Eagles At Quatre Bras

Eagles At Quatre Bras is a set of free wargames rules for brigade level Napoleonic games on a division level. Author Norm Smith writes:

They are solitaire friendly, can be played through in a single session and are set at the lower end of the complexity spectrum. Emphasis is on giving a good game rather than simulation.

Using a 4’ x 3’ table with 4” hexes, gives a grid of around 12 hexes wide by 9 deep, which typically accommodates something like the Battle of Quatre Bras with around 4 divisions per side.Units are representing brigades and divisional artillery, with a hex limited to holding no more than 1 unit and any accompanying leader.

Scale and basing of the figures do not really matter as it is simply the formation in the hex that is considered, with the player showing line, column and square formations for infantry and line for cavalry and artillery. A suggestion is 2 or 4 bases for infantry and cavalry and 2 bases for artillery.Giving a ground scale has been deliberately avoided as this allows for some disfunction, such as light infantry being able to fire two hexes and also leaves the player with some flexibility when designing battlefields, to get bigger battles into this small area or to go to a lower level such as units representing regiments. Basically if it looks and feels right, then go with it.

The system uses standard six sided and ten sided dice (the 0 on a D10 is read as ten), plus a pack of standard playing cards.

Stonk – Brigade Level WWII Rules

Stonk is a set of brigade level World War II rules, designed for 1/300 scale miniatures. The authors write:

This is a set of wargame rules intended to simulate actions between about one brigade equivalent a side, supported by divisional or even corps troops where they would have been available.

The basic philosophy of the rules can be summarised:

a. That morale and leadership are decisive factors in these battles
b. Logistics is a critical factor, even in the battalion battle and is too often overlooked,
c. Communications, command and control are very influential and central to conducting a battle
d. Planning – especially artillery fire planning is a vital part of the battle, and again is too often overlooked.
e. That technology is generally over-rated and minor differences between, say, tank types have been given too great a prominence in wargame rules. I have attempted to redress this.

En Avant Napoleonic Wargames Rules

En Avant is one of Jim Wallman’s “One Brain Cell” rules, this time for Napoleonic warfare. It allows you to conduct a brigade sized engagement in about 20 minutes using 25mm – 28mm figures. Just scroll down to find the links.

Brigade Commander Modern Rules

Andy Watkins offers a set of free wargames rules called Brigade Commander, for games set in Cold War Germany. Given the equipment used, I suppose it also would be useful for gaming some other scenarios in which the combatants have old NATO and Warsaw Pace equipment.

Republique Napoleonic Rules

The War Times Journal offers a set of free Napoleonics miniatures rules called Republique.

The War Times Journal also offers orders of battle for Jena-Auerstadt, Waterloo, Busaco, Wagram and Dresden.