Best AWI rules for a handful of miniatures

[Genialjim]

Hi, as someone who normally plays bolt action I have finally got around to painting some old Wargames foundry AWI Militia and British light infantry that have sat in the lead pile for about a decade.  Can some one recommended a system that can give a fun game for a handful of figures on both sides.  I have about 10 militia and 8 light infantry.   I have looked at muskets and tomahawks, rebels and patriots and chosen men but all seem in actual fact to want a lot more figures than I have or am I being unfair to them?

[BeneathALeadMountain]

I haven’t played it but Forager by stand to games would probably be usable https://standtogames.co.uk/shop/ols/products/forager-the-napoleonic-skirmish-wargaming-rules-pdf-version I’m sure I’ve seen someone using it for earlier period than it was intended as the technology is still similar. It uses small forces (the size you mentioned) and you could work up to M&T later when you (inevitability if your like many of us) get more chaps.

Hope this helps,
BALM

[has.been]

1)Fistful of lead.              Good fun simple to learn. Best for multi-player with about 5 figs. each.
2)Muskets & Tomahawks. Good for two sides and a few more figures.
3)Rebels & Patriots.          Good for about 40+ figs. a side.

If new to the period you could start with 1) & build up through 2) onto 3), as you add figures.

[Genialjim]

Fellows those are both new to me so I’ll go and investigate. Thanks for the steer.

[warrenpeace]

For that many figures, I'd suggest using Pulp Alley. That's good for any adventure at a role playing scale from stone age to futuristic sci-fi. It's more about who is the hero or villain and who is the sidekick and who are the more expendable characters rather than about the technology of fighting. So one could make some changes to capture the atmosphere of the musket era. Spying around New York City could be the basis for a mini-campaign with a few scenarios. Or clashes in the back woods of South Carolina.

But I've heard good things about Fistful of Lead from my brother, who played in a convention game of that in 2019.

When you get more figures, Muskets & Tomahawks is good.

[zippyfusenet]

Song of Drums and Tomahawks is a great skirmish game for two players using a handful of 28mm miniatures, set in the flintlock era. The rules cover the French & Indian War frontier, but you could perfectly well have two gangs of whypipo chase each other through the sticker bushes.

http://www.ganeshagames.net/index.php?cPath=1_51&osCsid=gsg3ps6kq2cteret6fpolf6bi2

[SHARPE52]

Zippyfusenet +1
Marco

[LazyStudent]

I would highly recommend Fist full of lead. 8-10 figures is almost too many per side. It also allows a small amount of campaign style character progression, which is highly enjoyable. 

[Baron von Wreckedoften]

Might possibly be regarded as "old hat" nowadays, but there used to be a set called Flintlock & Ramrod which was for individual figures, for each of whom you could dice up characteristics, skills, etc qhich directly affected how each figure played.  Seem to recall they gave a good game, but not sure where you'd find them nowadays - maybe eBay?

[Genialjim]

Thank you for all the suggestions that keep coming in.

[Dr DeAth]

+1 for Fistful of Lead

[Citizen Sade]

Thank you for all the suggestions that keep coming in.

The rules with no name? First published in Wargames Illustrated, there were some 18th century mods called ‘On the wilder fringes’ or similar back in the day. If you like card driven games and heroic characters, it could be worth tracking down copies of the magazines.

[BeneathALeadMountain]

On wilder fringes is from Wargames Illustrated 111,112 and 113 if you have Prime access you can find them in the vault.

Hope this helps
BALM

[bluewillow]

Brother against brother, or musket against tomahawks perhaps.

Cheers
Matt