ACW system for beginner

[Manilianus]

Hi, Y'all!

I'd like to ask for your word of advice - I'm going into American Civil War wargaming and this would be my first miniature wargame ever. Do You recommend anything? I'd say that anything that would fit on 15 mm /25 mm would do. I'd like to read something 'bout both operational/strategic and skirmish systems that You think are interesting.

For what I have heard, Johnny Reb and Longstreet are good games, but frankly that's all I know about them.

Any info would be much appreciated!

 

[prymus]

Highly recommend the Fire and Fury set. I played it years ago and it is a fun, fairly quick paced, easy to learn rules set. Have since given all my ACW stuff to charity. Also check out free wargame rules. I've used some Napoleonic sets and they are good, especially for the price. The site should give you a good idea of what the rules do, the level of play(regimental, brigade...) and what you need to play. While I have no exposure I've seen a "Regimental Fire and Fury" also, not sure if they are different from Fire and Fury or a new version(?). Hope this little bit helps you out there Buddy, and good luck with your project.

 

[Manilianus]

Highly recommend the Fire and Fury set. I played it years ago and it is a fun, fairly quick paced, easy to learn rules set.

Thanks for info! I've heard lots of good about these rules, too. Those are suited for grand battles, right?

Have since given all my ACW stuff to charity. Also check out free wargame rules. I've used some Napoleonic sets and they are good, especially for the price.

Aren't Napoleonics more beginning-XIX century based, in terms of OdB, rules and so forth? I mean, more "antique" field of battle.

The site should give you a good idea of what the rules do, the level of play(regimental, brigade...) and what you need to play. While I have no exposure I've seen a "Regimental Fire and Fury" also, not sure if they are different from Fire and Fury or a new version(?). Hope this little bit helps you out there Buddy, and good luck with your project.

Thank You! You know, I've fell in love lately with ACW as a history period - as a matter of fact I'm thinking about signing to a historical reconstruction group (there's one in Poland, I've figured it out - 14th Louisiana regiment, as history shows made up solely/mostly by Poles).

 

[prymus]

You're very welcome. Went to an ACW re-enactment here in AZ a few years ago and it was fun. Only about 35 guys in the whole but they were fun to watch. On the free wargame rules site are sets for just about every period that wars were fought. So thee are catagories for everything. IIRC there was a ACW section. Check them out, its free. As for Fire and Fury, you can play large battles but it gets a bit unwieldy at the large end(say over 100,000 actual men represented), but there is also Regimental Fire and Fury for the smaller actions.

 

[prymus]

Here you go, check this site out. I also looked at the 'Wartime Journal' site but could not find any ACW. The folks that do 'Society of twentieth century gamers' also does this site.


http://freewargamesrules.wikia.com/wiki/Freewargamesrules_Wiki

 

[Manilianus]

And thank You again!

 

[prymus]

No problem buddy, hope you can find something that works for you. Good luck on your project too, what scale have you decided on, 15mm or 25mm?

 

[Manilianus]

I guess 15 mm would be good one for beginners - it's quite flexible scale, when it comes to changing rules. And nobody says I cannot try Fire & Fury, Johnny Reb and Longstreet rules at the same time.

Must say I'm quite embarrassed I wasn't so interested by this conflict, but I have to say that - for me - ACW turned out to be one of more interesting ones.

 

[prymus]

Glad you're enjoying it Michal, the key to painting, researching, building, buying all that stuff is it holding your interest. It is an interesting time. Even though the Napoleonic wars were long over most of the training and tactics of the ACW were derived from the Napoleonic era. It is one of the reasons there were so many casualties, masses of men marching in to the fire of long guns much more accurate and dangerous than the long guns of 60 years prior. I think you chose a good scale, you'll be able to game some fairly large battles if you want, and depending on the rules you choose. I have heard good things about the Johnny Reb rules, I am not familiar with Longstreet. And by all means try out sets until you find something you like, thats what I do. Except I usually write my own stealing the ideas I like from several different sets. But as long as you find something that gives you the game you want that's all that matters. Good luck Michal and give us an update every now and then. There aren't a lot of mini gamers here but they are a good bunch.

 

[Manilianus]

Thank You again, Bill, I'll be more than happy to ask for Your guidance every once in a while!