"Kids Who Love Napoleonics" Topic
12 Posts
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| MTKnife | 20 Nov 2025 8:39 p.m. PST |
I have a 9-year-old who loves the Napoleonic Wars, and, really, anything in the age of musketry. He's all about line fire by guys in colorful uniforms, which is, I suspect, exactly the sort of aesthetic attraction that led many people to take up historical miniatures. The problem is, I don't know of a lot of 9-year-old who share my son's passion, and I'm not sure what to do to fulfill his interest in the subject. We joined a local historical miniatures group, and attending the meetings was the highlight of each week for him, but then yesterday, a day before this week's meeting, I was informed the members had decided group was only for adults. That's something I find unfortunate for a hobby that's literally dying of old age, but I can't tell them what to do. I'm a board wargamer (or nowadays, more of a boardgamer), so I don't have a collection of miniatures that we can play with, and right now I don't have the money to buy a bunch of them, even if I could convince a 9-year-old with ADHD to paint enough figures for an entire army. And I don't know of any self-contained games that scratch his itch of pushing around men in Napoleonic uniforms (too bad there's no Memoir '44 for the period). So I'm stuck. I don't suppose anyone else in New England, especially the Greater Boston/Central Massachusetts area has a kid with similar interests? |
 ochoin  | 20 Nov 2025 8:51 p.m. PST |
I applaud your boy's good taste. You probably don't want to hear this but I understand the stance of the local historical miniatures group. We do shows and get lots of bright eyed youngsters looking at the game. Often, the parents want to know if we're a club (no) and could their kiddo join. Again, no. It's not even that I don't want the effort to supervise young people (I'm a teacher – it is an effort) but the legal ramifications simply make this impossible. Child safety is a Big Deal here (& rightly so) and my pals & I aren't walking through that minefield. If we did ask some adult from the Show who was interested (we have done this a few times) & they asked to bring their 9 year old, I'd be OK with this. But definitely no "drop-offs" – "I'll back in 2 hours. Look after Young Hopeful for me till then." And even then the child would have to be fairly low maintenance. I'm fairly sure some of my pals don't have my patience with the young. I think you, as a good father, will need to become engrossed with H&M gaming until the boy is old enough to join a club. Don't entirely discount the possibility he may get a few interested mates signed up, once there are figures & games happening. |
| 14Bore | 21 Nov 2025 1:38 a.m. PST |
At Fall in a game I played had a Father and son who may have been 12 aging Bunker Hill and the kid had a command. And back at Historicon played a Napoleonic game with a around 15 who was a Napoleonic era fan so they are out there. |
| 14Bore | 21 Nov 2025 1:46 a.m. PST |
One thing advised the teenager, who was a Francophile was listen to podcasts. I follow Napoleonic Quarterly, Generals and Napoleon( probably a good lisen for biographies) and Napoleonic Wars podcast |
| Rhubarb 633 | 21 Nov 2025 3:21 a.m. PST |
I'm a board wargamer (or nowadays, more of a boardgamer), so I don't have a collection of miniatures that we can play with, and right now I don't have the money to buy a bunch of them, even if I could convince a 9-year-old with ADHD to paint enough figures for an entire army. And I don't know of any self-contained games that scratch his itch of pushing around men in Napoleonic uniforms (too bad there's no Memoir '44 for the period). So I'm stuck.
How about the Paper Soldiers series by Helion / Peter Dennis? link
To be sure, they don't have quite the same heft and tactile appeal of a well painted army in metal, but they are a very low cost means of building up an entire army (or armies). No painting required. There's set for the Peninsula War and a free set of downloadable rules too. If your son wanted to 'paint' some figures, there's a free downloadable 'colour your own' set of hussars.
Maybe also take a look at Peter Dennis' own site peterspaperboys.com . Lots more Napoleonics there in 10mm too. You mention that you are a more of a boardgamer these days. Command & Colours Napoleonic? It probably wouldn't be too difficult to replace the wooden blocks with some stands of the Paper Boys 10mm card figures. Hope that may be of help. |
| Takeda1x | 21 Nov 2025 4:43 a.m. PST |
Second what Rhubarb 633 said…..Peter Dennis Paperboys if you want to assemble them, ( I do) or you can buy ready to go WoFun plexiglass miniatures.
The way to go without a large investment in cash and painting time. |
 ColCampbell | 21 Nov 2025 5:49 a.m. PST |
As far as Commands & Colors Napoleonic, our group uses metal figures instead of the blocks. Using the pre-painted paper figures should fit the bill for both your son and you. Jim |
| T Corret | 21 Nov 2025 6:39 a.m. PST |
Battle Group Boston was a great group back in the day. They run Havoc, a yearly convention. For minis, try Epic. A rule set that requires few figures try Snappy Nappy, which has a huge game in Connecticut most years. Congratulations to your son, I was about the same age sixty years ago, Good luck! |
| arthur1815 | 21 Nov 2025 6:44 a.m. PST |
Have you seen Travel Battle by Perry Miniatures? If not, it might be worth a look: two plastic armies of c. 8mm figures coloured red and blue, some buildings and forests, with plastic terrain boards that can be rearranged to give different battlefields, and a simple set of rules. |
| 79thPA | 21 Nov 2025 7:20 a.m. PST |
Also look at 1/72 or 1/32 plastic soldiers. |
| Grattan54 | 21 Nov 2025 10:31 a.m. PST |
I feel very sorry for your son, I think it inexcusable to ban him from from the meetings. Rather than have him be older maybe the men who are playing with toy figures, pushing them around on a table should grow up and let a little boy enjoy playing too. |
 McKinstry  | 21 Nov 2025 1:26 p.m. PST |
I also agree Command & Colors might be ideal for the young gentleman. Shame on anyone who excludes rather than encourages the next generation. |
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