GREAT NEWS FOR NAPOLEONIC GAMERS

15MM&25MM ESSEX NAPOLEONICS •••••••••••••••••••••••••

e r x 2' BOXED SETS

" <:: " " " , -. " " , ..... ~ ... 1;=_-.- ,:~ ... -'-

"

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0 " , " 0 '. " , . , " • " <"

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. ,\---' - - - -;/ . -. - - -

- - , - -.J -- - -- - - - - to - - - - -- - - -- - -"",,- ir - - ~o - - -~ (

Available now/soon in 2Smm French Artilliary & British

British & French in 1Smm

Please send $2 for Great Sample & Lousy Listing. ral terrain DIXON MINIATURES

NEW IN 1Smm THE AGE OF MARLBOROUGH .

#1 $39.95

#2 $39.95

#3 $29.95

#4 $39.95

#5 $39.95

#6 $39.95

tAhlrki! "" , AM' AM.

. ' ~~

J1 It '0" AM.J AM. to

AM '

(Packs of 10 unless otherwise listed) 2.69

AM.3 Officer/Ensign standing (Not including standard) (5 pack)

AM .tO Standard bearer marching (not include standard) (5 pack)

AM.t t Grenadier fusilier standing at ready

AM.12 Imperial Grenadier standing firing

AMS.l Standard (5 pack) AM.13 French Grenadier AM.1 4 Russian Musketeer AM.IS Grenadier-Fusilier AM.16 Pikeman standing AM.17 Musketeer advancing AM. IS Grenadier-Fusilier drummer

(5 pack) AM.19 Grenadier·Fusilier Ensign

(5 pack) AM.20 Grenadier·Fusilier Officer

(5 pack)

CAVALRY (Packs of 5) 1.75

AMC .l Curassier in tricorne AMC .2 Curassier (Imperial or Bavarian) AMC .3 Cavalryman, drawn sword AMCA Cavalryman , holding pistol AMC.5 Cavalryman, with carbine AMC.6 Cavalryman, with carbine. l iring

pistol

HORSES (Packs of 5)

H.S Standard Cavalry Horse trott ing H.9 Ollicers Horse trOll ing

AM' AM7

INFANTRY AM . I - Officer (5 pack) AM .2 - Ollicer (5 pack) AM .4 - Drummer (5 pack) AM .5 - Musketeer AM .6 - Musketeer AM .7 - Musketeer AM .S - Musketeer AM .9 - Grenadier

AM. AM'

Free back issue with Miniature Wargames Magazine subscriptions.

Subscribe to Miniature Wargames Magazine through Wargames. ($36,9io for 12 issues) and receive a back issue of your choice free' (current subscribers can participate in this offer by extending their subscription before 7-15-87) .

·Numbers of certain issues such as #5 & #7 are limited. Please therefore nominate several alternatives in order of preference . A draw for the rare issues will be made at Historican. No conditionat subscrip­tions accepted. If your selection is not available we will extend the subscription by 1 issue . This o ffer cannot be combined with any o ther promotions or oller.

LANDBOXES ARE A NEW RANGE OF 3'x 2' BOXED SETS. EACH CONTAINS SIX" SQUARE MODULES COMPLETE WITH HILL PACK AND FLOCK (for figure basing) LAND BOXES ARE FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH INTEGRAL TERRAIN

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MORE OF THE BEST

NEW 25 MM NEW •••••••••••••••••••••••••

ISLAMIC PERSIAN

(These figures work for several other armies including: Georgian, Seljuq Turk, Saracens, Khwarismian , Mongol , Mamluk , IIkhanid , Timarud & Ottoman Turk· please recognize nol every figure will work tor every army.)

Price Cod.

A 1 WO General

CAVALRY WITH BOW AND SHIELD (For heavy cavalry use unarmoured horses. To com'en 10 eKtra heavy cavalry. use H40 [Lamellarl or H41 [Quilted\).

