The Miniature Wargaming Editor Iron Mitten has a photo tutorial on making wheat fields from door mats.
You can get the textured door mats in a variety of colors and textures, so this technique should be usable for a lot of different types of fields.
Jim Gandy offers Camp Cromwell Rules For Naval Warfare In The Age of Sail. The author writes:
The rules are designed for multiplayer games with each player commanding a squadron of a few ships. We mostly fight small actions of 2 players & about 5 ships a side – which take an hour or so. But the game goes quickly, so large fleet actions are perfectly feasible, if you have enough ship models & a big enough hex grid.
The principles of the game are:
1. The game is played on a hex grid.
2. The ship models are mounted on magnetic bases with a paper overlay with washers used as sliding counters to record damage
3. Each squadron has log to record proposed maneuvers. These too are magnetic boards with paper overlays. The proposed moves for each turn is recorded in secret by positioning magnetic counters for each ship on a small hex grid on the log. Details of ammunition type & reload status are also recorded here in secret.
4. All the ships are then moved simultaneously in accordance with those orders.
5. Firing of broadsides is then adjudicated for all ships, usually simultaneously.
6. Finally, boarding actions are resolved.
The skill in the game is the need to second guess the enemy, work out where he’s going be at the end of the next move phase & get your ship in a position to fire at him with the optimum ammunition loaded – and to avoid that fate yourself – in particular to get & to avoid raking fire which is particularly effective.
Instructions on how to use a pin vice
GRIT is a set of free wargames rules for nearly any genre. The authors write:
GRIT™ is a system of rules designed for tactical gameplay with 25 — 28 mm miniatures where each figure represents one person or creature. The rules can be used for scenarios where each player employs a single miniature, a tactical squad, or battle groups with reinforcements. Distances are presented in the form of inches with the scale 1″ [2.5 cm] on a table-top or playing surface (if using Adventure Areas™ or other interior gameplay surface this is divided into 1″ squares or hexes), equaling 5′ [1.5 m] — all measurements listed in feet are relative to scale of the miniatures. GRIT may be used for solitary play or for two or more players — a Gamemaster (referee) is optional (employed for ‘double-blind’ games where players only place miniatures on the play area when they are in the Line of Sight of opposing figures).
GRIT was developed in response to a demand for miniatures rules that balance fast setup and gameplay with unlimited Action alternatives and roleplay style Characters that can develop their capabilities. GRIT Scenarios can encompass any genre or time period and make use of any style of miniature figure or terrain element. Victory Conditions, Scenario Complications, and level of realism and detail can be as simple or complex as desired.
Players have the option of basing Characters on a template, an existing roleplay Character, or generating an original Character with unique Stats. Characters can attempt any desired Action, and have the capacity to revive from unconsciousness, heal, and use any weapon or object.