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Over a great many years, I have been writing simple and easy sets of
rules for quick games. Some of these have been for one-off club games
at Chestnut Lodge Wargames Group, some
for more public events, like special events at the National Army Museum.
Generally speaking, these most of these game rules assume a reasonable
familiarity with the genre of toy soldier wargames. They adopt some
shorthand, and usually (though not always) consist only of the main tables
and rules necessary for a basic game. They do not usually contain
reams of legalistic conditional statements or rules-lawyer proof systems.
They are intended for use between civilised people, as a guide rather
than absolute arbiter in every situation.
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It's all free, and for your enjoyment. However,
you mustn't resell or otherwise commercially use these rules - and if
you use or publish elsewhere any of this material, please remember to
credit the author, and note that even though they are free, where appropriate
I and other authors represented here retain copyright to the rules and
game designs.
Cheers. Jim Wallman
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In that spirit, just click to download, and see if they are of any
interest.
If you download and use any of these rules, why not email
me to let me know how you get on. I welcome comments, suggestions
for improvements and battle reports.
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If you don't want to spend
time downloading, you can order the entire collection of over FORTY
RULE SETS plus all the additional maps, briefings and playsheets on CD,
posted to your address for just £5.99
including postage. And you can pay securely using paypal.
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Game Title
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File size
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Period / Rating
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General Description
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| Over
the Hills and Far Away NEW : Aug 2010 |
319k |
18th Century
Intermediate
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Set in the 18th Centruy
this is a campaign game for a group or club about the rivalries and actions
around running regiments. Each player is a Colonel responsible for raising,
equipping and leading his regiment - for honour, glory, and of course, profit. |
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Run?...Or Shoot?
Sept 2009
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428k |
Fantasy
Basic
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Faced by a horde of
charging zombies, do you run? or stand and shoot? Run?...Or Shoot?
is a tactical wargame pitting a small group of survivors against hundreds
of zombies. Aimed at 20mm/25mm models - and an ideal use for the famous
"Bag o' Zombies" plastic figures. |
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Trench Assault
Sept 2008
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149k |
WW1
Basic
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Simulation of the attack
of a single Battalion across no-man's land in July 1916, demonstrating the
problems of reaching the parapet before it can be effectively manned by
the defenders. Suitable for any scale of figures from 1/300 to 25mm. See
example playing area here. and example counters
for those who don't have time to paint figures etc. |
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En Avant En Masse!
August 2008
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162k |
Napoleonic
Intermediate
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An expansion of the original En Avant! rules (below) this time
allowing a player to control an entire division, and aimed at using either
counters or 1/300 figures. Example
divisional record card.
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Fire At Will!
July 2007
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177k
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Fantasy
Basic
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One Brain Cell Heroic Fantasy Wargame Rules for 6mm scale model armies.
A development ofthe 'Follow Me Men! skirmish rules (see below) by
Stephen Guilbert - who wanted a game you could play on a coffe
table! As with the originals these are designed to be simple and
fast moving rules involving knights, orcs and mages and all that
Don't expect pages and pages of weapons and armour lists, loads of results
tables, buckets of silly dice or complex record keeping.
This is an easy to operate game all about command, control and fast play
gaming. All you need are the figures some cheap terrain and imagination.
NEW December
2009 LOOT THEN BURN
Scenario
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Red Army - White
Guards
July 2007
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3.0M
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Mid 20th Century Intermediate
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Figure game rules for
the Russian Civil War by Graham Evans - originally designed
for 15mm models and played on an offset square grid. |
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Military Memoirs
July 2007
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1.3M
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General / intermediate
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A really entertaining
dinner party game about military memoirs by Graham Evans.
Basically its 'consequences' with a military bent. Much hilarity will result. |
Field
of Honour
Jan 2007 |
283k
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Medieval/Ancient Basic
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This is a simple two
player card game that is an abstract depiction of two ancient armies facing
each other on the battlefield. It can either be played as a simple two player
card game, or as a sub-game to a more complex wargame - say a campaign where
you wish to resolve minor battles without resorting to setting out model
soldiers. Each game only takes a few minutes. |
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BLITZ!