A lWP A 3WP A 4WP

A 6WP A 9WP C tOWP

Firing (Mai l) Lance (Mail with Plates) Throwing Jav (Laminated Corselet) Lance or Jav (Quilled Jackel) Oismounted Throwing Jav Dismounted Cay or Foot Ollie9t

CAVALRY WITH BOW WITHOUT SHIELD

A 2WP Firing (Padded Coal) A 5WP Lance or Jav (Studded

Brigandine) A 16WD With Spear

Please not 5WP and 6WP can be used as Standard Bearers.

ALLIES

A 2WX A 6WO A 7WO A 4WO A 10WO A ltWO A 4WX A SWX A 8WP

Tarter Horse Archer (Firing) Horse Archer with J.LS. Horse Archer (Firing) Horse ARcher (J .L.S, SH) Levy Archer Firing Levy Archer Advancing Levy Handgunner Levy Crossbowman Algan Mercenary (JLS. SH)

EARLY & MIDDLE IMPERIAL ROMAN D 1WR Mounted General (H42)

LEGIONARIES

A 2WR A 3WR A 4WR A SWR A SWR

1st Century 2nd Century or Praetorian EKlra Heavy 2nd Century Late 2nd· Early 3rd Century

AUXILIA

A 7WR A 8WR A 9WR A 10WF A llWR A 12WR

lst·2nd Century 1 st-2nd Century Gaesum Armed 2nd Early 3rd Cenlury Easlern Archer Weslern Archer

CAVALRY (Use H42)

A 13WR A 14WR C lSWR A 9AR A 12AR

Praetorian or Singulares Eduiles - JLS. SH . Mounted Ollicer Cataphracl (HIS) Light Cay - JLS. SH .

FOOT COMMAND

C 16WR C i7WR C 18WR C 19WR

C 2QWR C 21WA

Ollicer 1 sl - 2nd Century Officer 2nd - 3rd Century Aquilifer 1st - 2nd Cenlury Legionary Signifer 1st - 2nd Century (Uon Skin) AUKilia Signifer (Bear Skin) Musician

ALLIES (More 10 Come) A Cataphract (H16) A 7WO Eastern Horse Archer A IOWO Eastern Archer A I1WO Easlern Archer/Slinger A 22WR Western SlingerlJavelinman

OTTOMAN TURK A tWO A 3WO A 4WO A 7WO C 8WO C BAWO A 1WX A 2WX A 3WX Al2WO A 13WO A 14WO A lSWO A 16WO A 9WP A 10WO A 11WO

Sipahis of the Porte (H40-41) Gahzis LB. SH Feudal Sipahis Akinjls Horse ArCher (Firing) Mounted Drummer Mounted Trumpeter Turcoman LC JLS B Tartar Horse ArCher Serbian Delis l.C. Janissary Archers Janissary Crossbowman Janissary Handgunners Janissary Spearman Janissary Heavy Spearman Janissary Heavy Archer LevendatfAzab Archer Levendat/Azab Javelinman

ADDITIONS FOR RENAISSANCE PERIOD

A 6WO A SWX A I1AWO A 5WO A 4WX A ISAWO A 16AWO

Feudal SiphaslJebeli LC JLS B Azab Arquebus Azab Halberdier Feudal Spa his (HCM) Azab Handgunner Janissary Halberdier Late Janissary Heavy Halberdier

A 2WO Sipahis 01 the Porte (2 Pistols) A 1 ewo Janissary Arquebus A 17WO Janissary Musket A 3WX Dellis A 19WO Sarika-Arquebus A 20WO ArnaulfMartheloses Musketeer

a NOW ALSO AVAILABLE ~e'/'l 15 & 25 MM

CARTHAGINIANS

Please Note from 5/1187 Prices t or Essex ISrrm: Packs $2.19 (except where spedfIed)

Armies 542.99

We make ordering easy. ,. Determine prices through our price codes: A $ .85 J e &c .99 K D& E 1.10 L F &G 1.25 M H 1.50 N I 1.75 0

P Price-breaks for clubs .

