Topic: Historical Gaming (ACW era)

[Artobans Ghost]

Thanks to GP’s slow burn Tactics over a number of threads, I am being pulled in the direction of historical gaming, except this time on the tabletop instead of my traditional maps and counters. My question would be what type of game should I lean too. I’m thinking 15 mm and for the first time, American civil war or revolutionary type. I like the idea of militia’s, skirmish companies and a good mix of tactics. Again 15 mm because of cost, big armies and not too much detail like 28 mm. I’ve heard of old glory miniatures but that’s about as far as I know. From Anyone with experience in this area, I would appreciate input.

[scrubber]

Go for it. Don't have the experience, but enjoyed ACW Fire and Fury years ago that I bought "Old Glory" 15's. Love the variety of all the different poses. Makes the unit's look trained, but not that well trained. Also not expensive.

[Gankom]

I've been trying to start up a force for a game called Muskets and Tomahawks. https://jmminiatures.ca/collections/musket-tomahawk-1/products/muskets-and-tomahawks

it's more of a skirmish game, usually 28mm, set during the French and Indian war. Although I've seen people use it for revolutionary or otherwise around there. Pretty much you've got your warband of French/British/Native's/Americans and your fighting in the wild woods. The main rulebook comes with a box of action cards that you use to determine special events and whatnot.

It looks fun, and I've wanted to play for awhile, but historical stuff isn't super popular round my area.

[Artobans Ghost]

Just checked out briefly Fire and fury. Looks like any 15 mm miniature can be used plus rules for a ww2 game as well. Decent pricing as well.
@gankom - that musket and tomahawks looks awesome. There is also a Congo game that looks pretty cool as well. Going to start feeling these out

[GamesPoet]

I'm doing ACW in 28mm.  Current rules preferences are ... Carnage and Glory (computer moderated), Longstreet (by Sam Mustafa), and "They Couldn't Hit and Elephant" (by Too Fat Lardies).  I've played Fire and Fury using 15mm, but I don't have any 15mm ACW nor planning to get any.

[Artobans Ghost]

I'm doing ACW in 28mm.  Current rules preferences are ... Carnage and Glory (computer moderated), Longstreet (by Sam Mustafa), and "They Couldn't Hit and Elephant" (by Too Fat Lardies).  I've played Fire and Fury using 15mm, but I don't have any 15mm ACW nor planning to get any.

I was thinking 15mm only because of space and ease of creation. Never was crazy about the scale but it looks like a few deals can be had for bulk miniatures. Was checking out ‘TCHaE’ scenario.

[GamesPoet]

"TCHaE" would work fine with 15mm.  I've played those rules with and without "Coffee",  rule used with the turn management system, not the beverage.  If I recall, there is also a system in the rues that uses "blinds" for a bit of hidden movement, although I haven't used it.

[ZeroTwentythree]

Really any miniatures can be used with any historical game. (Honestly, the same goes for fantasy...) They can usually be adapted for alternate scales as well.

I played Fire & Fury long ago and enjoyed it. Never got a chance to try the regimental version.

Not sure if it's still floating around the web, but there was a page with some home brewed rules for "Fire and Fury Francais" which adapted the rules for European conflicts of the time (Franco-Prussian War, Austro-Prussian, maybe Italian unification - I forget.)

There's also Black Powder, which spans the (you guessed it...) whole black powder period. They're written with 28mm minis in mind, but (if I recall correctly) alternate basing & measurements for 15mm and other scales.

[Midaski]

It has been suggested that I have a collecting addiction  but I do have one rule I stick to, which is 28mm scale.
Ok - that does include old 25mm and lately some stuff labelled 32mm but which seems to fit.
I am guessing 28mm is supposed to be to the model's 'eye level' whereas 32mm is to the top of the head.
1:56 is the guide.

This 'rule' used to be accompanied by nothing past year 1800, but that has been broken in the last couple of years - modestly, but still broken.

The Golden Rule is to buy with versatility in mind.
Figures should be usable in units for large battles or in smaller combinations for skirmish games. Having started with Warhammer Fantasy exclusively for many years, disillusionment with GW when the "Goldswords" box was released got me looking around, and these days we really are spoilt for choice.

I started to do an inventory of my Rules Sets Books, and discovered I have another addiction. 

Even leaving out expansions I have some 35 different ones, and as Zero23 suggested, spearmen are spearmen in lots of situations, bowmen appear across several centuries, halberdiers or billmen or polearms are common soldiers through multiple 'ages'.
 

