Rules: 18th Century

Hex Command Gunpowder Rules

by

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.

Pieces of Eight Rules

by

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.

Skirmish Rules For The 18th Century

by

This set of skirmish rules is designed for games with 54mm figures set in the 18th century.

Computerized AWI Rules

by

Will McNally has this set of free wargames rules for the American War of Independence. What makes these rules different is that they come with free software! Once the orders of battle are set up, the rules are run by a computer through clicking on options with a mouse. The rules run on MS-DOS, but can, of course, be run in a DOS box in Windows 98 or XP. If you’re like me, and have an old MS-DOS laptop sitting around, this could be a perfect use for it.

I’ve always thought that there was great potential for using laptops in miniature wargaming. Even better: someone should write a program for managing tabletop games with a PalmPilot.

Little Lambent Meteors

by

Jim Wallman’s Little Lambent Meteors is a set of free wargames rules for 18th Century riots, using 15mm figures.