Club discounts are as follows: Over $25 - free postage, $50 - 10%, $100 - ,15% and $200 - 20% Discount. DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED

$2.25 2.75 2.95 3.95 5.75 5.95 7.95

2. Mail orders add $2.00 shipping and handling charges to alt orders under $25. COO is an additional $2.00.

Telephone orders ~ 304-547-0000 ..... and use your major credit card .

Please mall check & your order to:

•••••••••••••• WARClAMES SUPPORTS WARGAMERS

BOX 278 ROUTE 40 EAST TRIADELPHIA WV 26059

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MANAGING EDITOR: Richard L. Bryant BUSINESS MANAGER: Leo Cronin

ART DIRECTOR: Joseph Miceli ADVERTISING MANAGER: Bruce Milligan THEME EDITOR: NAPOLEON THE LITTLE

Pat Condray

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS William Abrams; Jim Arnold; Ken Bunger; Robert Beattie; Lynn Bodin; Rodman Burr; Steve Carpenter; Pat Condray; Todd Fisher; Bill Greenwald; Jay Hadley; Ian Knight; Paul Koch; Doug Johnson; Robert Mosca; Nick Nascati; Kruse Smith; Walter Simon.

STAFF CARTOONISTS: Brian Lum Jose Niera

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Pat Condray Tom Desmond

THE COURIER DISPATCH: Hal Thinglum

STAFF ILLUSTRATORS Alan Archambault, AI Karasa, John Thull ,

Joe Matthews, Larry Schuman, Terry Manton, Bill Greenwald

TYPESETTING: Steve Brown

PRINTING: Quantum Printing

THE COURIER PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC. Richard L. Bryant, President

DIRECTORS Richard Bryant, Leo Cronin, Joseph Miceli

THE COURIER is published approximately bi-monthly at Brockton, MA 02401 USA.

SUBSCRIPTIONS USA - $16.00; CANADA & S. AMERICA, surface rate - $19.00. UNITED KINGDOM & EUROPE write to: Ahketon, UK, Unit 12A Olds Approach, Tolpitts Lane, Watford, Herts, England. AUSTRALIA write to: Essex Miniatures Pty., Ltd., 40 Railway Parade, Lakemba, NSW 2195.

BACK ISSUES Recent back issues are available for $4.00, USA; $4.50 Canada & Foreign surface; $5.50 Foreign airmail. See last page of issue for listing. Monies in US funds drawn on US banks or International Postal Money Order. Subscriptions start with NEXT published issue after receipt of payment.

No responsibility is assumed for statements of fact or opinion made by the authors. No responsibility is assumed for unsolicited manuscripts, but all sub­missions are welcome, no query necessary. All sub­missions should contain a self-addressed STAMPED envelope large enough to return the submission.

This magazine and other publications ofThe Courier Publishing Company are sold with the understanding that every reasonable attempt is made to deliver them safely through the mails. The Courier Publishing Company is not responsible for items lost in the mails. Replacements will be provided at their usual cost.

ALL DOMESTIC DEALER INQUIRIES, ADVERTISING COPY AND INQUIRIES, DOMESTIC SUBSCRIP­TIONS AND ARTICLES to THE COURIER, Box 1878, Brockton, MA 02403.

Entire Contents Copyright © 1987 by The Courier Publishing Company, Inc.

VOL VII, NO.5

THE VANGUARD

EDITOR'S NOTES

THE NEXT THEME YEAR

We received many suggestions for a theme year and an editor for each. I have collated these and have listed the most practical (due to availability of an editor or of color pictures for the front cover) in the Volley Fire. Please vote on your preference and mail it TODA Y, i.e., right after you fi nish reading the issue.