Nov 2006 - Updated Jan
2007
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1.20M
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WW2 Intermediate
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An entirely new game
that pits players against incendiaries and bombs in London during the Blitz
of 1940-41. A skirmish level game for 25mm scale models and figures. |
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Heroic Samurai
Oct 2006 - Updated Jan
07
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436k
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Japan
Basic
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Once brain cell wargame
rules for small scale fighting typical of internecine clan warfare. For
toy soldiers. |
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Crossing The Wire
Sept 2006
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204k
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WW1 Intermediate
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Divisional level game
about trench warfare at Brigade and divisional level using historical maps
and counters. Can also be used with 1/300 scale miniatures. Also Example
counters for 29th British Div (129k)
and Map of Beamont Hamel battlefield (205k)
for 1 July 1916 |
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Valiant Britons
2005
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404k
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Ancient
Intermediate
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A battle game involving
combat between ancient British Tribes in the pre-Roman era. Great emphasis
on role playing as much as tactics. Ideally for use with 15mm figures, but
any scale will do. |
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Pirates of Yendor Sea Battle
Rules
2005
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481k
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Ancient / Fantasy
Intermediate
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Naval battle game rules for fantasy (or ancient) battle. A development
of Ed Smith's 'Greek Naval Warfare' rules of 1974. Suitable for ancient
Greeks, Roman or Fanatsy battles
Used in the recent 'Pirates of Yendor megagame
Also Counter Sheet 1
| Counter Sheet 2 | Counter
Sheet 3 | Order Cards
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Science
Versus Luck
1990 |
250k
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19th Century
Intermediate
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A game of
doctrine, toysoldiers and matchsticks. Designed for club play and for around
8+ people, this game looks at defence procurement, doctrine development
and includes a fun game involving toy soldiers and a matchstick cannon. |
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Team Briefings
(zipped)
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650k
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A Drop Too Many
2005
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101k
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WW2 Advanced
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A novel game system known as a dialogue
game - designed as an entertaining multiplayer game for experts. Includes
the WW2 paratroops scenario, and explanation of how to run a dialogue game. |
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BRITONS
Nov 2004
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156k
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Ancient Basic
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Very simple,
one brain cell rules for skirmishes between rival bands of ancient celtic
Britons. Not a Roman in sight! For 25mm figures. |
MONSTERS!
2002 |
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Advanced Fantasy
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A map game about giant dinosaurs
and other monsters terrorising downtown Amsterdam. Designed for a large
number of players(around 20-30) - though will work as a club project for
about 6-8 players too. |
| Player Rules |
642k
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| Game map (jpg) |
244k
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Game Control Notes
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22k
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Medieval Battle Rules
1995
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133k
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Medieval
Intermediate
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Brian Cameron's
Medieval Battle Rules for 25mm figures. |
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The Lionel Tarr Rules
1959
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27k
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WW2 Basic
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The Lionel Tarr Modern Warfare
Rules. Written sometime around 1959, these are as published in Don Featherstone's
original 1962 book 'War Games' - retyped and made freely available to nostalgic
wargamers everywhere. |
Air
Wars
1989 |
90k
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20th Century
Intermediate
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Straightforward
and easy to play air to air combat in the Vietnam era - 1960's and 70's.
Ideally needs a hex board and some models (though counters will do). |
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Damage cards
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154k
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Little Lambent Meteors
updated August 2006
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774k
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18th Century intermediate
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Simple set of rules for 18th century rioting using 15mm figures.
LLM Scenario 'A Little London Riot'
Scenario Map
Scenario optional counters (if you don't want to use figures):
Authorities | Rioters
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Men at Arms
2003
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609k
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Medieval
Basic
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One brain cell medieval
skirmish rules for 25mm figures. |
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Aegir's Fire
2003
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106k
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Medieval
Intermediate
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Viking campaign rules - usable with any
set of skirmish rules and any scale, this set contains strategic rules for
raiding, developing your viking crew and some exploring. Ideal for someone
with lots of different figures from the period. Very good for a club campaign
project. |
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En Avant!
Updated Sept 2007
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Napoleonic Basic
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One Brain Cell Napoleonic war low level dice-free game designed for very
fast play. Designed for 25mm figures for brigade-sized forces.
Play a brigade attack in about 20 minutes or less!
Includes order cards and status markers.
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| Player
Rules |
35k
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| Full
Rules |
148k
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| Order
Cards |
159k
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| Status
markers |
33k
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Example infantry action
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403k
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Front Rank...Fire!
1978
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34k
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19th Century Colonial
Intermediate
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Zulu War Skirmish level wargame rules
for 25mm or 15mm figures. Simple, fast and very easy to play, suitable for
actions involving 50-100 figures at a time. |
OPCom
March 2004 |
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WW2
Advanced
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Operational Command - WW2 1944-5 European Theatre map game system. Designed
for command post exercises with maps in the military style, with teams
of players representing Divisional HQs.
Designed for multiplayer games of 6-100 players and works with real maps
and counters. No hexes. Players'
Guidelines without rules details
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| Main
Rules |
251k
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| Order
Sheet |
11k
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| Air
Order Sheet |
8k
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| Quick
reference playsheet |
31k
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Example order Sheet
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13k
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Decapitation
2003 |
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21st Century
Basic
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A back-to-back strategic map
game based on a fantasy present-day scenario where a superpower tries to
'decapitate' an enemy regime by firing cruise missiles at the enemy head
of state. Fortunately something like this could never happen in reality. |
| Game Rules |
231k
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Game map (jpg)
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168k
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Katana
To Yari
1998
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313k
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15th Cent Japan
Intermediate
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Figure game of samurai
skirmish battles - designed to allow small groups of fighters of varying
skill to interact. Designed with the Japanese sword movie in mind - a well
handled skilled samurai master can hack through a group of lesser
warriors. Quite long rules with a lot of scope for various weapons
and troop types, but the basic principles are very simple and easy to pick
up. |
GO! GO! GO!
