"Best Ruleset for War of 1812?" Topic

Which ruleset would you recommend for gaming battles set during the War of 1812?

I'd use Black Powder, personally.

- Monk

Yep, going to use Black Powder.

Every 1812 game I've ever played used Volley and Bayonet battalion scale. Worked very well.

Rockets Red Glare

Field of Battle 2. Accept no substitutes. Field of Battle excels at allowing you to model the troop types for a particular war. All the excellent parts of Piquet without any of the things that caused some folks problems. Plus some revisions and improvements over both PK and FOB first edition.

Thanks,

John

Rockets Red Glare

Fire and Fury Regimental. The F and F website provides free quick reaction sheets for the period (in 15mm) and the scale is right for War of 1812 games. It has period feel and works great.

Several as mentioned. Regimental Fire and Fury, Rocket's Red Glare, modifications of 1776 or The British Are Coming, Empire (yes, I said it)…it also depends on the troop scale you desire as well as complexity. I have Rocket's Red Glare, 1776, The British Are Coming, and Regimental Fire and Fury. RRG would be the simpliest, with 1776 and TBAC more in line with rules that figure firing and casualties own percentages per casting, and RF&F is simple enough to master, but with enough complexity to capture the 19th Century American conflicts rather well.

According to the aforementioned Rocket's Red Glare (which also has a section of rules within), the combat resembled more 18th century than Napoleonic, due to the fact that both Americans and British seemed to prefer volley fire doctrine as opposed to massed columns, etc.

Since I have been playing quite a bit of Maurice, i could see these rules being applied successfully to the war of 1812.

So far, I've used This Very Ground and Muskets and Mohawks, both of which seemed to work fairly well, although I admit the battles I was doing were quite small. John Bull from The Perfect Captain is on my list, as is British Grenadier.

Bear in mind that I am looking at doing a series of public participation games, so my vision of what makes a good set of rules may not jibe with other peoples'.

LT

Mine! Or they will be, as soon as I've fixed a couple things… any day now…

I use a combination of TSATF and BvB created by Bill Molyneaux of the Gettysburg Gamers. It's on their website as their FIW rules. It plays fast and well, especially at conventions.

Eric

Black powder for battles, and sharpe practice for 'actions'.

Shamless blog plug, not that there is anything about the rules.
link

Blackpowder captures more of the sweeping nature of battles. But shape practice allows a more for the gritty little actions, like a beach landing.

We had great games using FOB. Along time ago we would use WRG 1650-1845, I still like these rules.

Regimental Fire and Fury.

General de Brigade.

I will be releasing Redcoats and Warhawks very shortly which is a War of 1812 rule set. I have them available now, but the website is still being worked on. They are a skirmish style rule set with about 20 – 40ish figures per side. If interested, please e-mail me at:

battlefield_designs at rogers dot com.

Regards,
Hitman

When we went through our War of 1812 phase we played Rockets Red Glare and Cousin Jonathan (free from the Perfect Captain). Both did a good job in the highly morale based conflict.

Chippewa.

I've done General de Brigade,Fire and Fury Regimental and Black Powder. BP does the best for me.

Not a rules set, but I will use this in class when I teach the War of 1812
link

Wow, I haven't heard anyone talk about the Chippewa rule set in at least a decade. I need to scrounge my copy up.

Thanks,

John