British Grenadier

Rules for the
Wars for America 1775-1783

by Jerry Chaskes

British Grenadier is a set of rules for tabletop battles designed primarily with 25/28 mm figures in mind with distances for the 15 mm games included in brackets.

It is lavishly illustrated with photographs, maps, and diagrams, as well as color photographs of gaming figures and reproducible colored flags. Play sheets, which are included in the center of the rules, can be easily removed and reproduced for group play.

British Grenadier is based heavily on David Brown's rules, General De Brigade, but it is a different rule set. The concept of "Disruption Points" as they affect movement, firing, melee, retreat, rout and pursuit, is the major difference. (Disruption Points represent both the physical and psychological. Each unit may accumulate DP's during its movement, moral, firing, or melee phases.

The rules have comprehensive sections on troop types and formations, the role of senior officers and organization, game set-up and the game turn, control, charges, movement, terrain, firing, skirmishes, melee, moral, disruption points, risk to the general and special or optional rules. There is also an appendix with scenarios for Bunker Hill, Freeman's Farm and Guilford Courthouse, and an appendix with hints for building armies.

To play British Grenadier, each player needs 2D6 and 2DAV, as well as the order markers and roster sheets which are provided with the rules. The troops themselves may be based for other rules or basing systems, as long as basing is consistent within the troops being used. However, the rules do provide a complete guide for basing figures.

My impression of these rules is that they are comprehensive and capture the subtle flavor of the war in North America from 1775 to 1783 without the sacrifice of playablility. Both the experienced gamer and the novice should be able to play British Grenadier without too much difficulty and have a game that accurately reflects the warfare of that age. Published by Partizan Press. Price: £ 12.50. Available from Caliver Books, 816-818 London Rd, Leigh on Sea, Essex SS9 3NH, UK; web: www.caliverbooks.com, tel 01702 473986.

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