Those following the progress of the Musket & Pike Battle Series (MPBS) Dual Pack on P500 will have noted that the game has progressed into the “Made the Cut – In Art and Final Development” category. Many are asking for some peeks at the new artwork, and I wanted to give an update to the project overall.
To be plain, this project is much more than a reprint. Though it is hard to believe, it has been 20 years since This Accursed Civil War was released. There have been 5 more volumes of the series released since. It all started with the Desktop Published (DTP) version before that. The original 16-page rulebook is now 32 pages (which includes graphics) and has been carefully honed over the years to provide a solid base. The design had strong roots in Great Battle of History and Rob Markham’s games. When published, it was very much representative of the state of the art at that time.
When we embarked on the Dual Pack project, it was clear that it was going to be much more involved than just a reprint. Not only did the graphics for all the components need to be brought up to the current state, but I wanted to add new battles and incorporate new scholarship into existing battles. That drove a comprehensive review of the orders of battle, setups, and victory conditions. Combining the first two volumes made for a mountain of work, which is one of the causes for the long time it has taken to get this far.
The Rules. The rules have been solid through 6 releases, but with graphic updates it needed new graphics and is now in full color. We incorporated some later volume material into the base rules. We also had it reviewed by impartial editors which was a nice addition that helped catch typos, grammar issues, and incorrect cross references that can sneak into a booklet, even one that has been reviewed and published in 6 versions.
The Maps. The maps were not consistent across the volumes, and we did some updates to make them more standardized. Maps were added for the two new battles (Cheriton and Cropredy Bridge). The Edgehill and Nördlingen maps had updates based on current scholarship.
The Playbooks. The two playbooks were updated with new order of battle information for Edgehill, Cheriton, Cropredy Bridge, Naseby, and Nördlingen. There are also new graphics presenting the setups in full color. As with the rules, independent editors reviewed them which is a welcome addition to the process.
The Player Aid Cards. As the series progressed, battle-specific player aid cards (PACs) were added. We have taken this idea and extended it so that key info from the playbooks is on the battle cards to reduce looking stuff up in the booklet once the battle is set up.
The Counters. The part of this update that has garnered the most discussion is counter artwork. From the very beginning there were many who wanted to adapt the DTP and playtest artwork to the GMT version. When TACW was first published, GMT tactical games were well known already for their excellent counter art using individual soldier icons. With MPBS being the “new kid,” we went with soldier icons without much debate. The era the series covers (1620 – 1680) did not have as much uniform detail, but there were some coat colors and armor to manage to capture the correct image for particular units. Once uniforms became standard in later eras, uniform coat colors become a big deal with gamers. Throughout this time, I continued playtesting with my own formation icon counters and used them in two single battle DTP games (Nördlingen 1634 and Alerheim 1645). Many game reviews, online discussion boards, and in-person interactions at WBC or GMT East consistently asked about considering formation icons.
As we took on the Dual Pack project, we knew we needed some significant counter updates and reviews. GMT also had new counter templates so old artwork files had to be updated. This gave us an opportunity to consider a different approach. MPBS has gained the maturity on its own merits not to need the graphical linkage to GBOH. We tried a wide variety of formation iconography. Charlie Kibler was given the project and incorporated the period artwork with good use of symbols to revamp the counter art using formations icons. The use of symbols was a great way to communicate if a cavalry unit is an arquebusier or an infantry unit has its own light artillery without counter clutter.
The Dual Pack also gives the player a complete set of counters for each battle. This allows an ambitious player to set up and play multiple battles at once.
The copper plate engravings of battles from this period is a highly recognizable image of these battles. These were used across the series in rules and playbooks already. Basing a set of formation icons on these images, the team of Charlie, Dick Vohlers, and I worked out the set of icons:
Cavalry
Cuirassier Regiment – 1
Arquebusier Regiment – 1A (addition of the carbine icon)
Croat Style (unformed) Regiment – 5
Note that cavalry units also have a diagonal slash across them to help distinguish them from infantry.
Infantry
Single Hex Heavy Infantry Battalion – 2 and with artillery 2A
Two Hex Heavy Infantry Battalion – 12 and with artillery – 11
Swedish Style Brigade – 7 and with artillery 6
Single Hex Heavy Infantry Battalion without pikes – 4
Two Hex Heavy Infantry Battalion without pikes – 10
Artillery
3 lb Battery – A1 and Double Battery – A4
4-8 lb Battery – A2 and Double Battery – A5
12-24 lb Battery – A3 and Double Battery A6
The final reviews and edits are almost done, and we hope to see the kit packaged up and sent to the printers soon. We do earnestly appreciate everyone’s patience in getting this project pulled together. For old MPBS hands I hope you continue to enjoy playing it as much I do; for new hands welcome to a series that has given players many countless hours of fun and history!
Author: Ben Hull
Thanks for the update! But I don’t understand the counter change, they not only look awful but also changes the whole series counter iconography and counter reading; they have very little appealing to play them, seems like an 80′ counter.
Also please, if the Battery FIRED don’t but an icon of FIRING
This pack was on my buy list until I saw the counter, now is a no no buy : (
I lke the new graphics, and the attention to detail and differentiation between the various classes of unit types. My P500 order remains…
I had several of the original games in the series, but sold them off years ago. These updates, especially the standardization of the rules across the series and the new counter artwork, may make me preorder this one. I definitely like the woodcut style as opposed to the old icons where everyone seemed to be looking off in the wrong direction.
