Old West rules help

[Dukewilliam]

Men,

I have recently started an old west project. I have roughly 50 each cavalry and native Americans. I am looking for a proper rules set to game some action on the plains frontier.

I own the old GW Legends of the Old West and Frontier spinoff books but was looking for something different.

I’d appreciate any input on rules sets you may like like that have less the ‘posse’ approach and more ‘frontier war’ approach. (I intend to continue to collect more models.) I guess I mean more meaty rules for larger battles.

Thanks for your input,
Steve

[CapnJim]

I would try Fistful of Lead, and their Bigger Battles book.  The Bigger Battles book is a set of stand-alone rules but the original FFoL can hell you flavor them to the old west.
Heck, we've even used Bigger Battles for WW2 and Vietnam.  I think they would serve you well for the size action you are talking about.

[Inkpaduta]

If you can find a copy. They wore a Yellow Ribbon is considered the best by far of the Indian War rules.

[sjwalker51]

Long out of print but “Yellow Ribbon” was a great set of rules, but the mechanics are inevitably very dated.

Most recently, we’ve had great fun with Osprey’s “Men who would be Kings” with a number of tweaks to better represent the character of the Plains War. Our rule adaptations are posted in an earlier thread here and on the MWWBK FB Group.

They’re good for skirmish actions (40-60 figures per side) though we’ve used them for much bigger actions - most recently at the Partizan show where our version of LBH saw 400 Lakota comprehensively defeat 130 US Cavalry - we’re planning a refight of The Rosebud at the next Partizan in May.

[Galloping Major]

Also worth looking at The Men Who Would Be Kings, colonial rules from Osprey, as I'm assured they work well for plains wars (I have the rules, but not tried them yet) 


www.gallopingmajorwargames.co.uk

[terrement]

Don't know / just asking, but does anyone fight those battles with a version of The Sword and the Flame?

[sjwalker51]

Pretty sure there was a supplement called “The Sword and the Tomahawk”?

[MaleGriffin]

Looks great! Any more pics?

[sjwalker51]

https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=133832.0

There’s a couple of threads with additional photos over on the Colonial page here - because it was played using the MWWBK rules.

[Johnny Boy]

A Good Day to Die, Chris Peers rules will handle a large skirmish. I always liked them even if they're a little dated now.

[SotF]

Men,

I have recently started an old west project. I have roughly 50 each cavalry and native Americans. I am looking for a proper rules set to game some action on the plains frontier.

I own the old GW Legends of the Old West and Frontier spinoff books but was looking for something different.

I’d appreciate any input on rules sets you may like like that have less the ‘posse’ approach and more ‘frontier war’ approach. (I intend to continue to collect more models.) I guess I mean more meaty rules for larger battles.

Thanks for your input,
Steve

If you can get it, the Legends of the Old West: Alamo book includes rules for the frontier war side of things, I believe that Showdown also includes some...but that's one that I never managed to get my hands on

[HerbyF]

I vaguely remember playing a set called Pony Wars that was written just for this. But we also played a lot of games using The Sword & the Flame. works really well. Small mounted units (12) slightly bigger foot (20). Or you can half the unit size for a more skirmish feel.

[leadfool]

I also vote for the men who would be King,