"which napoleonic rule set is the best and easiest to play?" Topic

hi guys. i wondered which rules set/ sets are the easiest to play but retain the flavor of the period?

i just do not have a degree in accounting that some rules require.

thanks for all imput!

Sam Mustafa's Lasalle gets a thumbs up from me. They are an easy set of rules to learn and play. I was able to pick them up over the course of my first game and enjoyed them.

They certainly do not require a degree in accounting, geometry or Napoleonic history to play.

As to capturing the flavor of the period, that I can't say well. I enjoy them and they seem to include the eleents I think of when I think of Napoleonics, infantry, Cavalry of several types, artillery, etc, but I am far from an expert on the period.

These days you would be hard pressed to find a set of Napoleonic rules that require a degree in accounting. Every rule set published these days promises fast play and resolution in an evening. That said, here is a page that summarises a lot of different ones you may find useful:

link

This page summarizes a bunch that are more general in scope – covering the entire 19th century or the entire horse and musket period:

link

I find Age of Eagles easy and quick to pick up. At cons, most players can run the turns on their own by turn 3. 90% of the information is on the QRS or the unit labels

Another vote for Age of Eagles. Easy to learn and fun to play.

If you have familiarity with Fire and Fury and/or Bloody Big Battles, then Age of Eagles would be a great fit indeed.

Shako & Volley & Bayonet are playable/easy to learn.

Drums and Shakos Large Battles for commanding a division of 2-3 brigades and a small reserve.

My take on Featherstone's H&M rules. link Just 6 pages of rules.

Empire and Legacy of Glory

Using Command and Colors Napoleonic with figures gets my vote. Games are quick, too.

Black Powder are fast play and simple, yet give a real Napoleonic game with their emphasis on C2

DBN perhaps?

Perhaps, if the OP could describe what elements of Napoleonic warfare are most attractive to them we could be more helpful? Do you want to re-fight skirmishes, divisional actions or whole battles like Borodino or Waterloo? Do you like a table/chart driven set of rules or a buckets o' dice approach? Figure removal or markers to show casualties? Etc, etc.

I agree with nsolomon99.

Flavour of the period lies very much, IMHO, in the eyes and even more in the imagination of the player.

nsolomon99 and arthur1815 have given the best advice imo. Decide what you want from your games, and, more importantly, how you want them to look and try out sets that have the same ideas as you.

For what it's worth, my ideal was set many years ago with views of Peter Gilder's 1:20 games. I started off in 25mm and using the various editions of "In the Grand Manner", and I now use 15/18mm and "General de Brigade" because of it's command and control rules.

Just wrapping up a solo refight of Waterloo using Black Powder with the Albion supplements. I more usually play SYW but I have ben very impressed with the way these rules give a very Napoleonic flavour with the rules suggested in the supplements

"Napoleon Command" would follow your definition. I'm a Chartered Accountant (CPA) and I don't need excess mathematics in a game (or a flow chart to work out a move).

The author does give you some background to let you decide if they are for you:

PDF link

warartisan.com/rules

If it's easy you want, take a look at those rules by Neil Thomas; "Napoleonic Wargames" also "An Introduction to Wargames"

Vicmagpa1,
THE best rules are the ones your opponent is playing at the same time in the same game as you. Good luck with this lot. (insert appropriate emoticon).

You asked a loaded question. Also, what are you prefs? i.e you like units with lots of figures or few? Battalion or Division? etc.

Currently, there is no holy grail of Napoleonic rules.

To answer your question, take a look at all the ones mentioned above, but Lasalle is a good choice.

Age of Eagles and Blucher and General De Brigade depending on figure and game scale

The easiest rules I ever played were called Imperial Guard II by Ed Konstanze (?). they were played locally in the Maryland suburbs of Washington D.C. Anyone remember these rules?

thank you guys! much appreciated. i like napoleonics at regimental level. thanks!