New Ruleset - Die Fighting!

There is a new ruleset out "Die Fighting" from Bob Jones, not specifically Napoleonic, more "Horse and Musket" but it has a nice Napoleonic picture on the front cover!!

It grabs my attention because of the sound bites 'Old Style Gaming! Unique Mechanics', 'Classic Wargaming 1700-1900 with a twist!', 'Old school, tactical', what more could I ask for?

From what I gather it is a Piquet derivative but at the same time it is completely different (not that I have any experience of Piquet but it is a familiar name).

There is a website, with a 4 part series introducing Die Fighting and how it plays etc. here.

It's available from OMM, Caliver or direct from Repique (GBP23.50 pp from Caliver).

From the horses mouth, so to speak, the quick summary of this compared to Bob Jones other rulesets, Zouave and Piquet:

The two games are very different.
Zouave is grand tactical, DF is tactical.
Zouave is a card sequenced game, DF has over seven different sequencing systems that may be chosen among depending on era, battle, or tactical doctrine.
Zouave uses D4s through D12; DF uses only D6s.
Zouave, because of its scale and goals, is a more intricate game.
Zouave sold out its first run and Zouave II is scheduled to be published in May.

The biggest difference is that the die rolls are used up in DF and not unlimited as in most wargames and when one side runs out of dice, he has lost.

In addiition to the differences I noted in a reply above, these are other distinctions.

1. Only D6 are used no other polyhedral dice such as in Piquet.

2. Combat system is COMPLETELY different.

3. Movement system is entirely different. There is no one sequencing, or phasing, method used. It can be played with or without cards. The card deck, when used, numbers six cards.

4. Everyone who wants to move can move-no restrictions, other than it had better be necessary, efficient, and successful, or your whole army will run out of steam before the enemy and lose.

5. Morale is much different-no Major Morale Roll-you just run out of offensive capacity. Concession is allowed, and in some cases the best strategy.

6. Piquet has no direct scoring system. Die Fighting Does-designed in from the beginning, not an overlay. This allows games to have long term "scores" and thus consequences-even if you do not play campaigns.

7. Piquet is a mature rule system, first written by me nearly 17 years ago! It has all the advantages of a mature system that a great many intelligent people have contributed to over the years. There are many periods and variants of the core concepts.

Die Fighting is a brand new system, and has an immense amount of growth and experimentation ahead of it. It is the start of an entirely new journey.

I think they are both wonderful games, and will continue to spin off new ideas, variants, and derivative designs for years to come. Piquet has, and DF will, bring in many new people to historical wargame design and rule writing. My hope is that Repique Rules will play a role in creating the next generation of historical miniatures wargame designers and be an element in their inspiration.

It sounds right for what I like in a game, though I have some hesitation, I can't stand 12 man units, barely can stomache 24 man units and I am never going to play a grand tactical game in my life, is this really suitable for me?

It is supposed to be completely flexible on number of figures and mounting patterns though I understand Bob's own Napoleonic's are 12 man units, but does that show?

Also I have some confusion, Caliver on their site label it as "Grand Tactical" but above it mentions it specifically isn't Grand Tactical, not that I put much stock in what Caliver says lol but anyway ???

Do read the above mentioned 4 part article, it is very interesting and there are some interesting mechancis at play in this game "with a twist" is right - I am quite curious to see how it actually plays out.

Anyway there is enough of interest here that I expect I will get a copy in the near future and see for myself.