Field of Battle

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Field of Battle, Designed by Brent Oman and published by Piquet, Inc., the Field of Battle system stands as one of the most respected horse-and-musket wargaming frameworks of the modern tabletop era. Originating from the broader Piquet gaming philosophy, Field of Battle streamlined classic card-driven mechanics into a single, cohesive system that masterfully simulates command friction, the fog of war, and battle momentum without forcing players into exhaustive chart lookups or micromanagement. Across its three distinct iterations—from the original breakthrough 2006 release, through the refined 2011 second edition, to the polished 2020 third edition—the rulebook family has continually perfected its core sequence deck concept. By replacing rigid movement turns with dynamic card draws and initiative rolls, Field of Battle ensures that no two actions play out identically, offering a deeply atmospheric and unpredictable grand tactical experience that scales brilliantly for 6mm Seven Y...
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Frederick the Great: A Military Life

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Frederick the Great: A Military Life

By Christopher Duffy (Original Publication: 1985)

The Commander Behind the Crown

Introduction: While Duffy’s "Army" series focuses on technical stats, this biography shifts the lens to the man himself. It is a masterful narrative of Frederick’s development as a strategist, covering his early insecurities through to the gruelling endurance of the Seven Years War.

The 6mm Connection: For the "Muskets & Magnification" project, this is the ultimate scenario book. The clear, iconic battle maps are perfectly suited for translation onto a 6x4 table. The spatial relationships Duffy illustrates—such as the approach to Lobositz or the terrain at Reichenberg—are the gold standard for setting up authentic 6mm battlefields.

Historical Insight: The "lightbulb moment" here is Duffy’s honest assessment of Frederick’s failures. Seeing the King’s tactical blunders at battles like Kolin helps a wargamer appreciate the friction of command; it reminds us that even with Superbly Drilled troops, a bad command roll can change history.

Conclusion: This volume provides the narrative "soul" for any Seven Years War campaign. It’s not just a biography; it’s a manual for understanding the high-stakes chess match Frederick played against the rest of Europe.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Muskets.

What do you think?

Have you read this volume? Let me know in the comments if you’ve used this research to inform your painting or game strategy!

Related project hubs for this period:
[The Silesian Wars 1740-1763 Project Hub]  |  [The Seven Years War 1756–1763 Project Hub]

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