"Best set of Historical Miniature Wargaming Rules Ever" Topic

Only one for the best of all time.

For me it would be a set of home ECW rules I played with a friend over 35 years ago that got me started in the hobby.

Column, Line and Square

Fire and Fury

another vote for fire and fury

Chainmail by Gygax!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DBA

I'll go with The Sword and The Flame, with DBA a close second.

Gush' Renaissance and WRG in toto.

Chianmail as it is the basis of all I hold dear as a gamer in general. 1st non fantasy rules I played and I would play it today if anyone else wanted to

DBM

DBA

Black Powder

Wow, I don't think I could pick just one.

Dirtside

BattleTech

DBA 2.2, The Sword and the Flame, Column Line and Square.

The Sword and the Flame

still like Armati, but Seekrieg has to rank up there as well.

DBA 2.2

An impossible question. I'd probably nominate a different set of rules for every decade I've been playing. What's the criteria for "best?" Very debatable.

However, in the spirit of the question, I'll say The Wargame by Charles Grant because that's the rules that made me go "oooooo, miniatures. Way better than boardgames."

Flames of War.

What?! Don't stare at me like that.

Flames of War has its flaws and detractors, to be sure. However, I will openly challenge any of you to name a historical wargame that comes close to matching it in popularity, and this alone makes my nomination valid. I'm no fanboy; I actually prefer RoE as my WWII rules set of choice. That said, I'm far more likely to find FoW players for a pickup game at my FLGS than I ever would for RoE. It's what people want to play, regardless of the reason why, so there must be something to it other than the glitzy books and Battlefront's marketing strategy.

Can't pick just one Chainmail, The Sword and the Flame, WRG Ancients, The Wargame, Featherstone's Short rules, Bruce Quarrie's ACW and Napoleonic guides, etc

ML

Best at what?

The one you play the most.

Memoir '44 and the many other adaptations of Richard Borg's original "Battle Cry" system.
Yes, I know, these are boardgames that use figures, not, strictly speaking, miniatures rules.
But it's a system that is fun, flexible, and is sufficiently easy to teach to people who have never even heard of a "wargame" before that it could be classified as a "gateway drug" to historical miniatures gaming.

Fire and Fury

Little Wars by HG Wells

DBA

On to Richmond

Used to own – Chainmail by Gygax

Own now – Air War C 21, Dirtside 2

Don't own – Ambush Alley

Gracias,

Glenn

How about the rules you wrote yourself? Does that count?

"But it's a system that is fun, flexible, and is sufficiently easy to teach to people who have never even heard of a "wargame" before that it could be classified as a "gateway drug" to historical miniatures gaming."

I could not agree with you more.

Field of Battle, The Rules with No Name and Battles by Gaslight are all exceptional!

We are liking Impetvs.

Black Powder gets my vote for horse-and-musket gaming. I suspect that I will feel the same about Hail Caesar for ancients, once it has been released in a few weeks.

Command Decision.

DBA got me started but I am now a zealous disciple of Impetus.

Sure had a lot of fun playing Space Hulk back in the day!

You know, if you ditch all the magic and monsters, the AD&D "BattleSystem" 2nd Edition makes for very good historical rules.
I can field Mongols, Greek Hoplites, Spanish Tercios, Roman Legionnaires, Feudal Japanese and Feudal Europeans, I can play Agincourt, Sekigahara, Megiddo, whatever.
A very good system overall.

DBA!

Just had a thought – FUN napoleonics – Tricolor.

Red for the bloody results, white for the bandages your troops will need, and blue because if you aren't playing the French and the French player is reasonably competent you're going to be blue about never winning.

Seriously, they always were fun but I can't (or won't) speak to the hisorical accuracy of the rules.

Gracias,

Glenn

Larry's Rules, our home grown WWII rules, if we could only get him to write them down.
Weaselhoffen.

The key to the "Best" wargame rule would have to be longevity. Does it stand the test of time. If it is still around and still being played and purchased then it would be considered the "Best".
Here are two examples. Which are both still doing well after years from their release. Both are simple and fun to play.

"The Sword and the Flame"
"Rapid Fire"

All in the name of gaming!

I think it has to be von Reisswitz's 1824 Kriegsspiel which both introduced wargaming as a training aid to professional soldiers,laid foundations such as time and groundscales, dice to portray chance/fog of war and active umpiring and emphasised realism over more abstract games like chess, that have featured in so many recreational wargames. Where would we be without him?

Alternatively, another vote for 'Little Wars' – partly because it is a great game for fun and introducing youngsters to the hobby; partly because it inspired Donald Featherstone.

Mine

I favor F&F, but does anyone know how to get ahold of a copy of Chainmail???

"The Sword and the Flame"

This set of rules has stood the test of time. No rules is as flexible and lends itself to as many periods. It would be hard to find anyone who has never played them.

Almost everyone has a TSATF story or two. One or more memorable games. I can't think of another set of rules that comes close. Even if you don't like them you can't deny the rules status within our hobby.

If not the best then certainly the most influential and important. I guess it depends on what you mean by best? If there were a hall fame for rules then these would go in on the first ballot.

The Sword and the Flame and its progeny.

WRG 6th

Tricorn

The Sword and the Flame.