18TH CENTURY AMERICAN:
18TH CENTURY EUROPEAN:
Flint & Steel


Brief Description Rules focusing on combat operations during the American Revolution, designed to emphasize the differences between infantry units and the effects of leadership. The basic tabletop unit is the battalion/regiment, which are organized into brigades, which in turn form columns (divisions). The rules cover formations, charges, musketry and melee combat, artillery, and morale.

Target Priority rules limit which units can fire on which targets. After melee, or upon being charges, units may involuntarily retrograde - which in turn may lead to an enemy advance (sometimes involuntarily). Artillery (guns, howitzers, and mortars) can fire roundshot, grapeshot, caseshot, or shell, and ammunition is kept track of.

Orders (Attack, Defend, Maneuver, Withdraw, Reserve, Support) are issued to brigades and columns by commanders one turn in advance, but actual orders may differ from the issued orders (especially if the leader is of poor quality). Units are represented by blank stands until "spotted"; dummy stands are also used to simulate the fog of war. The battle concludes when only one player has units remaining on the tabletop.

The Compendium contains ratings for all units and leaders from the Revolutionary War, a random scenario generator, optional rules (reinforcements, infantry ammunition, fatigue, surprise, night fighting, weather, friendly fire, supplies, communications, flank security, double facing, random events, "large" units, and an alternate basing scheme for 5mm figures), rules and tables covering European Wars, and three scenarios (Bunker's Hill and Cowpens from the Revolutionary War, and Kolin from the Seven Years War).

Period The focus is on the American Revolution, but the Compendium includes rules for the European Wars of 1740-1789 (including colonial conflicts)
Scale
One figure 33 infantry or cavalry
4 cannon
or 1 leader
One game turn 30 minutes
Using 30mm figures 2 inches 51mm 33 yards
Using 25mm figures 1 2/3 inches 42mm
Using 20mm figures 1 1/3 inches 34mm
Using 15mm figures 1 inch 25.4mm
Using 10mm figures 2/3 inch 17mm
Using 5mm figures 1/3 inch 8mm
Basing
Scale Infantry Cavalry Artillery
frontage per figure
X depth
frontage
(depth as required)
frontage
(base is square)
30mm 3/4" x 1" 19mm x 25mm 1 1/2" 38mm 3" 76mm
25mm 5/8" x 5/6" 16mm x 21mm 1 1/4" 32mm 2 1/2" 64mm
20mm 1/2" x 2/3" 13mm x 17mm 1" 25mm 2" 51mm
15mm 3/8" x 1/2" 10mm x 13mm 3/4" 19mm 1 1/2" 38mm
10mm 1/4" x 1/3" 6mm x 8mm 1/2" 13mm 1" 25mm
5mm 1/8" x 1/6" 3mm x 4mm 1/4" 6mm 1/2" 13mm
# of figures usually 3
(sometimes 1 or 2)
2 1 gun plus crew
Contents
  • 36-page rules booklet
  • 64-page Compendium (tables, optional rules, scenarios)
  • 6 full-size cards
    • 3 reference cards
    • 3 marker tracks
  • 140 die-cut markers
Designer Richard J. Kane (rkane@polymail.calpoly.edu)
Publisher First edition published 1997 by Clash of Arms.

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Online Resources

Publisher's Website
Thumbnail description and contents list.

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Last Updates
22 October 1998added link to publisher's site
27 May 1997added designer's email address
13 May 1997first published
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