"Rules recommendations" Topic

Due to some life changes (two kids under two, primarily!), my time for gaming has dropped to nil, and painting time has been cut back to almost nil. However, I can occasionally find time for some reading.

I'm interested in purchasing a couple (or more) rules for gaming in the time of the Napoleonic wars. My collection currently consists of Lasalle, Sharp Practice, Black Powder, Song of Drums and Shakos, Le Feu Sacre and Field of Glory Napoleonics. As for miniatures, I have a Russian army of Tsar Alexander I, suitable for around 1812-14 in 28mm, and am starting to build up some French opponents.

What do you recommend I add to my collection of rules? Opponents' preferences aren't particularly relevant at the moment. (my local club has tried BP an FoG:N) Should I be looking at Napoleon's Battles, Shako, General de Brigade, something else? For the short term, I'm only looking to add one or two rulebooks.

Any advice gratefully appreciated! Thanks

Will

Don't bother. I think you've already got the best of the bunch!

I certainly you think you have some excellent rules. I play Black Powder if I want to command a division, but it my meglomania is getting the better of me, I enjoy Age of Eagles (Napoleonic Fire and Fury). Like Naps Batts the basic unit is the infantry or cavalry brigade, unlike Naps Batts, you, as a corps commander, get a say in where the divisional artillery is deployed.

Grande Armee is missing from your collection. Very different from the others you already own. Units are brigades and you play the army commander. As such there are no "formations" as it is not the job of Napoleon or Blucher or Charles to decide those things. You have an officer corps for a reason.

flagshipgames.com/shop

You might also drop by my "Rules Directory" project which summarizes various rules sets (check both the Napoleonic as well as the 19th Century sections):

link

Lastly, take a look for free rule sets – many of which are a fun read even if you don't have time to play:

freewargamesrules.co.uk

try Napoleon at War, I like the movement mechanism and gives a good game too. manatwar.es/?p=157

For gaming at Corps level and below with battalions as a basic unit and a scale of 20:1, I recommend General de Brigade.

I like the balance between the realistic complexity of Napoleonic tactics and the ease of play that GdeB rules provide.

Carnage and Glory computer moderated rules…allows you more flexibility in basing and with the campaign system about to be released they give you more options for running seamless campaigns and battle.

db

Die Fighting is a great game with an interesting attrition system that causes you to really think about the decisions you need to make as a commander.

As mentioned above, I'd also recommend Black Powder and Age of Eagles. Black Powder is fast moving and easy to pick up.

Unlike most other Napoleonic rules which use the battalion as the basic maneuver element, Age of Eagles uses the brigade so it focuses on larger actions.

thanks for the suggestions, everyone!

You have a pretty big collection. Just for FYI we use Shako 2 in our group. Can be used for mid-sized and large battles. The forum also has a way to try and play solo.

Seven rule sets is a big collection? I have more than seven skirmish rule sets specifically for the Napoleonic period. I think I currently own 130 Napoleonic rule sets, and am always scouring E-bay and flea markets for those I don't have yet.

No, I don't have a problem. I can stop any time i want to!

For the morbid, here is my list:

• 1805 (Napoleonic)
  
• Column, Line & Square 2nd Ed
  
• Column, Line & Square 3rd Ed
  
• Eagles, Swords & Bayonets
  
• Look, Sarge, No Charts: Napoleonic Wars
  
• March Attack
  
• Rules for the Napoleonic Period
  
• Short Attention Span Napoleonics
  
• Sound the Charge
  
• Sword, The Bayonet and the Lance, The
  
• Throne of Bayonets
  
• 1st Empire, The Napoleonic Wargame Rules
  
• A to Z Rules: Campaigns of Napoleon
  
• Adventures in the Rifle Brigade
  
• Age of Battles
  
• Age of Eagles
  
• Age of Glory
  
• Banners & Bayonets
  
• Battailonmasse
  
• Battles for Empire
  
• Before I Was A Marshall I Was A Grenadier
  
• Capitan
  
• Chef de Bataillon
  
• Cold Steel & Canister
  
• Commit the Garde!
  
• Corps d'Armee
  
• Covered With Glory: Tactical Level Rules
  
• Dawn's Early Light Second Edition
  
• DBN
  
• Eagles to Glory
  
• Easy Napoleonic Rules
  
• Elan Deluxe
  
• Empire IV
  
• En Avant
  
• Fast Play Grande Armee
  
• Field of Glory: Napoleonics
  
• Fire & Steel
  
• First in the Field
  
• Frappe
  
• From Valmy to Waterloo
  
• General de Brigade
  
• General de Brigade Deluxe Edition
  
• Generalship Napoleonics
  
• Grand Battery
  
• Grand Manouevre: Black Powder and Blue Steel
  
• Grand Tactics
  
• Grande Armee
  
• Green Jackets & Voltigeurs
  
• Grognards & Grenadiers
  
• Guard du Corps
  
• Gunboat!
  
