"Which Rules?" Topic

I have played a LOT of rules over the years but now I am looking to try something new.

What rules for Regimental Battles do I want if I want something that definitely feels like the ACW, isn't too complicated and a hell of a lot of fun?

Minimum record keeping and counters. Maybe something the GW crowd could sink their teeth into??

Not too cheesy though…..

Try Fire & Fury Regimental.

What Stosstruppen said.

Thirded. A lovely set of rules, IMHO, not toocomplex, plenty of period "feel".

We've had great success with RF&F as well, and I highly recommend it, but if you want something really "light" for the GW crowd, I'm not sure. Rank & File by Crusader Games gives a good game, has a very good ACW supplement, and is closer to traditional rules.

Yep, when we were trying to get the GW and Historical Players at our club to Mesh, F&F was the choice. I have only heard good things about the regimental version.

Black Powder is a great game too, but is very counter-heavy I find.

Pat

We use Guns at Gettysburg and Bull Run to Gettysburg. Both give very good games with period flavour.

Black Powder. Perfect for ACW friction. Written by Priestley. Loosely based on Warmaster. Lots of eye candy as well. Will work for several periods of history, so a nice investment.

But wayyyyyy too many counters?

Pat

I'll join the chorus for Fire and Fury Regimental. It's easy to learn, moves along very quickly, and feels just right.

Gettysburg Soldiers ACW Rules still offering mail order discount: gettysburgsoldiers.com

reviews on TMP:

TMP link

TMP link

Warhammer ACW (also called Action Front) is a great game. I'm not sure when it will be available, though. Everybody we've played it with has had a fantastic time.

Terrible Sharp Sword isn't regimental but is a really fun game that captures a company sized ACW battle really well. It's as fun as any Civil War game I have ever played, plus it gives an excellent feel for the period. Available as an inexpensive download from Two Fat Lardies.

I was a fan of Fire and Fury and now Regimental Fire and Fury.

Currently reading Gordon & Hague "Severed Union" which look very promising for an introductoey rule set.

The best part is they are free to download.

gordonandhague.com/index.cfm

I will second what Nazrat stated about Action Front. Go onto the yahoo group and join and download the rules for free.

link

I will also say ditto about Terrible Sharpe Sword if you are looking for something that is fun and plays fast.

i will step up and suggest johnny reb 3. great system, imo.

I seen no one mentioning 'A Glint of Bayonets' by Larry Brom. Has anyone played them?

I suggest Reg F&F.

"Gettysburg Soldiers" is quick and easy. After a couple of turns, players are running the game with very little help from the GM.

As a totally new wargamer who is getting into historical gaming with a group of other totally new gamers, and having no vets around to show us the ropes, I too have been searching for a playable, regimental level rule set that doesn't get us too bogged down in the rulebook as we play, but does a fair job representing ACW combat dynamics. Having just played a game of "Bull Run to Gettysburg" last weekend, my novice's sense of it is the movement, firing and "close combat" / charge mechanics are very easy to learn and good for a fast moving, reasonably realistic game. Everyone in our group is an ACW fanatic so we at least have some sense of what we are playing out on the table has some relation to the historical record. In BRtG we used no counters except casualty markers, and I don't recall any need to keep records so long as you can remember which units moved and fired in your turn. With a couple of brigades each on the table, this was easy. We have also played two games of "Call to the Colors" which we enjoyed as well, but it does involve laying down order chits and various types of morale / fatigue markers. Also, as newbies, for whatever reason, we found Bull Run to Gettysburg had a shorter learning curve and the game moved a lot quicker. Both of these rule sets seem to be to be much simpler than RF&F, which I do own and have enjoyed reading, but feel I would need an experienced partner to show me the ropes before playing it. Hope this helps!