"How many Napoleonic rulebooks on your shelf?" Topic

We were discussing this the other day,
so I came home and counted 14!
I can honestly say that I've only played 6 of them.

One Terrestrial (Song of Drums and Shakos, but I'm looking at Sharpe Practice), picked up used and as yet unplayed

Several (uncounted numbers of) Naval, all played

8 for land action within arm's reach, plus at least 5 naval. I have more in a box up in the attic. All played at least once.

Maybe twenty. Most I have never played.

Three, Fast Play Grand Armee, Volley and Bayonet, and 2X2 Napoleonics. Four, if you count the rules from Wooden Ships and Iron Men which I use for naval miniatures. I have played them all.

2
Sharpe Practice and C&C Napoleonics

Purged down to three sets; 1685-185, Corp d'Army both WRG and Napoleonic Command. Only NC played these days.

Five sets of Age of Fighting Sail rules.

Well over 40. I've read most of them, played a few turns of about half and actually fought battles to conclusion with about a dozen.

I've sold off unused and/or unliked rules sets of different periods from my collection in the last couple years. Bearing that in mind, I have DBN (played), Vae Victus (unplayed) and . . . yikes that's it! I can scarcely believe it.

Napoleonic reference material is another matter. I don't think I could list what I own.

I also own C&C Napoleonics and its expansion sets, which I've played and which I like.

Empire V, Chef de Battailon, Napoleon's Battles, Wooden Ships & Iron Men. Might have Empires in Arms also – can't remember.

Lasalle, Grand Armee, WRG 1685-1845, Elan (WRG variant) and FoG – Napoleonics. Will be picking up Blucher when Sam Mustafa releases that next year too.

Two land and two Naval.

In the something of something and Black Powder for land.

For Naval I have two copies of Trafalgar and Fire As She Bears.

5 land and 1 naval

Twelve land, four naval that spring to mind. Used to be a lot more, but I've sold it down/given it away.

Counting naval I have 9.

Napoleon's Battles all three editions
Grand Armee
Legacy of Glory
Lasalle
Black Powder
Sharpe Practice
Capitain
Heart of Oak
Kiss Me, Hardy

*Empire III
*Legacy of Glory
*Revolution & Empire
*Corps d'arm้e
Shako II
*Napoleon's Battles
General de brigade
*Napoleonic Command
Polemos General de Division & Marechal d'Empire
March Attack
La Grand Guerre
Fast Play Grande Arm้e
Sharpe's Practice
Eagles & Emperors
A Near Run Thing
Art of Maneuver
Code Napoleon
Command, Control & Communications
Easy Napoleonic Rules
Jeu des Batailles
Horse, Foot & Gun
Imperial Lances
Le Feu Sacr้
Mini-Nap
Napoleonic Rules for a Large Scale Wargame (i.e. George Jeffrey's VLB)
On to Waterloo
Republic & Empire
Bruce Quarrie's Rules
Featherstone's Rules
Battles for Empire
Vive l'Empereur

This is from memory so I probably have a couple others on the shelf as well. If there is a star by it I've played it enough to say, "I know something about that."

After all that I began development of my own which has finally after nearly five years hit external beta testing.

Cheers,

The Bandit

At least 50, maybe as many as 75, but then I like collecting rules.

In order of acquisition, and paraphrasing titles wildly:

Bruce Quarrie's 'Napoleonic Wargames for fun' – useful general background, unplayable;

'Napoleonic Wargames' from 1970 – unplayable but a reminder of how far we have come;

'Empire V' – unplayable but beautfully presented;

'Newbury Rules' – unplayable;

'WRG 1645-1845' – great for their time but somewhat dated and a small figure ratio 1:50, whilst I now prefer 1:20;

'In the Grand Manner' – unplayable but inspiring;

'General de Brigade' – good workmanlike set of rules;

'Black Powder' – inspiring and eminently playable!

Most recently I have several editions of a set currently being playtested about which I cannot say much except predict these will force a watershed in grand-tactical scale Napoleonic gaming…

Bruce Quarrie's 'Napoleonic Wargames for fun' – useful general background, unplayable;
'Empire V' – unplayable but beautifully presented;
'In the Grand Manner' – unplayable but inspiring;

Except for all the people who play them :-p

Cheers,

The Bandit

To many to listing, and like many others, I have a few favorites, but I'm still looking for the "Holy Grail" of Napoleonic rules for miniature gaming.

