HORSE, FOOT AND GUNS
by Phil Barker (c)
Quick play army level wargames rules
for large land battles 1701-1914
e-mail: mailto:richardbodleyscott@btopenworld.com
website: http://www.phil-barker.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
INTRODUCTION
These rules are primarily intended for games between two players each controlling a complete army against its historical opponents, using a minimum number of figures on a small table, and lasting about an hour, but can also be used for larger or multi-player games featuring big armies split into wings and/or combinations of allied armies. There will also be more detailed companion sets, initially "Tricorne & Musket" covering 1701-1790, "Shako and Bayonet" for 1791-1850, and "Kepi & Rifle" for 1851-1914. The series' inspirations are that no current rules can cope with more than one corps per player, the greater interest being shown in smaller model scales for which casualty removal is impractical, and the growing realisation that the methods of our quick play ancient set "De Bellis Antiquitatis" can be extended further than we had originally supposed.
Our intent here is to provide the simplest possible set of wargames rules that retain the full feel and generalship requirements of 18th and 19th century battle at army level. Those wishing for more specific period texture with more detailed troop classification and attention paid to lower level formation and tactics will find these in the companion sets. HFG's simplicity makes it especially suitable as an introduction to wargaming the era for beginners and the young. At first sight, you may doubt the simplicity, which is more real than apparent, but bear in mind that while many troop types are catered for, no individual army will employ more than a few of them.
The extended historical scope may cause raised eyebrows, but while many wars were between like systems, many others were not. Traditional musket lines fought French columns and skirmishers, Russian musket columns fought British and French Minie rifles in the Crimea, Prussian Dreyse needle guns fought Austrian minie in 1866 but were outranged by French Chassepot and machine guns in 1870, smoothbore and rifled artillery were partnered in more than one war, while at sea ironclads fought unarmoured steamers and wooden sail.
Nevertheless, HFG is not intended for competition play unless with very rigid restrictions on period. Ideally, each player would then provide two historically opposed armies and offer the choice to his opponent. It is also not suitable for battles involving limited numbers of troops, such as most of those of the American War of Independence, nor for siege warfare.
You should not assume that the differences between our perception of the realities of warfare during the era and received opinion are due to a lack of reading. Some formerly respected secondary sources have recently been discredited by modern research. "The Anatomy of Victory" and "Battle Tactics of Napoleon and his Enemies", both by Brent Nosworthy and "Forward into Battle" and "Rally Once Again" by Paddy Griffith provide good analysis, and many useful books by 18th and 19th century soldiers or theoreticians exist.
Copyright (c) Phil Barker 1991, 1997, 2001, 2002.
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