COMMUNICATION

The major problem we continue to have at The Courier is communication . Readers just will not believe that The Post Awful will not forward THIRD CLASS mail, no matter what personal understanding you think you have have with the Postmaster. I receive issues back where the customer simply changed P.O. Box numbers from Box A to Box C. You can guess from the box numbers how large a selection of boxes that particular postmaster had to be confused by!

If you do not send us your address change with enough notice, the issue comes back here and we have to charge $2.50 (our total cost) to return it. We will only hold it for 15 days after we send you our notice card.

Speaking of cards ... We send out two renewal notice cards. If you don't send a renewal check within 15 days of receiving the first card, chances are that you will miss an issue. Of course, the second card means you already missed an issue, and it will cost you $4.00 IF we still have any.

Finally, please insert a note with your name and address with any order. DO NOT EXPECT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ON YOUR CHECK and a scratched note in the bottom left hand corner to carry your wishes to us. This is the source of most unanswered orders.

CONVENTION TIME

The summer is upon us; convention time is here. Please support the Historical Miniature convention in your area (say about a 4-500 mile driving distance radius) . One way to promulgate the hobby is to get your non-gaming or non-Historical-Miniature-gaming friends to see what it is all about. Dealers will soon learn that the Historical Miniature convention is one that should be supported (many do already) and the whole thing builds.

Conventions also need volunteer help. Miniature gamers are notorious for being those who step forward to volunteer but never show up to meet these promises. This is the major complaing I hear from the large multi-faceted conventions. That is why most of the people answering questions and doing the work at the large conventions seem to be boardgamers or FRP-ers - because they are! I hope some of you will endeavor to change the mix. While many are needed to put on games, many more helpers are needed to put up and take down tables, clean up, man information centers, etc. Rememb~r, the hobby only gives back with interest what you are willing to put into it!

PERSONAL TO KRUSE SMITH ••• I told you so .. . !

R.I R

QUOTABLE W ARGAME QUOTES

"You should do something simple (for the campaign), like all of Europe."

- D.W., quoted by Barry Gray

2

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NORTH AMERICA'S FOREMOST MINIATURE GAMING MAGAZINE

ARTICLES

TWENTIETH CENTURY LAND BATTLE RULES - A SURVEY BILL RUTHERFORD surveys all WWI, WWII , and Modern rules . . . ..•..•..• .. . . . .. . . . . .. • . . . • . •. . • .... . . . ..... . .. . .. . ....• . . . .•. . . . ••. • . . . . . .•..•... . ... • ...... 5

ACCOUNTS FROM THE FRONT MIKE REESE describes a WW II game using WRG rules . . . . •. . •. . • .. . ..•...... . . . . .. . . • . . .. . ......•..... •. . .. .• . .•. . •. . .. • . . • .. ..•..•.. •.. • . ..• .. •... •. . •.. ... 11

SCENARIOS FOR 1859 PA T CONDRAY sets up several batt les of the period . . .•..•. . •.. • . . • .. • . .•.. . .. . ........ . .•.. . . . .. . .. ........... . .. . . . . . • . .•.•.. • ..•..... .. ......... • ..•..... 15

SCENARIO DESIGNS AND PITFALLS JIM ARNOL D with an approach to successful scenarios ....... . ............... . .....•..•..•. . •. . • . . • ..•........ . .....•..• .. .. • .. • .....•. .. .. ... .•.. ... . • .. . .. 19

THE RELEVANCE OF PRE-1862 DRILL REGULATIONS TO THE WARGAMER C. F. NA FZIGER reviews the need for histori ca l study . . . ...... .. . . ............. . .... . •..•. . ...•. . •. . ...• . .• . .• . .• .. • .. • .. . . • ..• .. . .. . . .. . •... • . ..• .... .. • . . ... 23

WARFARE IN THE AGE OF NAPOLEON III (THE LITTLE) PA T CONDRAY presents a complete set of rules fo r the period ... .. . . ... . . ..... . . •. . • . .• . .•..•. . • .. • . . . .. • ......•.. . .• . . •.•.. • .. • .. • .. • . . • . .• . .. • . .. . . . . . . 29