None. Black Powder, but that's more generic.
I sold the figures and the rules and feel great.

Except for all the people who play them :-p

Er no, not the ones on my shelf they don't…the question was about our bookshelves and therefore our opinions, wasn't it?

None. Dont play Nappy.

Hmmm…a very short list--I'd better get cracking…

Empire V
General de Brigade
Chef de Bataillon

Shako 2,Grand Armee,Age Of Eagles,and some free ones off of the Web.

Sharp Practice, Le Feu Sacre, Shako 1, Shako 2, Lasalle, Grand Armee, Age of Eagles, Black Powder, WRG 1685-1845. Quarrie, Snappy Nappy

As I recall, the last time I counted, 170 or so, including some which were never published or distributed such as Battalionmasse. I would mention Jack Scruby's Fire and Charge and Strategy-Tactical Wargame.

My favorite title is "Today's Fox," though not a get set of rules.

Cheers,

Bob Coggins

Six – four from the store, two home-grown

At one point I've had most of those listed and sold them off. Down to 3 now, and only play one.
General de Brigade – preferred.
The Wargame – still break it out occasionally
Quarrie's Napoleonic Wargames for fun. – just use it for reference. Back in the day when I started out in the 70's, it was my mainstay.

oh yeah.. and a homespun when I want a fast game solo.

I think the question might be better reversed for some people. "How many shelves to hold your Napoleonic rulebooks?"

I,ve got rid of most of my surplus rule books for all periods, off the top of my head though there will still be about a dozen Napoleonic sets left. Only last night I was given another copy of Quarries "Napoleonic Campaigns in Miniature" must be the 4th or 5th copy I have had over the years.

Shako II
General de brigade
Polemos General de Division & Marechal d'Empire
March Attack
La Grand Guerre
Fast Play Grande Arm้e
Grande Arm้e
Sharp Practice
Horse, Foot & Guns
Le Feu Sacr้
Commit the Garde
Black Powder
Bonaparte Waltz, my own home brew rules
and some others I've forgotten

At least sixteen for land battles of which I think I've actually played about three:

Age of Eagles
General de Brigade
DBN
Song of Drums & Shakos
To the Sound of the Guns
Field of Glory: Napoleonics
Empire
La Grande Armee
Lasalle
Shako
Shako 2
Polemos General de Division & Marechal d'Empire
In The Grand Manner
Napoleonic Principles of War
Black Powder
Napoleon at War

Plus several naval sets:

Trafalgar
Fire As She Bears
Grand Fleet Actions in the Age of Sail
Sea War 1805
Signal for Close Action
Close Action

Plus at least two more sets I can't remember.

Grande Armee – played it many times and love it
Fast Play Grande Armee- never got around to playing it but I am sure I would like it based on the original.
Lasalle- Love it, played several times
Napoleon's Battles- Like it, played it 6 -10 times
Shako- never played
Shako II- Like it, played it a half dozen times
Fate of Battle- love it played it once, preparing to play some more.
Field of Battle- Like it a lot. Played it 4 or 5 times
Black Powder- have not played it, but the book is pretty, and many do like it. Will have to get around to it sometime.
Napoleon at War- Like it, played it twice
Field of Glory Napoleonics- Never played it, but it looks interesting
Warhammer Waterloo- Never played it, but I do like Warhammer Ancients and the book does look pretty.
Foundry Napoleon- never played – looks pretty though
From Valmy to Waterloo – Played it several times. I find it overly detailed, plays long (especially cavalry charges). Don't play anymore.
The Age of Eagles – Like it. Played it a couple of times
Le Feu Sacre- Never played, read the rules and they seem interesting. Will have to give them a go sometime.
General de Brigade. Same as with Le Feu.
Snappy Nappy. Played solo once, nice easy rules on a different scale than the rest
Rank and File Horse and Musket Rules- skim read it. Looks playable
Sharpe Practice- Like it. Played it a couple of tmes. Want to play it more
Songs of Drums and Shakos- Have not tried it yet
Freebies downloaded from the net: I have not played any but read or skimmed a few.
Napoleonic Fire and Fury (this and an early playtest version of The Age of Eagles)
The Limits of Glory (Napoleonic Wars)
Fast Play Napoleonic Rules ( a kind of DBA/Fire and Fury mix)
Republique
Vive L'Empereur!
Eagles over the Empire
Grenadier Rules

Naval:
Close Action (Love it, played it many times)
I have not tried any of these others
Navwar Quick Play Napoleonic Naval Wargame Rules
Freebie Naval rules:
Nelson's Wars
Quick and Dirty Napoleonic Naval Wars

I've got GdB Gentleman's edition – do I need to buy any more ???
:-)

GdB is good enough Teppsta.

