Wargame Rules

for 1680-1721 Period

review by Dan Schorr

These rules are available from Jessica Productions, 186 Torbay Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA2 9QL, UK. Price 3.50 plus 20% (surface) or 45% (airmail) postage in sterling check. U.S. customers $8 (surface) or $9 (airmail) in U.S. bills only. 28 pages (22 of rules).

Written by the well-known author and wargamer, Stuart Asquith, these rules are in the grand tradition of Charles Grant, Peter Young and Don Featherstone, and are based on the author's 1986 rules. Malburian Warfare 1702-1714". The rules are designed for use with individually based 25mm figures, although they could work with smaller scales and figures based in groups.

Recommended regular unit sizes are 21 figures for foot and 12 figures including an officer, standard/color bearer and musician (these figures do not fire, but they do melee). If the unit has pike, then there should be a 2:1 ratio of musketeer's to pike. Irregular infantry and cavalry unit sizes are left up to the player, but overall unit strength should not exceed the 21 and 12 figure for foot and mounted. Recommended guidelines for Jacobites and Monmouth rebel units are provided. Battalion guns and 3 pdrs. have a crew of two and are attached to infantry units, while field artillery have a crew of four and are grouped in batteries of two models.

The sequence of play follows a traditional pattern: declare charges, movement, artillery fire, small arms fire, melee, pursuits/rallies, check morale status. Movement is simultaneous and governed by die rolls. Fire and Melee results are regulated by a somewhat unique table and system which is based on the number of figures involved and the roll of an average dice. Modifiers, which are few, are applied to the number of figures involved rather than die dice roll, and overall casualties appear to be low. Morale is continuous and regulated by the number of figures remaining in the unit after fire and melee. No die rolls are made for morale.

Missing are rules for formation changes and the effects of terrain on movement, fire and melee, but these are easily added by the players. These rules are designed for a friendly gentlemanly game with a small number of large basic units. The rules are simple, well written and easily understood yet, they contain some nice nuances which will produce an interesting and challenging game. Omitted is the glitz and detail of many rules which most wargamers end up modifying or eliminating anyway. They are worth a try; I think you'll enjoy them.

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