Napoleonic Wargaming

This is a gem of a book. Something to get you up and running without having to paint masses of figures.There are other books by Neil Thomas which are good also such as an introduction to War gaming.This title sets you up with some basic rulesand a list of Armies and various campaigns.Highly recommended and look forward to other titles.

Good book which had everything you need for this period. Rules are simple but each army has it's own flavour.

A good introduction to this period in wargaming for those starting out, and with some interesting ideas for the more seasoned player. Well worth a look. Though the pictures could have a more direct relation to the text.

I've had these rules for some time now and played them on a regular basis. Why? They are very good. Not great, but very good. We arrived at them after going through a variety of Napoleonic rules, including Shako and the lamentable Black Powder, but nothing was as quick and 'comfortable' as these.The pros: dead simple.The cons: some abstractions need sorting. Artillery, for example.Our group has made a couple of tweaks to sort the cons out and we have now a super set of rules which reflect the period very well. It is a shame NT went for an eight unit, one-off game framework as you need to make local amendments to refight historic battles. This is no problem for me as I am an inveterate fiddler, but others looking for a pick up and go set may have difficulty. This is not hard to remedy if you have his Introduction rules (or the superior 19th century book) but I think he missed and opportunity to create a masterpiece. For that alone I have dropped a star. But I have stopped looking for Napoleonic rules now: I'm a happy bunny.

I pre-ordered my copy from Amazon in U.K. and they got it to me here in the U.S. quite soon after they received their shipment.I have read it twice, and am happy to share my thoughts.I should first put my review in context; I happen to quite enjoy the approach Neil Thomas takes to miniatures wargaming. I really like his two previous works, Wargaming: An Introduction; and, Ancient and Medieval Wargaming.If you did not like Thomas's Napeolonic section in Wargaming: An Introduction, these rules are not going to strike you any differently. The rules, and the army lists, are not wildly different from their introductory incarnations, just a bit more developed and period-specific.Thomas seems to me to go much more for a GAME, than for a SIMULATION; that approach happens to suit my desires quite well, but I do not begrudge anyone their desire for a more involved treatment. I am pretty sure the purists are going to rip this volume to shreds, but it really is a matter of what your gaming philosophies are.First half of the book: Thomas gives an overview of the Napoleonic wars, and some very nice notes on period strategy and tactics, presented in such a way that even someone new to the period can understand and appreciate them.Second half of the book: Rules, army lists, replay, bibliography, and resources.I was pleasantly surprised that Mr. Thomas included a fair-sized section in the middle of the book, just before the actual rules, in which he explains his approaches both to gaming in general, and to specific rules in particular. Some of his rules and interpretations which hadn't sat well with me before, I now better understand and appreciate, as he took the time to share the reasons why he came to implement his decisions.As I have mentioned, I rather like Thomas's attitude and approach to miniatures gaming, so I was predisposed to like this book. Of his three, this is probably my third favorite, but that said, I would, having read it, absolutely buy it again. Would I recommend it to gaming friends? That would depend on the friends, and on their styles of gaming.The photos of miniature figures look wonderful in the book. One of my few complaints, though, about all three of Thomas's books, is that the miniatures photos used in each volume have absolutely nothing to do with his rules; they are not, for example, based as are his units, nor as any of the armies in his lists; they are not deployed as per his examples. In fact, for some, looking at the photos while interpreting rules could actually be confusing. It strikes me as silly to just include photos of pretty miniatures which have no actual relevance or bearing to the rules with which they are presented. The photos would be wonderful to include in a book on painting miniatures, but they do not belong in these rules.I can already hear one of the biggest complaints which will no doubt spring from some Napoleonic gaming veterans: How can one play a Napoleonic miniatures game with only eight units? Yes, each army, consistent with most of Thomas's other rules, has only eight units, and the Old Regime armies may optionally even use only six units. While I enjoy having to make tough decisions about which units to include from those available to each nationality, eight units may not be large enough for most Napoleonic games, and common troop types will always be left out.To summarize: I like Neil Thomas's Napoleonic Wargaming. I like his approach; I even enjoy most of the abstractions he chooses to use. I hope he continues writing rules and stays on the path he has chosen, in terms of concept.Those are my thoughts, just from reading, without having yet played this specific set from Thomas. I would enjoy and appreciate opinions from others as well.If there is any interest I am happy to post any additional thoughts after running through a few games.

Clear concise simple

Neil Thomas at his best..... an incredible book.

For some treason unknown to me a review of another set of Napoleonic Rules was published here under Neil Thomas' book.It was only when I received an Amazon update to a review that I became aware of the fact.Let me state that this book is excellent. The writing style is lucid, errudite and above the level of the usual wargaming books. Neil also sets out lots of 12 unit armies which provide an ideal introduction to the periods and will suit most sets of Napoleonic rules.His rules are not bad either, and all his other books are well worth a read - especially his 'ancients' book, which has been the basis for several demonstration and public participation games at wargames shows.Unreservedly recommended - and I did write and post this review.