"Any Ideas for Napoleonic Army-Level Toy Soldier style rules?" Topic

After rereading HG Wells's Little Wars and some more recent Toy Soldier wargame rules, I've become intrigued by the idea of writing a set of army-level rules for big battles between several corps on each side, where the smallest unit would be a brigade/regiment or even a division, but in the style of the old rules, to give a fairly light-hearted, fun game for both nostalgic adults and youngsters new to the hobby. No actual shooting of projectiles at the troops, but otherwise I'd like to create a similar atmosphere. In HG Wells's game, the guns predominated, because only they could shoot to affect the enemy. I wonder whether generals should be the focus of my game; the troops -portrayed by numerous RISK figures I've amassed by buying up second-hand sets – being just anonymous cannon-fodder. Any thoughts, ideas or comments would be most welcome!

Volley and Bayonet. I think the author himself used 54mm figures in some of the photos (the first edition of the rules).

I second Volley and Bayonet. I'mm amassing Risk figures for the same reason.

My Easy Napoleonics Rules are free:

link

Frank does indeed use 54mm figures for Volley and Bayonet. The very first game using the rules featured 54mm British and French in a Quatre Bras scenario. More recently, he has run Borodino with 54's. Curiously, he also modified Risk figures to allow for a simultaneous recreation of Ligny and Quatre Bras followed by Waterloo on the same table.

Gentlemen,
Thank you for your comments.

Don – I already have your rules and like the look of them.
Ogdenlulius & Saber 6 – I have a copy of V&B too.
Rich – I'm not interested in using 54mm figures as I don't have any!

I fear I did not make myself very clear: I want to write a set of rules in Toy Soldier style for an army-level game, not use any of the available sets [for that particular purpose; I'll happily use them otherwise. But thanks for taking the time and trouble to reply!

At the scale you are talking about, I believe multi-corps is best done with the 6mm scale. That's the way I went.

See runtus.org for the Mini-Nap rules, etc.

Could you be more specific about what you do and don't want in these rules?

I recommend actual shooting of projectiles.

Widdowson: that is the one aspect of HG Wells's rules I'm not going to follow – partly because I shall be using plastic RISK figures, and if one hit them with a projectile they would fly all over the place, not just fall over like 54mm lead Britains toy soldiers; also because I can't think of a suitable weapon with which to shoot – my Britains 4.7 inch gun and my Playmobil ACW Napoleon gun-howitzer are both far too big for the figures, and too powerful, and finally, at army-level, using brigades or divisions as the manoeuvre units, the mechanism just doesn't seem appropriate – it would make the figures seem like individual men, and the game like a skirmish, not a battle.

Don: It's late and I'm tired. I'm going to think further about it, and try to post again tomorrow evening [UK time].

TJRaymond: a fair point, but I'm committed to the c.10mm RISK figures because I already have lots of them, and my middle-aged eyes just can't cope with 6mm any more!

The basic rules are that you have cannons which fire matchsticks and they knock over the soldiers.

Hi Arthur1815,

I've used 'simple musket era rules for toy soldiers' by Mike Fischer for my figures, but at 1:20 they are way bigger than risk figures… I adapted the dimensions quoted to suit… they make a fun game, Mike keeps them very simple… you can find them on his site – link or the adapted vertsion on mine link …you may find inspiration there… they don't play too 'skirmishy' but I'm not an experienced gamer. There was no name for them a few months ago… they're titled 'Blown Away' now. I especially like them because of all the troops that end up fleeing! 'Attack, Attack… Run Away, Run Away…' seems more right than total annihilation. and using a pack of cards as your limited 'luck' warehouse also works very nicely…

I'd be interested in playing over any junior playable rules you come up with! Resizing them for 1:20 scale of course…

The March of Eagles from Victrix Ltd. These are the rules they give away in every box of 28mm Plastics

link

In The Games of War: A Treasury of Rules for Battles with Toy Soldiers, Ships, and Planes, one of the rules sets (there are 39 in the book) uses 6 figures (or stands if you prefer) fo a brigade for Napoleonics. It's been well recieved at LGGC and the Spring Hoopla conventions.