB: 4

Presentation and Other Features

One of the really nifty things that PB has are unit traits. units can be brave, ferocious chargers, cowards, etc. However, these are subjectively assigned and in some historical scenarios I noticed made the battles unbalanced. For example, PB's Blenheim scenario found in it's historical supplement The Last Argument of Kings the British and Dutch have unit traits that outclass the French that don't have any. Where I don't argue that they are true it doesn't give the French much of a chance I think. Where as in an FOB scenario there are no traits but the unit ratings are determined by dice rolls relative to a table that make for a more honest came I think. However, the traits do make a game colorful and fun to play. What would improve it if at the start of a scenario there were tables to roll on to see if a unit gets a trait then roll for what that trait will be. Perhaps I'll house rule it. 

Both rules have historical supplements that can be purchase separately both as books and ebooks. 

Presentation: PB rules are colorfully illustrated with beautiful, mouth watering photos of figures that are eye candy. There font can be quite elegant in headings written in a cursive script. Rules include historical anecdotes that add to reading of the rules. They are enjoyable to read. 

FOB rules do have good photos of units and the rules are straight forward. However, it is not as visually appealing as PB. What is really good though are the designers notes that tell why a rule is written the way it is.

Both are easy to understand. If you are patriotic, you may prefer PB if you are a citizen of the UK as those are where those are made. FOB is made in the U.S.A. for Americans like me, so that's my bias (but I love my fellow men in Britain, too).

So, my rating in this category is

BP: 4 traits and visual appeal

FOB: 3 very straight forward

What about you?

These categories and comments are my opinion only. Both sets of rules are easily modify and make how you like. Play FOB and want unit traits. make house rules. Play PB want to replace sequence of play with cards, I'm sure it can be done.

I would love to know if you agree or disagree with my categories and ratings. Please leave your comments.