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Author Topic: Colonial rules recommendations  (Read 4377 times)

Offline TheMarquis

  • Bookworm
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Colonial rules recommendations
« on: November 18, 2018, 09:52:59 PM »
Hello folks,

I've been looking for rules that would suit some nineteenth century colonial games, 1st Afgan War, Sikh Wars, the mutiny etc.

I'd be very grateful to hear about fun experiences people have had with any rule sets for this era. I already use Sharp Practice for skirmish games, but for bigger battles I've been using Maurice and Black Powder. Sadly I don't have much time for long games, so I've been hunting for something even quicker and simpler than these.

So if anyone has found any sets that are particularly straightforward or just very good fun I'd be thrilled to hear about it!

thanks

Offline Lord Raglan

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2018, 09:58:45 PM »
Highly recommended, easy to learn and quick/fun games!!


Offline Inkpaduta

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2018, 10:13:50 PM »
I would go with the reigning champion,
The Sword and the Flame.

Offline Romark

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2018, 10:32:49 PM »
Highly recommended, easy to learn and quick/fun games!!



Seconded  :)


Offline malto cortese

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2018, 10:39:22 PM »
I would go with the reigning champion,
The Sword and the Flame.

Fully agree. TSATF rules ok! and if you want to try something different, the rules by the guys who invented this website are a lot of fun - check out Triumph and tragedy here: https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?board=25.0
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Offline sjwalker51

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2018, 10:50:59 PM »
Another vote for ‘Me. who Would Be Kings’ - definitely rekindled my love of colonial gaming in the last few years.

Written with skirmish scenarios in mind (40-100 figures per side) but we’ve found the core mechanisms are remarkably robust and can handle much bigger games with few changes, and are readily tweaked if you want to add some campaign-specific supplementary rules. There’s a well supported FB group as well.

I really like Sharp Practice and, like many others, have my own set of draft adaptations for colonial games but, like you, I enjoy MWWBK for faster moving, easily set up and larger games.

I don’t think you’ll be disappointed getting a set to try - usually heavily discounted on Amazon.

Depending on where you’re based, TSATF seems very popular in the USA but never gained a real following in the UK. Can’t say anything bad about a ruleset that has inspired so much interest in the colonial period for 30-odd years but the rules are a product of their time and seem quite ‘clunky’ compared to more recent sets.

Offline robh

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2018, 11:18:09 PM »
I use (and very highly recommend) Triumph & Tragedy for 1st Afghan, Sikh and Ashanti Wars games, excellent rules, really enjoyable and very easy to adapt with special events/characters depending on how individual you want to make the games.

Offline Emir of Askaristan

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2018, 11:34:04 PM »
Another for TMWWBK.

I've played Zulu vs British, British Vs Boer, Boer vs Zulu, British vs Sikh and Risorgimento (😳) with them and not broken them yet. All have been good games and the tribes have won as often as the regulars. I'm planning on Sudan and quite possibly Crimea too.

I have played TSATF and T&T too, (in fact I submitted some ideas on how the British should be organised and behave when the latter were being written). All three are good but TMWWBK edge it and capture a flavour of "the movies" which the others don't quite get.

Lastly TMWWBK are easily available and fairly cheap, so if you don't like, you've not wasted much. Based between either set is interchangeable, so you're safe there too.

Good luck.

Offline NickNascati

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2018, 12:45:39 AM »
"The Sword and the Flame", the only Colonial era rules IMHO.

Offline SteveBurt

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2018, 11:36:53 AM »
Never been a big fan of the Sword & the Flame (but that may have been coloured by playing the original version with the very deterministic casualty tables).
The Men Who Would be Kings is quite fun, if a bit random.
Black Powder is OK but never really gave a good flavour for the period for us.
We've found Death in the Dark Continent to be a very good Colonial set; always gives exciting games and is interesting to both sides.
We've also tried Victorian Steel, which has some interesting ideas but is not a very tightly written set; we ran into lots of situations not well covered by the rules.
The Horns of the Bull is a fun set for Zulu War games, but perhaps a bit too driven by the cards for my taste.

Online has.been

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2018, 05:41:27 PM »
Another vote for 'TMWWBK'
We have used it for Indian Mutiny (see Flatpack's posts- The Ambassador's residence)
and we plan to use a, slightly, modified version for our up coming WW1 East coast Africa
(working title= Askari).

Offline NurgleHH

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2018, 07:53:07 PM »
I use (and very highly recommend) Triumph & Tragedy for 1st Afghan, Sikh and Ashanti Wars games, excellent rules, really enjoyable and very easy to adapt with special events/characters depending on how individual you want to make the games.
+1, great set of rules.
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Offline Timmo

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2018, 08:25:13 PM »
In one of the TooFatLardies Christmas Specials there is a set called They Don't Like it Up 'Em. This was written for the Sudan but would readily transpose. It's great fun and very easy to learn.

You might also take a look at Battles for Empire II.

Offline WillieB

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Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2018, 09:28:50 PM »
In one of the TooFatLardies Christmas Specials there is a set called They Don't Like it Up 'Em. This was written for the Sudan but would readily transpose. It's great fun and very easy to learn.

You might also take a look at Battles for Empire II.

Timmo, could you let me know what Special that was. I have most but can't seem to find these rules. Probably the one ( or two) I'm still missing.
Panic, Chaos and Disorder. My job here is done

Offline TheMarquis

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  • Posts: 74
Re: Colonial rules recommendations
« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2018, 10:54:05 PM »
Thanks for the very full responses! Looks like I'll have to look into all of these.

I'll certainly pick up TMWWBK as it's so cheap, and explore some of the other sets for bigger battles