Description

Final Argument of Kings is a product of the same circle of players and designers who produced the Squad Leader board game and the Johnny Reb Civil War miniature rules. Final Argument bears a strong resemblance to the latter but was designed to tune to the warfare of the middle part of the 18th century. These rules are appropriate for games set from the time of the War of the Polish Succession (1734) to the beginning of the Wars of the French Revolution (1789.) It is scaled to be appropriate for battle on the European continent. For 15mm figures, one inch on the table represents 45-50 yards.

Horse and foot units are each four stands and represent infantry battalions and cavalry regiments. Artillery batteries are single stands as are army, wing, and brigade commanders. The number of figures per unit is variable with each figure representing 40 soldiers or one section of artillery. Stand size is variable with the number of figures so that units with more men cover a wider frontage. (The game would be playable with other basing systems, but the game's basing has a number of subtleties that transmit the tactical feel of the time. For example, units are longer in march column than they are wide in line as, indeed, they should be.)

Turns follow a set sequence with simultaneous movement and fire of various types. Each turn represents 20 minutes of time. Players mark orders for units that are hidden from the opposing player. Command is an important element but does not dominate the game or become obtrusive. There is also provision for grand tactical movement so that maneuver and closing to battle may happen quickly without taking too much time nor sacrificing tactical detail. Combat tends to be bloody with stands taking figure losses as a result. Morale of units is a key game concept. Units have a basic morale point that is altered by loss of strength and the local situation faced by the units. Battlefield events trigger morale checks. There are no saving roles.