ACW Rules and Scenarios for 54mm

Whatever you decide, I would prep the conversation by explaining that some rules are very simple and are more about playing a game with ACW miniatures, while others are fairly complicated and try for more historical accuracy/simulation, while still others fall in between. Personally, I would go with simple rules for a demo and have a variety of rules on hand for people to look at.

Without knowing how your collection is mounted, I would recommend Ross Macfarlane's Square Brigadier rules as a starter. You can also use The Portable Wargame as well.

If your figures are single mounted, then Brother V Brother works well.

If you want to represent the Peach Orchard (and I highly recommend the Battle of Gettysburg podcast with Eric and Jim, they do a two-part episode on the Peach Orchard) then you could use On To Richmond for a fairly abstract game.

I think the Peach Orchard gets short shift, because Sickles is involved. On the other hand, if your figures are single mounted, then maybe the Triangular Field and the fate of the 124th NY is a good example of small unit leadership and action.

Lots of potential there, too.

I envy your challenge. Best of luck.

Eric

Thanks, epturner. Some great suggestions there. At the present time, I am looking at playing the battle of Beaver Dam Creek, the first major engagement of the Seven Days Battles. It's a surprisingly small engagement. I am thinking about using Neil Thomas' ACW rules from his Wargaming An Introduction and fitting it all onto a 6X10, or, if pressed, 5X8 table.

Tradgardmastre, my friend, who happens to be the vice president of the Civil War Round Table, is going to give the talk about the history of the wargame. The president of the club is a retired US Army colonel and he's going to give a talk about wargames in the service. It's going to be a full evening!

Nick

twogunbob,

Thank you very much. Unfortunately, I found out, at the last moment, that we would be limited to the narrow width tables at the host restaurant, so I had to substitute my 15mm Mexican-American collection to be able to fit onto the small table. I will file away your scenario for later use.

Nick Stern

Well, Across A Deadly Field, by the late John Hill of Johnny Reb fame, might work, given your parameters, but you would have to maybe tinker with it for 54mm.

My main challenge with AADF, is that is a LOT more mental work than I really want in a game.

BUT, if you don't mind the work, it might give you the game you are looking for.

I have these rules on my coffee table now, and I've been looking at them for 54mm as well. I'm thinking that The Square Brigadier, sans the square, from Ross Macfarlane, might go better for me.

Hope that helps.

Eric

Hey FYI rossmac your rules list page seems to be down: gameofmonth.blogspot.com/p/a-list-of-links-to-various-rule-sets.html sends me to a "Sorry, the page you were looking for in this blog does not exist." page...

Yes, the rules page is temporarily down intentionally while I sort my self out.

I've been trying to keep out of this because I don't like telling people from other countries  how to recreate their own wars. However, I have (and sadly have had) friends who were both ACW reenactors AND wargamers. They are as individual as any other group but by and large they aren't looking to use toy soldiers to recreate the drill and low level stuff that they do themselves, most of them are looking to fight out battles, something many only rarely get to do, and then usually as privates not Brigadiers and Generals.

More than that, many of them want to see the sweep of the action not the details since they know and do that during smaller resenactments while during larger reenactments, the bulk of them see no more of what's happening 500 yards away when privates and captains than real soldiers did in action. The toy soldiers (or models) allow them to be be promoted as it were.

So simple, I'd stick with regiments as units, maybe a dozen bit figures each or a few stands of smaller figures and very simple, quick play rules so that things happen. Include some way to rally units and throw them back in.

I'me sure there are lots of sets out there but I'll dig my regiment as unit set out, dust them and throw a link up as well as the brigade as unit one I'm currently leaning towards so I can play a small multiplayer battle in an hour or so. I've also got a scenario post a while back, its based on Iuka which I've played at both levels. It has a link to the current version of the rules which are basically the same as my regiment level but with fewer but bigger units and reduced ranges to match. Feel free to take any ideas you like and leave the rest or use as is etc.

Here's the current versio on "Plastic Army of the Potomac"  (Yes, the name was  inspired by the 19thC book "The Tin Army of the Potomac about a man and his son refighting the civil war with toy soldiers and a lot of imagination.)

The blog post w scenario and link to my current rules: gameofmonth.blogspot.com/2022/03/hit-and-run-scenario-as-played.html

Also feel free to ask why I did this or that and not the other.

Ross