/mivacommon/member/pass.mv: Line 148: MvEXPORT: Runtime Error: Error writing to 'readers/pass_err.log': No such file or directory [TMP] "Skirmish level Napoleonics with character development" Topic

 Help support TMP


"Skirmish level Napoleonics with character development" Topic


11 Posts

All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.

In order to respect possible copyright issues, when quoting from a book or article, please quote no more than three paragraphs.

For more information, see the TMP FAQ.


Back to the Getting Started with Napoleonics Message Board


Areas of Interest

Napoleonic

Featured Hobby News Article


Featured Link


Top-Rated Ruleset

De Bellis Antiquitatis (DBA)


Rating: gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star 


Featured Showcase Article

1:600 Xebec

An unusual addition for your Age of Sail fleets.


Featured Profile Article

First Look: Barrage's 28mm Roads

Personal logo Editor in Chief Bill The Editor of TMP Fezian takes a look at flexible roads made from long-lasting flexible resin.


8,409 hits since 21 Sep 2025
©1994-2025 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?

Gorketh21 Sep 2025 5:45 p.m. PST

Hi all, is there a skirmish level (say ~10 miniatures) Napoleonics wargame that has detailed campaign and character development? I'm thinking along the lines of similar to GW Necromunda/Mordheim.

RittervonBek21 Sep 2025 11:26 p.m. PST

I'm pretty sure Nordic Weasel has a game doing exactly that on Wargames Vault.

Personal logo Old Contemptible Supporting Member of TMP22 Sep 2025 1:58 p.m. PST

Sharp Practice

link

advocate Supporting Member of TMP22 Sep 2025 2:04 p.m. PST

I think Sharp Practice fails on both counts – needs around 40 figures per side minimum, and little if any character advancement.

Eumelus Supporting Member of TMP22 Sep 2025 6:01 p.m. PST

It might be a fun project to write one's own. Here's some notes I made some time back on a projected Napoleonic version of "Necromunda":

Pistol: STR 3, 6"/- close, 12"/-1 long, 1 turn to reload; a figure can carry 2 pistols

Blunderbuss: STR 3, 12"/- close, no long, 1 turn reload; 1" template, disregard cover

Carbine: STR 3, 6"/- close, 18"/-1 long, 1 turn reload; if sling used, can be dropped and sabre readied automatically

Musket: STR 4, 12"/- close, 24"/-1 long, 1 turn reload; can affix Bayonet

Rifle: STR 4, 12"/+1 close, 32"/- long, 2 turns reload for rifled shot, 1 turn for musket(as above); can affix Bayonet

Sabre: STR as User, can Parry
Bayonet: STR as User, Long weapon (see below)
Lance: STR as User, Long weapon (see below), doesn't parry

Cuirass: 6 save, -1 M
Horse: M8; a rider counts as +1 T versus shooting or when in melee with infantry

Reloading: Can move but no charge or run; if mounted cannot move and reload.

Rifle Reloading: A rifle can be reloaded with a tight-fitting rifled round (takes 2 turns), or a loose-fitting ball that has the same ballistic characteristics as a musket shot (takes 1 turn).

Long weapon: A figure armed with a longer weapon than opponent counts as being Uphill (+1 to combat score); if actually uphill the figure doesn't count the bonus twice, but a downhill fighter with a longer weapon would cancel out the uphill bonus. Bayonets and lances are longer than sabres, cudgels, etc.; a lance also counts as longer than a bayonet if the lance-armed figure charged, but not if charged or in a continuing melee.

Pinning: Unlike modern arms, there is no immediate threat from a blackpowder firearm that has just narrowly missed the target; therefore blackpowder firearms do not cause pinning.

Bottle Check: Roll 3 dice and discard highest if 75% or more of unit is in close order.

Rules are the easy part, designing a fun and fair campaign with a mix of scenarios, etc. is the challenge. But something in the Peninsula should work – French and French allies, Spanish (both pro- and anti-French), British, and Deserter warbands scrapping in the hills for glory, gold, promotion, and revenge (as the case may be). Escort The General, Rescue the Captives, Grab the Payroll, Destroy the Bridge, Escape the Ambush – just some scenario ideas.

"The Silver Bayonet" has figure count in your range and character advancement, but the horror/monster hunting theme may not be to the true grognard's taste.

mmessenger22 Sep 2025 7:19 p.m. PST

Two possibilities…more adjacent than on target.

Song of Drums and Tomahawk by Ganesha Games. Skirmishing in the French & Indian War. 12 or fewer figures on a side. Not sure if character development is included.

Alternative armies Flintloque should also work. You'll need to translate sideways a bit from black powder fantasy back into reality.

Toaster22 Sep 2025 10:30 p.m. PST

Ganesha Games also has Song of Drums and Shakos for specifically Napoleonic fights. The scale is perfect but there is no character development.
HOWEVER… The system is a development of their fantasy skirmish Song of Blades and Heroes and that does have a campaign supplement Song of Deeds and Glory that could be used as the basis of a campaign for Drums and Shakos. But you would need to rewrite the reward tables at the least.

Robert

Gorketh23 Sep 2025 3:47 a.m. PST

Thanks for the responses everyone, appreciate you taking the time to respond. I found a TMP thread titled "How Many Napoleonic Rules Sets Do We Need?" which states that, in 2022, there were 550 discrete rule sets so I might have to do some sleuthing.

Nordic Weasel

Of course Ivan has something, what a legend. I had a look and bought Five Kilometres From Leipzig and Musket to Rifle to check those out. Five Kilometres From Leipzig is not as detailed, but is certainly along the lines of what I was thinking of.
Sharp Practice

I was under the impression, and I think advocate probably confirms, that it isn't what I'm looking for. Skirmish but no character advancement and probably too many miniatures for character advancement.
fun project to write one's own

You're probably onto something. My issue is I don't know enough about the era to write something but I'm interested enough to, say, buy the new French/Spanish box from Perry Miniatures and have some detailed skirmish (uninformed) fun. Re: Silver Bayonet, I think some club members own it, so I'll ask about that; might be easy enough to ignore the horror/monster components.
Song of Drums…

I managed to have a look at the rules, doesn't appear to have character progression. Not sure if I have the knowledge of the era to convert Flintloque and using Songs of Deeds and Glory.

Personal logo Extra Crispy Sponsoring Member of TMP23 Sep 2025 7:15 a.m. PST

95th from Two Hour / Rebel:

link

Low figure count, RPG lite rules included.

What about the horror game Silver Bayonet? Set during the right period, low figure count. Not sure it has the RPG element you want.

Osprey's "Outremer" is for the Crusades but might be a starting point. A handful of figures per side, plays super fast, and includes character/skill development.

TimePortal23 Sep 2025 12:47 p.m. PST

We have used GLORY since unlisted in 1984. Great quick play with small squad or smaller. For large battles platoon (30) or less was recommended. Any scale. We used 15 and 25/28. Best results were using hex grid maps. Made moves and firing easier.

robert piepenbrink Supporting Member of TMP24 Sep 2025 4:01 a.m. PST

I've been playing Napoleonics since the late 1960's. It doesn't develop character, though many of the people who play are characters.

Sorry - only verified members can post on the forums.