I also like the new counters. It think they demonstrate the scope and magnitude of the battles better than the single soldier. However, i don’t want to slow down this project any more than it already has, but the formation shaken side of the counters doesn’t look any different than the units in good order. Shouldn’t the backside of the counters look a little disordered?
I will withhold final judgment on the counters until I see the finished product. I do like the woodcut look, but that is a lot of really fine detail. We will see. And personally I think the “FIRED” artillery looks good. Nice suggestion of clouds of smoke on the battlefield. As Kipling wrote “[We] scuffle ‘mid uncleanly smoke, Of arquebus and culverin.” In any case, I’m certainly not going to cancel after waiting almost 5 years already for this one.
I love this new art. I have the old volumes and, no doubt I’m in. Let’s see the outstanding Tercios in Nordlingen!
Are these 0.5″ counters? They look like a readability nightmare. Those symbols seem too subtle to distinguish units at a glance when looking at the entire battlefield. I also don’t see the mentioned diagonal slash on the cav counters.
Sorry but seeing those counters is a real disappointment. I’ve been really looking forward to this reprint but those counters put me right off. I think I’d be better off trying trying to find a second hand copy. It will look so dry and dusty on the table instead of popping and alive like the others in the series artwork. I appreciate the thought of capturing the art of old engravings and I enjoy looking at them when reading a book. Even with my good eyesight from a few feet away at the table I’m only going to see black blobs.
I don´t like the new counters artwork at all.
I’m not keen on the new iconography either; a triumph of form over function. They may look good on a computer screen, but for me they’ll be illegible on a gaming table. I don’t see the cavalry diagonal stripe either.
Will the reprint of TACW that’s also on P500 adopt these new symbols too ?
I love the new counter style! I find the top view preferable in general because it better conveys the picture of a battle map in motion as you progress with the game, and the period-style formation art in particular is very evocative of the era.
I really like those sample counters, looking forward to getting this one!
On a 1/2″ counter, I think some of the new icons will look like a child’s drawings of insects. Understand it’s late in the process, but hope you’ll reconsider. Another reason to do so is that those who own the earlier editions will not be able to use those counters to replace lost counters from the new set. I do like the smoke on the “Fired” counters and can see where the Musketeers, Croats and 2-hex heavies might turn out to be exceptions to my first point. Lastly, I think there’s an error in the Springdale unit’s SP rating (illustration #2, good order side). The rating should be 9 rather than 3, right?
I like both counter styles, but the new images certainly catch the feel of the period. Seeing these counters on the map in full battle array will look very good, I think.
I don’t care for these counters at all, they are too detailed. On the table they will just be a bunch of tiny, indistinguishable black blobs and squiggles. I don’t mind the “look”, but IMHO currently they are totally disfunctional.
yeah guys – you will need to work a bit harder to make those of GMT quality 😉
Please, no! Counters need to be focused on ease of play + aesthetics. On both scores the new proposed counters are a massive failure. All those formation images are useless black smudges which distract from the needed info on the counters. If final art goes in that direction, please announce this ASAP so I can cancel my P500 and head to the used game market before this edition drives up the price of the old games.
I preordered this before I saw the counters… Yikes. Attractive enough when seen up close, but not utilitarian in the slightest. If you want to experiment with these counters, please make them an option or an add-on, not the standard.
These new counters are a big disappointment. One of the best things about buying GMT products is the superb component quality, including the vibrant colour and detail present on the counters in so many games. These counters, with their monotone images of indistinct masses of troops, feel like a big step backward. Colourful counters with detailed individual troops are much more immersive to me than what’s shown here. These counters also look nothing like those used in other games in the series.
I was very excited to have this on my P500 list but this is making me reconsider.
I like all the new elements of the game. I had all the old games and sold them. This will put the new game back on the buy list.
The new counter artwork is solid and a delightful improvement over the previous version.
Formations of soldiers provide an epic feel and the woodcut style is evocative of the period. The square infantry and cavalry counters could probably use some fine tuning, but the wide infantry counters, and especially the artillery FIRED counters, are top drawer.
Are they perfect? No. I’ve seen better in other GMT and Hexasim offerings. The color choices are somewhat suspect and there are a few design choices that could be improved a bit. But on the whole these look really good and have me eagerly anticipating this game.
Thank you for the update!
Sorry, but the new counter art made me delete my order. Gonna hunt down the original printings.
The new counters were the deciding factor in placing my P500 order. Magnificent!
Love this system. However those counters….not good. PLEASE use original design counters. Dropped pre order.
The new counter artwork reminds me of some Avalanche Press artwork…which isn’t a compliment. End of the line for buying any more in this series.
They should have offered the 2 options. Old style and new style counters. Then everybody would be satisfied. Personally I prefer the old look. The new counters are like Christine mentions a bit too “Avalanche Pressian”. I’m afraid quite some people will stop buying this.
I am usually most apprehensive about innovations in counter artwork, but I think GMT & Ben Hull have scored with this attractive woodcut-inspired theme. It really imparts both tactical detail and period feel. MPBS dual pack is on my list for the 2022 GMT 500 sale starting in a couple days.