Miniatures Rules

Hex Command Gunpowder Rules

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Hex Command Gunpowder are a set of free wargames rules for the horse and musket era. They are designed for a 1 stand = 100 men scale. The authors write:

These rules were designed to bring a simplification to wargaming with miniatures because it resembles a board game more than a complicated historical simulation. These rules are intended for any horse and musket era and with slight modifications can be used for any conflict in that range.

These rules do not consider formations as influencing the outcome of battle, other than if a unit is ordered or disordered, because the system compensates for the effects of various tactical realities. The game is intended to be played on hex grid pattern of 4 inch hexes, though this is
not required (numbering each hex is essential for playing via the internet), with the top left corner being a whole hex, and the hexagon orientation being that the flat top and bottom are parallel with the long sides of the surface (hexes are not “pointed up”). Game Mapper is
recommended to assist scenario creation and game tracking.

Warmaster ACW

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John Martin has written a set of free wargames rules for the American Civil War based on Games Workshop’s Warmaster. I think that things have come full circle here, because Warmaster obviously took much of its inspiration from the seminal ACW rules set, “Fire and Fury.” Not that GW would ever admit that. After all, according to the Evil Empire, miniature wargaming is the “Games Workshop Hobby”, which precludes the acknowledgement of any other rules set or miniatures.

Dark Age Science Fantasy Rules

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Dark Age is a miniature wargame based on the artwork of the acclaimed artist Brom. Set in a dark science-fantasy world (now there’s an original thought), the game features some really interesting-looking miniatures. In a smart marketing move, the rules are available free for the downloading.

Pieces of Eight Rules

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Pirates anyone? Pieces of Eight is a set of free wargames rules from Andy Watkins portraying Hollywood pirate skirmishes. They are a relatively simple set of rules — but that’s a good thing! Who wants complications when you’re playing pirates.

Rencounter Skirmish Rules

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Ed Allen’s Rencounter was the first set of free wargames rules that I found on the net. And I still think they’re one of the best.

Update: Ed Allen’s site is off the list. You can find them here.

You can also get the pages reproduced as a pdf here.

Rencounter,_skirmish_wargargame.pdf