Wargaming --AWI –what rules do you use? Part One -Philosophical Musings

AWI –what rules do you use? Part One

Philosophy of Choosing Wargame Rules

          Previous posts have shown photos American War of Independence, sometimes referred to as "AWI," tabletop games where miniature figures and model scenery were used to recreate real or imaginary battles from this historical conflict. Since posting I’ve received a couple queries asking about what rules I use. Here I’ll prevent a survey on theory and practice on rules for the period, followed by a communication from Marvin Vedder, historian, wargamer, and author of “Crucible of War,”  a not-quite-as-yet-but-coming-soon set of rules for the period.

Pete’s Personal Theories and Philosophies on Wargaming Rules

          First some personal opinions on wargaming rules.  

•  If you’re going to build up a pair of armies (minimum) to fight battles and play games in a given historical period, it’s a good to have at least one set of rules for that period that will work with the figures you own. This sounds like common sense, but a surprising number of people I know do not follow this and have beautiful figures for gaming but no rules that work with them.

A section of my British forces proudly ready for tabletop battle.

•  It usually takes some time, effort, and money to find a good set of wargaming rules. And I say “good” intentionally because there is no perfect set of wargaming rules. Expect to read a few, look them over, and try more than one before finding one that you can settle on. And if you are able to play with a few set of rules, remember, flexibility is a virtue.

OK, a Jacobite force that a friend painted up. Not really an AWI force
(Er . . . Moore's Creek anyone? Only this time the bridge could be intact?)
But still a wonderful looking 18th C army. 

• But sometimes you don’t really need to know the rules to play a good game. A good set of rules, simulates historical reality (or at least approximates it in a recognizable fashion). If one player knows the rules well, and all present understand the way the troops fought and moved, when they tended to break and run, and the different weapons and their approximate effects and ranges, then the player who knows the rules should be able to guide the others who don’t through the game, assuming that a degree of trust exists between the player who knows the rules and those who don’t. Personally, I think it’s fine for the player who knows the rules to participate, but others would disagree and think they should be neutral and merely referee. I can understand this. However, I also think that if you don’t trust someone not to cheat at a wargame, it’s best not to invite them. (Yeah, sometimes it’s just not that easy. Why, why, why do some people cheat that these games? I mean, who, exactly, is it that they impress with their ill-gotten victories? Historical miniature gaming groupies?)

Iroquois at a game based on Oriskany

• Different rules are good for different things. With that said, I think ideally one would have a few different sets of rules for a few different styles of games. I think that a perfect combination would be one set of rules that provide a smooth, quick battle game that was fun to play, a second set of rules that would provide a more detailed simulation with greater historical detail as opposed to a game, and a third set of rules that would provide a fun skirmish game where instead of a large battle each figure represents a single individual and the scale of the table top conflict is much, much smaller.

Tryon County Militia at Oriskany

• Finally, it is my belief that once a set of rules for a wargaming period achieves a certain, unspecified level of popularity, if you are interested in the period and wish to game it, then it's worth familiarizing yourself with that particular set of rules just so that you can participate if the opportunity to join in a game using those rules occurs. 

SO, my two cents. Personal opinions only. What do you think? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section. 

More Tryon County Mililtia at the Oriskany Game

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A project in progress. An imaginary 18th C Regiment and artillery crew composed of beautiful women.
Figures from Eureka miniatures.