[Artobans Ghost]

This is good advice. There is a great store downtown that has been around from at least ‘79 where I bought my first war game and it stilll caters to everything including GW. I think I should wander it’s coridors for a bit.

[Captain Dob Van Dwi]

I am building an early war Polish Cavalry Army (mounted and dismounted) for Flames of War.

https://www.flamesofwar.com

If the super tiny 15mm is not your thing, I am a also breaking in to Bolt Action with Imperial Japanese.

https://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/japanese-army

[Artobans Ghost]

I am building an early war Polish Cavalry Army (mounted and dismounted) for Flames of War.

https://www.flamesofwar.com

If the super tiny 15mm is not your thing, I am a also breaking in to Bolt Action with Imperial Japanese.

https://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/japanese-army

I love flames of war!  Damn I forgot I even have a bunch of stuff packed away. I lost quite a bit when the basement flooded but the troops and vehicles are still kicking around. Time to start rummaging.

[Captain Dob Van Dwi]

I am building an early war Polish Cavalry Army (mounted and dismounted) for Flames of War.

https://www.flamesofwar.com

If the super tiny 15mm is not your thing, I am a also breaking in to Bolt Action with Imperial Japanese.

https://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/japanese-army

I love flames of war!  Damn I forgot I even have a bunch of stuff packed away. I lost quite a bit when the basement flooded but the troops and vehicles are still kicking around. Time to start rummaging.

The new FoW rule book just came out.

EDIT: I should also note that I am thinking about starting  a Chindits army for bolt action as well. And maybe an Indian army for FoW.

Can you tell I love ww2 miniature gaming?

[Artobans Ghost]

Quote Captain : EDIT: I should also note that I am thinking about starting  a Chindits army for bolt action as well. And maybe an Indian army for FoW


Correct if I’m wrong, where the Chindits the Yugoslav partisans that sometimes we’re on either side? The Indian army sounds like a great idea. The idea that even racism and bigotry was rampant in the Indian army, the soldiers looked to their honour as warriors first and put up with the crap. I love all the regional flavours of the Indian army.

[GamesPoet]

Chindits were British and Indian forces in Burma for going after the Japanese during WW2.

- - -

I originally bought 15mm Germans for a FoW army, but couldn't get into the rules.  And Bolt action is definitely not my style of WW2 skirmish.

WW2 is the only period I have more than one size figure ... 15mm, 20mm, and 25/28mm.

Yesterday I was in a hobby store in the Boston area and picked up a handful of 20mm on sale, couple packs of French, 1 German pack, and a Russian machine gun with crew.  I also picked up AK's tri color pack of paints for French WW1 infantry.

And there was Wargames Illustrated's August 2017 issue with an article on how to build European farm houses with the cork tiles that a person can get at a craft store.  There are also some articles and scenarios on early war 1940 fighting before Dunkirk, some siege rules for Lion Rampant, some ideas for Border Reiver buildings and a map of marches & houses, an article on building Fort Mosquito (Swedish fort in Delaware 1632 - 1655 that eventually surrendered to the Dutch), an article on the wars of King James II (including using North Stars 1672 figures), and an article on converting Perry's early crusaders for use with the 3rd crusade era instead.  Lot's of inspiration for me in that issue, which isn't always the case.

[Captain Dob Van Dwi]

Quote Captain : EDIT: I should also note that I am thinking about starting  a Chindits army for bolt action as well. And maybe an Indian army for FoW


Correct if I’m wrong, where the Chindits the Yugoslav partisans that sometimes we’re on either side? The Indian army sounds like a great idea. The idea that even racism and bigotry was rampant in the Indian army, the soldiers looked to their honour as warriors first and put up with the crap. I love all the regional flavours of the Indian army.

No that's the Chetniks you are talking about. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chetniks

I am talking about these guys: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chindits

Interesting note about the Chindits in Burma, it turns out that their unifroms rotted off their bodies while on the march.

It is interesting to note how many Indians served in ww2: 2,500,000 men in all...

[Artobans Ghost]

Quote GP: Chindits were British and Indian forces in Burma for going after the Japanese during WW2.

Aargh! Of course!
@captain: thanks for the chetniks. That save an obsessed search for their name lol.

[GamesPoet]

So Artoban ... did you ever end up picking some 28mm figures up for ACW?  I've recentl;y acquired more 28mm Unions and Confederates.

And by the way ... here's a video on the Monitor ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzT6vO5QvKI

I recently bought a 28mm scale model of a turreted ironclad.  It isn't an exact replica of the Monitor,  but I do like it anyway.