MEANWHILE IN THE CENTER, THE SWISS PRESSED ON RESOLUTELY TOM M cMILLEN describes a Renaissance scenario and game ...... . . . ....•.. .... .•.. • ..• . .•. . • . . •.... . . ......... .. .. .•. . • . . . .•..•..•.. • ..•.. • • ..• .. • . . . • . . . 45

THE NAPOLEONIC CAMPAIGN LOOK JIM ARNOLD with a different approach to painting your arm ies . ..... ... . •.. . . . • .. • . .• .•..• .. •. . ••.. .. . . .. . .. • .. • . .•.. . .•.. . . . .. • . . •..... . .. . •.. •. . .. ..• . . ... 57

WOODS - THE KEY TO MUSKET WARFARE IN NORTH AMERICA BR UCE McFA RLANE and a method of providing uncertainty in games . . . . . . ...... . . . .. .... ... . . . . ...... .. .. . ...... . ................... .. ........... . . .. ... .... 58

THREE UNITS FOR AMR GAMING DA VID SWEET descri bes uniforms o f th ree America n units .. . •. . • ..•. • • .. •. . • ... . ...... ·• · . ·· ·•·· • ··•··• · · •·· •··· · ·•·· · ·········•·· • ·· • ·· ··· ·•··•···•········ 59

THE LOST SYMPHONY OF THE LOST CAUSE S. CRAIG TAYLOR JR. discusses the Rebel Yell !

THE CHANCE FACTOR IN WARGAMES

60

W ESLEY A. ROG ERS suggests a reaction test for format ion changes ... .. . . ....... . ..•..•.. • .... . . . . • . .. . . . . . . . . •..• .. • ..•....•........... . . ....• .. • •. • • . . •• . .. . 61

DEPARTMENTS

SAPPER'S REPORT B.A. Kimba ll w ith another approach to tables . .. . •..• ..• ..•... . ...•..•..• . .... •. . •............ . . .. .•..• . . • .• .. . . . • . . • . . ... •• ... 27

THE REVIEWING STAND with Jay Hadley .. . . . . .. . . .. .. . . . .... ................. ... .. . .... . .. . ...... .. .. .. .. .. . . .. . .... . ... . .. ... . ..... . .. . ............. 37

THE COURIER DISPATCH News of the Hobby ... . ....... .. . .... . . . ... . . •. . •. . • . . • . .•.. • ..•.. . ..• . . .... ..• . . • .. • . . •.. • .... • ..• ... . . .. ... . . .. . . . . . .. 49

THE MARTIAL ART OF PAINTING Jay Hadley with Heraldic Devices ..... . ..... . . . ..... . ..• .. • . . •. . •.. • . . •.. • .... . . . ..... . . ... .• . . . •. • . ..•.. • . .. •...•. . • • . .•.. . 55

DISPATCHES FROM THE FIELD Letters to (or at) the Editor .. .. ... . ..• .. . .....•.. . ..... . . .. .. . .•.. . .. • . .• .. • .. • • . . . ....•. . •.... • .. • ..•.

VOLLEY FIRE What you like (or hate) about THE CO URIER . . .. ..... . ... ... . . .. . .... . .. . ..... .. . .

COVER: " Men of the Desert". Mark IV - Special of the Afrika Korps. Pain t ing by Pierre M ion from the Pat Condray Collection .

Piedmontese General Urges His Brave Troops on to Palaestro.

62

64

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---------------:com=ma . -DeCjsjQ!!.isan o~p~, ~~;======-War IT miniatures ~t-emp-hasizes two aspects of

II warfare: rapidly ~g-taGtic situa-anns operations. T';;h~e~ru~es~-_________ _

cover their are also de-ease and

of vehicles, Britain, Ger-

many. Italy. the $18.00.

Also

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FRANCE 'oW. 29TH DIVISION MOVES OUT OF THE NORMANDY BEACHHEAD AREA.