2003 |
153k
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21st Century
Basic
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A figure game based on the idea of a first-person
shooting computer game (in fact closely based on the excellent CounterStrike
counter terrorism game). But you don't need a computer network to
play it, and headshot scripts and clipping cheats don't work! So normal
people can have some of the fun too. |
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STONK
Updated Sept 2006
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1.2M
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WW2
Advanced
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Wargame rules for WW2
(NW Europe theatre) designed for use with 1/300 models (though maps
and counters would work as well). Aimed at the operational game -
representing combat for forces up to regimental / brigade group size. |
STINGRAY, STINGRAY
2001 |
66k
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Sci-Fi
Intermediate
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Wargame rules for futeristic undersea
combat in the fantasy world of the famous Anderson universe. For a
hex-map and models. |
War
in Hell
2001 |
38k
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Fantasy
Basic
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Fantasy figure game
deliberately degined to use any figure scale, of any historical period all
at the same time - set around battles between unimaginable forces taking
place in Hell. Not entirely serious. |
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CIVIL DISORDER
Updated 2004
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586k
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20th Century
Intermediate
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Wargame Rules for Rioting in City Streets. Designed for table-top
play with 25mm models, but could be played on a map with counters if desired.
New - added Jan 2006: download Scenario 1
Sample game counters if you don't want to use toy soldiers:
rioters | police
| vehicles |
emergency services
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ISLAND
ASSAULT
1995 |
12k
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WW2
Basic
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A game for 1/300 models
about landing in a Pacific Atoll in WW2. Included stuff on keeping
the troops supplied. |
SHOT AND SAIL
1995 |
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Napoleonic
Intermediate
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Napoleonic Period small ship
actions. Originally written for a Great Lakes action during the war
of 1812. |
| Rules |
22k
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Zipped graphics of ship cards
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129k ziped pcx
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Taking The Bull By The Horns
Updated May 2007
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153k
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19th Century Colonial
Intermediate
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The Zulu War (1879) skirmish rules, designed for 1/300 models. Features
command and control and morale, and intended for 1:1 representation of
many of the 'battles' of the war.
PLUS Scenarios : 'Stalwart Foes (14k)'
and 'Myser's Drift (31k)'
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DESERT RATS
Updated July 2007
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200k
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WW2
Basic
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Tank battles in the Desert in WW2. Designed
for 1/300 tanks and a sand-coloured cloth. A traditional armour bash game. |
STREET FIGHTER
1994 |
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WW2
Basic
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Fighting
in a built up area (FIBUA) in a city in WW2. Includes a map suitable
for 1/300 models. |
| Rules |
13k
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Example
Map (jpg)
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81k
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HELL ON WHEELS
1986
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81k
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WW2
Advanced
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Tank tactics in France in 1944. Each
playercommands a platoon of tanks and has to control it. Command and
control featurely heavily as you struggle to control the tanks platoon under
fire - radios break down, tanks get lost or fire at the wrong time on the
wrong target. |
| ON THE BOUNCE |
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Sci-Fi
Basic
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A draft
set of SF rules about hovertank combat in the late 21st century. Still
under development, and may be updated from time to time. |
| Rules |
28k
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| Record
sheets (zipped word) |
16k
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| Mission
Briefing |
10k
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| 'Enemy'
Briefing |
8k
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| Orbat
sheet |
8k
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| Article
on the game's development |
25k
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OLD FRITZ
1992 |
33k
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18th Century
Basic
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The original 'One Brain Cell' rules for
the 7 Years War in Europe. Easy to play system for big battles with
toy soldiers. |
TANK
DUEL
(html version)
1983 |
HTML
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WW2
Basic
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A old set of rules for
a very enjoyable game about tank vs tank duelling. Needs a bit of
setting up and 6-10 players - but is always a laugh! A team of players
simulate the crew of a single tank! |
La Felicissima
Armada
1995 |
17k
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16th Century
Intermediate
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A Spanish Armada tactical
naval game - designed to use 1/144 scale plastic ships on a big floor model. |
Ship
cards
zipped BMP files |
74k
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Follow Me, Men!
Updated Jan 2005
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HTML
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Fantasy
Basic
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One Brain Cell Heroic Fantasy Wargame Rules. Designed to be simple,
these are fast moving rules involving knights, orcs and mages and all
that Don't expect pages and pages of weapons and armour lists, loads of
results tables, buckets of silly dice or complex record keeping.
This is an easy to operate game all about command, control and fast play
gaming. All you need are the figures some cheap terrain and imagination.
NEW December
2009 LOOT THEN BURN
Scenario
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containing
Starship
Marine (and it's variants)
Cruel Void - Space
Dogfights
>HELLFIRE< - Detailed
Space Battles and
Starship Strike - Fleet
Actions
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LINK
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Sci-Fi
Basic to Advanced
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The Universe website, that has free rules for space fighter combat, warship
combat and the Original Starship Boarding Action game - Starship Marine.
(Plus MASSES of campaign and background stuff).
Also home of the 'Humanity Will Prevail' strategic campaign.
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Free
Wargame Rules
