Napoleonic Rules Review

Miniature Warfare

Introduction

by Bruce Weeks

Because it has always been the most popular period in wargaming, Napoleonic period wargame rules have tended to be numerous. This trend continues today with more sets being released (and in some cases rereleased) constantly. In this article we will attempt to review constructively several sets of Napoleonic period rules that are indicative of a new trend in wargaming towards games of "grand tactical" scale.

We tend to describe grand tactical games as those where each player assumes the rule of a Divisional or even Corps commander and in which the, rules should, in some way, reproduce the ebb and flow between the major units of the period that would be locked in combat. This is by no means as simple to get at as it sounds. Too many details concerning the organization, movement, facing, and firing, of the units leads to a game overly concerned with tactical matters, such a game does not infuse the broad sweep of the battle field interactions of the three major combat arms. Too generalized an approach, on the other hand, eliminates many of the intrinsic organizational and capability differences that lends so much of the flavour to the period. Somewhere in between these two extremes lies the as yet uncaptured level of true Grand Tactical gaming.

What we hope to do in reviewing these sets of rules is give them as objective a rating as we can with respect to the following categories as well as giving our impressions on how well they approach and maintain a grand tactical level of play.

Major Playing Concepts - what are the rule writers primary means of carrying on the game - what makes it tick?

Playability - How easy are the rules to understand and play?

Mechanisms - How complex or simple are the major relationships that make up the game. Does it all go together?

Organization - How well organized and thought out are the rules. Are thay cross referenced adequately?

Completeness - Does it cover all aspects of the period that most players would expect to be able to find covered?

Compatability - Would it be compatible (figure organization, etc.) with other sets of rules currently in use or is it a stand alone effort?

Cost vs. Content - Is the total cost justified by the content of the rules?

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