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.
Rules: 19th Century
Cousin Jonathan Rules
The Perfect Captain produces some of the most amazing free wargames rules out there. Cousin Jonathan is the Captain’s set of miniatures rules for the War of 1812. The Captain writes:
What are these rules like? Well, I’ll tell you. This system is based on morale as most of our rules are for other periods. We have tried to faithfully reproduce the qualities of every unit that fought along the Canadian border. Not just one morale number is given- the units react to each type of situation differently, depending on the circumstances.
Some troops are afraid of Indians, others, artillery. Some take being flanked worse than others. On top of all this, units have a motivation value that drops as things start to go bad. Fighting qualities vary also, from some units being better shots to others being demons with a bayonet! Included in the rules are blockhouses, entrenchments and boat assaults to test your men in any action of the war.
We’ve tried to include every leader of significance in the game, and made them an important element. Each leader has NINE characteristics that affect play. Some are so timid that they are best left guarding the baggage. Some are desperate for glory and interpret caution as cowardice. Some so self willed that they won’t obey orders and cause other commanders on the tabletop to suffer also.
Perhaps the best part of the game is its ease of play. Charts are easy to read and there is one for every situation, so no reading through lists of modifiers that don’t apply. Every phase of the game is made to be understood at a glance, speeding up play significantly, while giving you the feel of the details of the period. The rules themselves are made to form into a professional quality booklet that lasts.
Simple Solo Wargames Rules For The Wild West
Mark Ainsworth offers a set of simple solo wargames rules for games of the 7th Cavalry against Plains Indians.
Grand Fleets demo rules
Majestic 12 games has these demo rules for their Grand Fleets miniature wargame. My group has played these and really enjoys them. Majestic 12 explains:
Grand Fleets is a comprehensive miniatures game of dreadnought-era naval warfare. In addition to rules for everything from ships to aeroplanes, Zeppelins to submarines, the rulebook includes:
Data cards for over 120 ships, plus guidelines for converting any ship of the period to game values; Eight scenarios encompassing conflicts from the Sino-Japanese War of 1894 through the opening salvoes of World War Two, including several variants; Fifteen pages of weapon data, covering all major gun and torpedo models in use through 1939, over 200 aeroplanes, and more than 20 airships; and Optional rules for flotillas, night-fighting, smokescreens, and more!
Rorke’s Drift rules
Rorke’s Drift has captured the imagination as one of the greatest stands in history. Thousands of brave Zulu warriors versus a handful of stalwart British soldiers. What’s not to like? The battle is a staple for colonial wargamers. Steve Winter has these free wargames rules for Rorke’s Drift.