In historical tabletop wargaming, especially Napoleonic wargaming, there is a ‘push-pull’ between large grand-tactical game rules like Blucher and Eagles to Glory with smaller tactical game rules like Black Powder and Valour & Fortitude.
Where the large grand-tactical games allow for players to recreate large battles with sweeping flanking movements and grand divisional attacks, the smaller tactical games allow for players to move and reform battalions and fight over hedgerows and through built-up areas.
Normally, a grand-tactical wargame is fought with 6mm or 10mm figures, usually on stands that represent larger units, such as brigades or divisions. Tactical scaled games like Black Powder are usually fought on the table top with 15mm to 28mm figures, with 3-6 figures on a stand. Multiple stands would be combined to form an infantry battalion a cavalry squadron, or an artillery battery.
Which scale is better? Which is worse?
Well, neither is better or worse. But, both offer great gaming opportunities. And gamers all have their preferences.
BUT…
What if you wanted to create a tabletop scale that might incorporate both the sweep and scope of a grand-tactical table with the granular formations of the tactical table?
Well, one way to do that is through time telescoping in tabletop wargaming.
Telescoping time in tabletop wargames is a game mechanic where the time scale of the game is compressed, shifted, or varied, allowing long, complex operations (such as campaign-level movements or multi-day naval engagements) to be resolved quickly or alongside shorter tactical actions.
Some wargame rule sets already incorporate a form of this ‘time telescoping’. A few examples include:
- The Blucher grand-tactical game rules, published by Sam Mustafa, allow for ‘Reserve’ moves which allows units to initially move a much longer distance on the tabletop as long as they maintain a certain distance from any enemy units. Once this type of move is completed, the unit is revealed to the enemy and moves normally in subsequent turns.
- In the Valour & Fortitude tactical rules set, published for free by Jervis Johnson and Perry Miniatures, there is a ‘Double Move’ option that allows a unit (in a tactical scaled game) to twice their normal unit formation movement, as long as the unit remains 18” or more from any enemy units. This rule can be repeated by the same unit during the game.
- In the recently published rule set, Eagles to Glory, published by Tim Harwood and Chris Wilkowski, an increased move is incorporated. But it is based on multiple factors used during divisional level activation.
- The Scharnhorst campaign system within the Blucher rules allows for larger terrain to be covered by units across a ‘theater map’. Once enemy units close with each other, the campaign portion ends and the detailed battle is transferred onto the tabletop in a more tactical scale.
Other rule sets incorporate some form of this reserve or double move options. All of these rules are meant to create a fast-playing method for incorporating grand-tactical with tactical with varying degrees of success. The result is to make the game time on the physical table flexible.
The Empire game system introduced time telescoping in tabletop wargaming in the late 70’s-early 80’s as a core game mechanic to handle tactical, operational, and grand-tactical movement differently.
But, many options for ‘time telescoping’ involved 2 or more tables to manage. And this is often not an option for wargamers in the physical world (and even in the virtual gaming world.)
New Time Telescoping in Tabletop Wargaming Option in the Market
A new time telescoping gaming system is being tested, published by Robert Sorey, called Battles In Detail. The rule set proposes to produce “Corps level Napoleonic battles that allow you to zoom in and fight engagement down to the individual unit and back again.”
As the rules state, “This game is meant to provide an easy ruleset for beginners to wargaming that allows them to jump in and fight massive, large battles at the corps or multi corps level, while also being able to zoom in to settle each smaller engagement across the battlefield. This style is great for solo wargamers, and small clubs wanting something that is more than a typical battle, but less arduous than a full campaign.”
The theory is that units move on a larger table until combatants come into contact. When a clash occurs, the units are transferred to a second table that has a more detailed version of the terrain. On this new table, the engaged units move, wheel, reform, volley, and melee. Once the engagement reaches its natural conclusion with one side claiming the terrain. Then all unit info is transferred back to the larger table, and the larger, grand-tactical game continues until the next clash.
After reviewing the rule set, I found several ‘challenges’ with the system:
- Setting up the second table for the ‘zoomed in’ battle is not always possible to achieve
- There will need to be a diligent record keeping of the conditions of each unit as they move from the grand-tactical to the tactical table, and back again. Losses incurred on the tactical table will need to carry back to the larger table.
- Finally, the biggest issue is the ‘stopping’ of time on the larger, grand tactical table while conducting the tactical battle. This might be a bit unrealistic, as there were many situations in Napoleonic battles, when a fight over a piece of terrain could continue through most of the battle – the classical examples are the fight for Hougomont and La Haye Sainte during the course of the Waterloo battle.
I think that the author of this new rules set has done a fine job of setting up a system that incorporates both levels of combat. But, ‘stitching them together’ as a single system still leaves issues for me, personally.
What Might the Ideal ‘Time Telescoping’ Look Like?
Time telescoping would ideally involve a system in which all of the game play occurs on one tabletop, with ‘time zones’ being used to determine what can occur during the turn.
For instance, if a game turn time is typically 20 minutes, there could be three time zones – 20 minutes, 10 minutes and 5 minutes – based upon the unit’s proximity to enemy units. With this system, the time would ‘slow down’ as combatants moved closer together.
The three time zones to simulate this would be 1. Maneuver, 2. Combat, and 3. Engaged.
The Maneuver time zone is Grand Tactical in scale, like Eagles to Glory and Blucher. Units moving at this rate are more than 18” from any enemy unit(s), and are moving in march formations to move quickly across the battlefield. They have a choice of 1 action that they can perform during the turn. (This would be similar to the ‘Reserve Move’ used in Blucher.)
The Combat time zone is more tactical in scale. Units moving at this rate are within 12-18” of any enemy unit(s), and are moving more cautiously and/or preparing to engage with the nearby enemy. Units will have a choice of 1 Major action and 1 Minor action during the turn.
Finally, in the Engaged time zone, units are ‘engaged’ and moving even more cautiously, either firing in close volley, canister, and/or assaulting. Units will have a choice of 1 Major action, 1 or 2 Minor actions, and 1 possible Reserve Action (to be used in reaction to their opponents next moves.).
In summary, each time zone effects the following:
- Movement rate (how much ground can be covered “per turn”)
- What actions and how many are allowed per unit
- How much reaction/interrupt play exists
The goal of a system like this is to create the feel that time slows when units near contact with the enemy, with more detail and command actions occurring as enemy units collide.
Could this type of tabletop wargame be played on a single table?
Yes, it could. On a 4’x6’ table or larger, using 6mm or 10mm, this type of game would work. And it could be incorporated into several existing wargame rule sets, such as Valour & Fortitude. It could also be incorporated into a grand-tactical rule set like Eagles to Glory, with the added dimension of unit formations (which could be indicated by marker).
Final Thoughts
Some players will always like the granular nature of the skirmish or tactical battle scale. Others will tend to prefer the grand-tactical view of the battle. And for others, like me, I enjoy them both, and sometimes would like to see the tactical battle as part of the larger grand-tactical game.
I would love to hear of game systems that already address this, as I am constantly finding a rule set in the marketplace that I previously knew nothing about. (The marketplace is not lacking in rules!)
Also, I would encourage everyone to look for Robert Sorey’s “Battles in Detail” rules set. He deserves some support for putting in the time to develop this alternative rules set.
And if you would like to see my full rule set for ‘telescoping time’, reach out to me and I will share more info.
On to battle… on the tabletop!