• Horse, Foot, & Guns
  
• Houserules Napoleonics
  
• Huzzah! 1st Ed.
  
• Imperial Guard
  
• Imperial Guard II
  
• Imperial Lances
  
• In The Grand Manner
  
• In The Grand Manner 2nd ed.
  
• In The Name Of Glory
  
• In the Name of Glory 2006
  
• In the Name of Glory 4th Ed.
  
• In the Name of Glory 5th Ed.
  
• Le Feu Sacre 1st Ed.
  
• Le Feu Sacre 2nd Ed.
  
• Le Feu Sacre 3rd Ed.
  
• Le Petit Empereur
  
• Le Vol de L'aigle
  
• Legacy of Glory
  
• Les Champs de Bataille
  
• Les Grognards
  
• March Toward the Sound of Guns
  
• Mayhem: Warring Nations
  
• Micro Napoleonics
  
• Muskets and Moustaches
  
• NapoleoN
  
• Napoleon (Wargames Foundry, 2009)
  
• Napoleon At War
  
• Napoleonic Command: A Study In Grand Tactics
  
• Napoleonic Game of War
  
• Napoleonic Grand Campaigns
  
• Napoleonic Rules for Large-scale Wargames with Small-scale Miniatures
  
• Napoleonic Warfare (Gore)
  
• Napoleonic Warfare 1813c
  
• Napoleonic Warfare Grand Tactical Rules 3rd (Bell)
  
• Napoleonic Warfare: Rules for Wargames 4th Ed.
  
• Napoleonique
  
• Napoleonique Encore
  
• Napoleon's Battles (1st)
  
• Napoleon's Battles (2nd)
  
• Napoleon's Battles (3rd)
  
• Napoleon's Campaigns in Miniature
  
• Napoleon's Eagles
  
• Napoleon's War
  
• Old Trousers
  
• Once Upon A Time In The Western Peninsula
  
• One Day Napoleonic Campaign
  
• Pas de Charge!
  
• Piquet: Les Grognards
  
• Playable Napoleonic Wargames
  
• Polemos: Napoleonics
  
• Polemos: Napoleonics 2nd Ed.
  
• Pro Patria
  
• Republic to Empire
  
• Republique
  
• Revolution & Empire
  
• Rules for Napoleonic Land Warfare
  
• Sabres!
  
• Shako
  
• Shako II
  
• Sharp Practice
  
• Sharpe's Skirmish
  
• Snappy Nappy
  
• Song of Drums and Shakos
  
• To the Sound of the Guns 1st ed.
  
• To the Sound of the Guns 2nd Ed.
  
• To the Sound of the Guns 3rd Ed.
  
• Tout Soldat: Napoleonic Wargames Rules for the Competition Player
  
• Tremble Ye Tyrants
  
• Tricolor (Crane)
  
• Tricolor (Kinzer)
  
• Twilight of Empire
  
• Uncle Duke's Napoleonette
  
• Valeur et Discipline
  
• Vive L'Empereur
  
• Volley & Bayonet
  
• Warfare in the Age of Napoleon
  
• Wargame Rules 1685-1845
  

Well Crispy we are not all asked to rate or comment on rule sets, LOL. However, sorry you have an addiction :) I would spend too much time trying to figure out what set to use.

I do appreciate your insight and reviews. On that note, if someone really likes Shako 2 what other set would you recommend??

Extra Crispy = "Rulus Junkius Superiorus"

My vote goes to Age of Eagles and Empire III as my favorites.

@FredLoan:

I switch from rules to rules like some guys change socks. And i said I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM! Sheesh, you sound like my wife…

That said, if you really like Shako II why not stick with it? Otherwise I'd say look at Le Feu Sacre…

Hi Extra Crispy,

Excellent range of rules you have!

Hope you continue to find more.

Meanwhile, second Ironduke's vote for General Brigade which is balanced, playable and realistic.

Cheers,

Paul

I don't see the French set Les Aigles, on your list. I kinda liked the for the time and for what they were.

You need to invest in commands and colors

I like Commands and Colors too. It is an easy game to play and comes with everything you need in the box. It is played on a hexagonal grid so there is never any ambiguity of movement. The rules are simple and well written.

You can also try Grand Battles Napoleon.

Napoleonic quickie! The name says it all. Fast, fun, furious.