INTRODUCTION

This anicle wi ll discuss rules designed for company-level actions and above; a fUlUre article will deal with twentieth century skirmish rules, There are a large number of rule selS available - most can be obtained from your local game dealer. Though the rul~ surveyed here are all current ly available, there are numerous other sets that are currently OUt 01 print, that I've been unable!O obtain. or am simply unaware ol!

The following charts address sevenTeen setS of rules - ten WWII era and seven postwar era. Certain feaTures are common to all of the rules. With oneeKception, all of the sets separate hit and damage remlu tion. Hits are resolved by die-roll, modified for range and other factors, Units have fiKed movement allowances, modified by terrain. eTc. Cer tain features vary widely (wildly/) from rule set !O rule set. Two different kill mechanisms are used. Spotting and acquisition tables vary from non­existant to very detailed. Numerous other basic game aspects are treaTed fully, nominally, or not at all.

Morale and Command Control are handled with varying degrees of succ~s by the various rule selS. The newer sets lend to treal these aspects of the rules with more respect than the older sets do - ,his reflects the increased attention paid by gamers in recent years.

Another topic treated with varying degrees of success is armor slope, more of a factor in the WW'I rules than wi th the postwar era rul~. All of the rules recognize that thicker armor gives better prOTection than does thinner armor, given consistent armor quali ty. However. some of the rules don't re<:ognize that increased slope increases the effective thickness ol thearmor, which leads 10 someodd equipment comparimns, causing distortions in the relative strengths of vehicles whhin those rule sets. Fortunately, most of the newer rules do properly address armor dope.

Sighting is handled in one of twO ways by most of the rules, The simpler meThod is deterministic - when a target approaches within a certain range 01 the sighting unit, the target is spotted. This has the virtue of speeding play, and is easier to use. It has the disadvantage thaI many

5

battlefield tactics simply don't work when units are automat ically sighted. The other sighting method used is probablistic - at a given range, The sighTing uniT has a given chance to see the target. This is a bit slower (players are continually making sighting die rolls), but allom much more limited battlefield intelligence, especially when a referee is not available,

All of the rul~ surveyed deal adequately with infantry, artillery, and (with one exception), airpower. Any peculiarities regarding these rules are dealt with in the notes following The Survey CharlS, As may be eKpected, most ollhe postwar era rules address airpower more extensively than their WWII cou nterpans, in keeping with ai rpower's enha need capabiliti~ with r~pect to, and closer integration into, the modern battlefield, Engineering, as noted on the charts, is included to varying degrees, ranging from simple minefield use to construction and fortification.

By and large, ground and time scales don't vary much from rulesellO rule sel,asall but three of the sets place the player in the position of a company or bJllalion commander, with primary focus on the former. COMMAND DECISION, 1944, and CORPS COMMANDER all place the player at a ballalion/ brigade/ division level. The flavor 01 these ru le seTS, due 10 Ihe Iypes of play decisions made by the player, is quite different from Ihe other { ta ct!cal~ sets, but is by no means less enjoyable.

Three broad play sequenc~ are employed by the rules surveyed. The fim, and oldest, is pure sequential movement (SEQ-A) - you move and fire all of your units, then I move and fi re all of mine. This is the simplest to use, but is ~Iso the leaST satisfacfOry in terms of showing battlefield interaction. Interactive sequential movement {SEQ-B) and simultaneous movement {SIMOV) both allow the full gamut of balliefieid encounter and aCiion/reaction. The lor mer allows a slightly more ordered game and the latter, a slightly more freewheeling one, but both work well.

Explanations of the Survey Chart tilles, and notes on the individual rule sets follow the charts. One title must be addressed here. Complexity, given a range of 1-5, is no! an indicator of game worth . • t is an indicator of how much effort is required to play the game. Game detail does correlate roughly to complexi lY, but it is not a fi rm or fixed relationship.

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