"An absolute bloody picnic, great fun".
Julian Grenfell DSO, 1888-1915

The original intention of these rules was to be able to recreate the battles of the Great War. However, after just a small amount of research it soon became apparent that they would actually be suitable for most of the wars from the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 through to the Polish-Soviet War of 1920-21. Should players feel that they would like to stretch the envelope they might well find other wars, even imaginary ones, outside the original design of the rules. This was a period of global warfare and using these rules the players will find they have a framework upon which they will be able to reproduce battles in any part of the world, from Africa to Siberia, Mesopotamia to the Somme.

One of the prime influences on these rules was the General de Brigade set created by Dave Brown. The chapter sequence follows that used in GdB where possible and much of the Command and Control chapter will be familiar. The fact that players command at the same level as GdB is no coincidence. However, warfare changed in so many ways between Waterloo and Mons that I have had to create some rules which are markedly different from those used in GdB. I think that this is inevitable, bearing in mind how much warfare changed in the hundred years following the fall of Napoleon. I trust that aficionados of GdB will enjoy Bloody Picnic as much.

There are two battle scales within these rules, Brigade and Division level. The number of figures required for the different scales is roughly the same. Looking at divisions, those of most of the major powers contained approximately twelve to eighteen battalions organised into two or three brigades along with field artillery and possibly some heavier batteries. Battles using these sized forces should be able to be completed in about three hours.

The range of scenarios that can be covered by these rules is ambitious. It is intended that by using the same basic rule mechanics players will be able to stage games ranging from divisional attacks on the Western Front in 1917 with tanks and aircraft, brigade sized games in German East Africa between colonial forces, battles between the Polish and Soviet forces in 1920 and brigade sized encounter games in Manchuria between Cossacks and Japanese in 1905 - and everything else in between. Warfare developed apace in this period with new weapons and techniques appearing in all the areas of conflict. Cavalry, ever present on the Western Front were most effective on the Eastern Front and were being supplemented or replaced by armoured cars and tanks. Tethered balloons were joined by aircraft capable of bombing and strafing as well as carrying artillery observers with radios. Machine guns which were present at the start of this era increased steadily in numbers. Infantry without machine guns were often hamstrung. Field guns were joined by larger artillery pieces and indirect fire became the norm with armies becoming skilled at counter battery fire techniques. Contrary to popular belief, there were generals willing to take on new techniques and technology in order to win the war so that the armies of 1918 came to be very different from those of 1914. Indeed, they had a closer similarity with the armies of 1939.

Rules for the use of gas are included because I believe that to not include them would be to ignore the endurance and sacrifice of the numberless brave of The Great War. If you don't want to use the gas rules you don't have to use them. Indeed, my attitude towards these rules is that while they are intended to be as complete as possible, players will I hope experiment with them by adding their own ideas and leaving out or amending parts which they don't like. They are designed to be adaptable and I trust that they won't fall apart under the stress!

Dillon Browne