"Napoleonic rules for newbie teenagers" Topic

Hi Everyone,
I have some teens that I would like to introduce to nappy gaming. They enjoy history, but don't have much gaming experience outside of RPGs. I'm looking for rules recommendations. I don't care about figure size, or operational scale (brigade, corp, army, etc)- any is fine for me. I'm not looking for skirmish rules.

So in your opinion, what rules are FUN,EASY (relative terms, I know), can be concluded in 1-3 hours, and can easily involve 2-4 players.

Right now I have Shako and Napoleon at War, if any of you think those are good ones to try, but I'm happy to get new rules because I doubt I'll get a second shot at this :).

Our available playing areas are a coffee table and dinner table.

Cheers

black powder ..

Try Jr General. Here's Salamanca:
link

One hour wargames.

link

I've used Rank and File as a extremely simple intro and everybody was blazing away within minutes.

I'd say any of these except Black Powder. Too many moving parts.

what rules are FUN,EASY (relative terms, I know), can be concluded in 1-3 hours

Commands & Colors Napoleonics is a fun and easy way to introduce Napoleonics. The rules are simple and well written, and everything you need to play is in the box. Playing any actual set of wargame rules on a non-gridded table top with miniatures is extremely complex and usually takes several days to complete a game; and that is if you are already familiar with the rules.

I agree on C&C being a great system!

Thomas' One Hour Wargames: link

Another vote for One Hour. Pick them up in seconds and have them playing without referring to rules within minutes. They are designed to work on tables that have uses other than wargames…

Up a level (units being brigades) I'd suggest Volley and Bayonet would allow them to be the generals they read about.

I recommend Fast Play Napoleonic Wargame Rules by Jon Linney.

They were the first we played and I thought they worked really well. And they are free…..

link

Teens should be able to handle Black Powder….otherwise, go with one hour wargames…VERY simple rules.

Bob Cordery's Portable Napoleonic Wargame has simple rules with a common structure for brigade, division and army level games. See his Wargaming Miscellany blog for details.

Larry Brom's 'Before I was a Marshal…' was developed
back in the 1960's to give a game in 1-3 hours.

Units are 20 figures (inf) 12 (cav) gun and 4 figs is a
battery (foot or horse).

Four foot units with a gun is a brigade, single mounted
figure for command. No 'national differences' but you
can 'bolt on' some if you wish.

Great intro rules for younger or inexperienced gamers
but also a superb 'tool box' for adding your own
preferences vis-a-vis national differences.

Foot are organized 3 figures/base, cav 2 fig/base arty
crew are individually based. Foot therefore are 6 bases
of 3 plus a 2-figure command stand (officer and color).

Command and Colors to begin with, great introduction. After they get the basics of gaming I recommend Shako 1 because it is an easy read, simple, logical and easy to remember. Then I would like introduce them Black Powder and V&B. Seems like a logical progression to me.

Snappy Nappy allows a dive into large battles quickly. Most people seem to want to be a General, rather than a RSM. The game is also easy to begin, but hard to master.

One Hour Wargames.

Not Shako, surely!

I never really enjoyed a game of it.

I'd say Black Powder. Let's face it too many grognards complained about how simple it was!

Black powder – works well, and very flexible. You can make it more complicated if they enjoy it

It seems One Hour Wargames, Black Powder, and Commands and Colors: Napoleonics are well regarded for this kind of situation.

Turns out they wanted to try skirmish, so we played Song of Drums and Shakos and they had a ball. That works for me. And now I have some good rule suggestions if they want to do large-scale stuff. So thanks everyone!

I think there's a large battles variant of Song of Drums which might appeal?

colkitto, I think that is where we are headed.

Another vote for Rank and File, my 12 year old loves them. Hated Black Powder.

+1 for Rank and File rules. Good basic set that makes for fun game. Easy for anyone to use, and as you go, you can add optional rules that are sprinkled within the rule book. Also very easy to add house rules. Bonus, you can use them for other horse and musket periods.