Rebels and Patriots: Wargaming Rules for North America: Colonies to Civil War (Osprey Wargames Book 23)

I've played many miniature games and enjoy playing historical war games. The rules are simple and provides great game play. It incorporates most of the tactics and strategies associated with linear warfare. Check on Amazon for miniature sales. I've saved a lot of money watching the Amazon market for Perry Miniatures and Black Powder miniatures.

Not only do you get a book that you can use to play Revolutionary War game, but you can recreate the War of 1812, and the Civil War, too. Clear and concise instructions with pictures.

Osprey offers fun, easy to play rules. These rules are for skirmishes, not grand engagements.

These rules work great for Civil War, less well for periods before that. The shooting is the problem. Great for Civil War less well for earlier musket base periods.

Great set of rules for a faster/ lighter gameplay.

Of all the oldest rules i found this the best. There is enough chrome to make a delightful hour plus battle. I can recommend this book. Complexity is about the same as song of fire and ice miniatures, but a little more than memoir 44.

Great rule set for a good price. Osprey always has excellent value

I just received my copy that I have been waiting months for. First let me say that they are a strong 8 out of 10. Next let me say that I have yet to play them. I have read it through, twice. I own and have played both "Men Who Would Be Kings" and "Chosen Men" and can see the influence of both sets of rules. They have taken the best from those games and applied them here. Let's just say that I will continue to play "MWWBK" because of the different time period and locations. "Rebels and Patriots" may replace "Chosen Men". "Rebels and Patriots" campaigns are all North American based., which lends itself to light infantry tactics. Let's start with the few negatives. These are small issues. I don't like the officer character rules. The officer is now more like a D &D character. I can see where it can be fun, at times, and I can see ways around it. The book is poorly edited. There are a number of locations where the addition of a word or two may resolve some confusion, also the word "of" is used in a number of locations, where I believe that "off" was intended. The term used to describe the army force you build is "company". Brigade or Legion may have been a better choice. That said, on to the positives. Where "Chosen Men" has a limited list of troops and limited campaigns, "Rebels and Patriots" has a long list of campaigns to draw on. "R and P" has a limited list of troop types, such as 'Skirmishers', 'Shock Infantry', and 'Light Cavalry', but these can all be modified, both up and down. Your "company" could have a unit of green militia skirmishers and a unit of Morgan's Rifles, skirmishers with sharpshooter skills. You pay a little more for them to get them to that level. The "company" is based on 24 points. You purchase your troops to fit within that points range. Whatever North American troop types you have, there is a way to make them fit into the troop types of the game. Although the game is designed for North American campaigns, I can see using the rules to fight European campaigns. Most European troops can be easily adapted to these rules. I can also see that by doubling the available points to 48, a more European feel battle could be fought.

Decent wargame rules

An interesting book, I never have played table top war-games before, it seems a natural progression after painting figures. The rules appear to be clear, plenty of YT videos to watch. I would have liked a spiral spine as then the book can be laid flat for referencing without almost having to bend the book in half, I use pegs or paper clips to keep it open. Apart for that a good and "cheap" way to start TT war-gaming with a diverse range of historical scenarios

Very good conditions

Le livre est super beau et toujours au top pour un osprey game.

I bought this set to game with my existing French Indain war figures. Had four games in quick succession, each of which lasted about an hour. The rules were quick to learn and fun to use, however! My game had the british fighting a french indian force and in all four games the british were torn apart. The native indians were particularly deadly, once in combat they roll 12 dice needing a 3+ to hit and every second hit removes a figure. If the british who need to hit on a 6 survive the first assault the indians get a follow up attack needing 4+. Even if the british get to shoot at them they need 5+ to hit and every three hits removes a figure. The natives then need to roll less than 7 on two dice to suffer a negative reaction. So I have had to change the stats for the natives from those printed in the book to make them less deadly in combat and less likely to activate. So either I have got it wrong or the rules have not been fully play tested. There are some nice features, such as the double one blunder chart and the double six bonus chart. But some players might not enjoy the blunder result that results in you shooting at your own troops. I also introduced the fail an activation and you end your turn rule. Just about everyone activates on the same score which feels wrong, so there does not seem to be any need to plan your moves in the written set. Would I use these rules again ? Yes. For a quick knock about game on my own or with someone with a passing interest in the period, but I would have to make rule changes. If I wanted to have a French indian wars game with real period flavour I would use Studio Tomahawk's Muskets and Tomahawks rules.