Had around 20 some rulesets for Napoleonics. Sold the bunch and kept around 3 sets. Still never play though.

Land Battles:

Grande Armee – Played most frequently
Polemous – Not used
Napoleons Battles (Original) – Has not see the light since I was a kid.
Le Feu Sacr้ (Spelling?) Tried only once, but liked them

Sea Battles:

Heart of Oak: (The queen of them all)
Ship of the Line: From the early 80's (Still have fond memories of this one)
Ship of the Line: The newer one.
Kiss me Hardy: Played a few times but not extensively.
2-3 more of which I do not have a name for.

Sorry for the duplicate post!!!

8
Lasalle – played it stays on the shelf
FOGN – Played it sold it.
Black Powder – better when used with centimetres and smaller battalions.
Sharp Practice – great skirmish set doesn't take itself too seriously.
Shako – played it sold it
WRG 1685-1845 – stands up well after over 30 years some times change the figure scale.
AWRG 1685-1845 – incorporates 7YW amendments and interprets "Barkerees" into English. The one I play the most.
Elan – V2 was the best too many changes in V3.

Short answer:

Not many.

But, discounting all the rules I have saved from internet downloads (mostly free ones – there`s a lot of them) and not including my own, I only have seven and two of these are computer-moderated!
At times I have owned more rulesets and I`ve sold quite a few on through ebay.

Three of the paper sets I kept because people had given me them to me – i`m just sentimental I guess.
I think I recall doing some rules swaps with David Marks and Phillip Jones.

One set I retained because a friend is quite an aficianado of the rules, but I play although I feel they are lacking in some fundamental respects.

So I`ve kept them for some strange reasons I guess, not because I think they`re better than the other rule sets that I have owned in the past.

There is But One True Set of Horse and Musket Rules! WRG 1685-1845! All Else is Heresy!

5.

Land
Le Feu Sacre – I really like this game so much
Napoleon's Battles
Sharp Practice

Sea
Wooden Ships & Iron Men – I still love this game except for the boarding rules and will look at Kiss Me Hardy to see how they handle boarding. Unless anybody can recommend some good melee rules.
Trafalgar – I bought this for the pictures not the rules

Something like 60-70 land rules, collected over thirty years. Probably played 40 of them at one time or another. Now I stick to a few, with a new experiment every now and then.

Volley & Bayonet
Age of Eagles
Shako
Le Feu Sacre
Command & Colors Napoleonics [on the table]

Empire III and V
Carnage & Glory
Valmy to Waterloo
I have a copy of Legacy of Glory somewhere in the garage, but I haven't read through it.

A set of home grown rules my group used for years, that is why I have so few. Since the breakup of our group, I'm working on my own.
"Drums and Shakos Large Battles" and "Napoleon's Battles" are the only ones I've purchased. I don't count "Maurice", it is to generic just to be Napoleonic.
Sorry to have so few Napoleonic rules, but I game a lot of different periods.

Sparker:

Bruce Quarrie's 'Napoleonic Wargames for fun' – useful general background, unplayable; AGREED

'Napoleonic Wargames' from 1970 – unplayable but a reminder of how far we have come; NEVER PLAYED

'Empire V' – unplayable but beautfully presented; NEVER PLAYED

'Newbury Rules' – unplayable; DISAGREE, VERY PLAYABLE, HAD SOME EXCELLENT BATTLES

'WRG 1645-1845' – great for their time but somewhat dated and a small figure ratio 1:50, whilst I now prefer 1:20;

'In the Grand Manner' – unplayable but inspiring; DISAGREE – VERY PAYABLE, AGAIN HAD SOME EXCELLENT VERY LARGE BATTLES. AND THE REIGATE CLUB EDITION AS WELL. WERE MY FAVOURITE SETS AT ONE POINT.

'General de Brigade' – good workmanlike set of rules; AGREED

'Black Powder' – inspiring and eminently playable! NEVER PLAYED

Currently using 'ESPIRIT DE CORPS', agreeable.

Thanks mate, interesting. Re ITGM yes I had the Reigate version, good club project and well presented. I just didn't like all the arithmetic involved with fire and combat.