Copyright 2003 T. Sheil & A. Sheil All Rights Reserved
All Wargames and Wargaming Page
"The Charge of the Light Brigade" is the quintessential tale of the "Horse and Musket"era. It is a time of steady footsoldiers and dashing cavalry, of barking cannons and ranks of musketeers. The Horse and Musket era covers some of the most famous events in Western History. It embraces the Seven Years War, French Revolution, Napoleonic Wars and Crimean Wars of Europe, as well as the French & Indians war, the Revolution, the War of 1812, the Alamo, Mexican American War and Civil War in North America. The Horse and Musket eras begins with great clashes between European empires, and ends with the anecdotal Battle of Ridgeway in Canada.
What makes Horse and Musket Wargaming so popular? One would have a difficult time assigning its appeal to any one factor. For some, it is the colorful armies arrayed in bright uniforms. Others like the clear-cut style of fighting ,with infantry ,cavalry and artillery having well-defined missions and tactics. The sheer volume of historical research and documentation of this era make it accessible to the novice and the experienced wargamer. Likewise, many feel an affinity with these events of the past, which were important parts of our own history. These are the things we learned in our history classes, after all!
Horse and Musket is well-served with an awesome array of miniatures, rules and literature. Numerous brands of supplies which vie for the wargamer's money. Most major campaigns are well-served with rulesets, board games and miniature figures. Makers produce almost every type and unit of soldier that served from 1700 to 1870. Armies of the Napoleonic Era and the American Civil War dominate Horse and Musket wargaming. They are the best-supplied conflicts in the entire historical wargaming hobby.
If you like well-organized units of troops in formation, and the challenge of pitting one formation against another, Horse and Musket will serve you well!
Armchair Generals a free set of rules for 54mm wargaming in the era of gunpowder and musketry by Ken Cliffe. Ken is a major exponent of wargaming the War of 1812, and has developed a nice set of rules. They can also be adapted for other scales of troops. (Ken provided the War of 1812 pics on the Army Men Homepage)
Elan Rules for Napoleonic Warfare - www.deepfriedhappymice.com/elanrules - well-designed rules for playing the favorite Horse and Musket war. These had been a commercial set, but were relegated to free status by the author. Includes army lists.
Alienstar Free Rules - downloadable game rules for several eras from Alienstar Publishing
(Alienstar's regular site is not working, so try this temporary link: Temporary Location of Alienstar Rules )
Jim Wallman's Free rules - He has a variety of simple, fun rules for various eras and genre, including simple Napoleonic rules.
Bucket O' Muzzleblast - quick, simple rules for warfare from the American Revolution to the American Civil War. Available throuhg our Milihistriot Website
Phil Barker's Website Phil is a noted wargames writer, and currently offers rules for Horse and Musket warfare called Horse Foot and Guns1701-1915. He is the head of the Wargames Research Group:
History of the Wargames Research Group One of the leading sources for wargames rules for decades. Site also has copies of the older versions of the WRG rules, including Wargames Rules 1750 - 1850