Never Mind The Matchlocks
It appears that it is becoming tradition that successful 'medieval' wargaming rules have a follow up pike and shot version.
And so it is with the very popular Nevermind the Billhooks, which has spawned numerous variants, and now gives us the pike and shot version Nevermind the Matchlocks.
Just as Billhooks was given away with Wargames Illustrated, so it was with Matchlocks, which came 'free' with the November 2024 issue.
Currently available to buy from WI as the ruleset (£5.99), or the mag and rules (also £5.99). Running at 32 pages, the rules are in a magazine format; pretty pictures courtesy of Richard from Bloody Miniatures, and just 5 simple tables to consult (6 if you include the quick reference sheet).
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These are a seemingly easy to pick up ruleset, but I fear a hard set to master.
Designed for small battles/big skirmishes of about 150 figures a side, lasting up to two hours. The game utilises six-side dice, and game specific tokens and cards. The rules were written for 28mm figures.
No specific basing system is prescribed, other than basing should be consistent. The ability to remove individual casualties/figures is preferable, but casualty markers or dice can be used instead.
Activation is via the aforementioned game specific card sets, and various tokens. The cards, and game tokens, are printed in the rulebook but are also available as a pdf file. Just as with Billhooks, card sets are available to buy from the WI store. I anticipate printed MDF tokens will be available in the near future.
Musketeers are limited to a first 'free' volley, but are then limited to 6 shots, which needs to be tracked with a dice.
The game is pretty much an I go, you go game with a number of phases for each turn. A turn begins with the 'manoeuvre and bombardment phase' where players take turns to move one unit or shoot one gun, these units/guns may be activated again during the 'main battle phase'. The manoeuvre and bombardment phase ends when any units engage an enemy unit.
The main battle phase is card activated, cards cause several events to happen including additional morale tests. Orders are issued by leaders when their card is drawn.
What happens with a melee is determined by doctrine dice: for example, low rolls the cavalry are measured in their actions (doing what their human commander wants them to do), high rolls they go all in, their dander is up and they invariably steam roller their way through the opposition and off the table (something that happened all too often with Rupert's cavalry).
Victory is determined by breaking your enemy's morale, or to force them to concede.
My takeaway from the rules is that firing is rather too fiddly a mechanism, and that dragoons are much too powerful. Other than that, they are fun and very easy to pick up and get playing.
Game support is via a Facebook group (unfortunately for those who dislike social media). Errata sheet, additional rules (notably rules for Scots and Irish aka the Celtic Fringe), and quick reference sheets are available to download from the Billhooks site.
There is talk of extending the rules to cover the Thirty Years War, which presumably means that a deluxe edition will be available at some point in the future (as happened with Billhooks).
Equipment needed:
- tape measure (the rules specify inches, for 15mm simply swap to cm)
- lots of D6
- three decks of game specific cards: play, bonus, and special events
- four sets of tokens: disarray, daunted, order, and army morale
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