Wargaming: Nineteenth Century Europe 1815-1878

Neil Thomas presents a set of fast-playing rules for wargaming the conflicts that reshaped Europe in the period 1815-78. This often-neglected period includes such significant conflicts as the Crimean War, the Italian Risorgimento, the wars of Bismarck's Prussia against Denmark, Austro-Hungary and France and ends with the Russo-Turkish war. Tactically, it saw armies struggle to adapt Napoleonic doctrines to incorporate important technological advances such as breech-loading rifles, greatly improved artillery and the first machine guns.A brief analysis of the essential strategic and tactical military developments of the period sets the context for the elegantly simple rules which are easy to learn, quick to play and yet deliver realistic outcomes. A selection of generic scenarios, covering flank attacks, pitched battles and meeting engagements, is supported by army lists for twenty-eight different armies. There are also twelve historical scenarios, ranging from the Battle of the Alma in the Crimean War to Sedan in 1870, the decisive battle of the Franco- Prussian War, each with historical background, deployment map, orders of battle and any special rules for that engagement. Useful appendices include a guide to further reading, an overview and price guide to the many scales and ranges of figures available, and a selection of useful addresses for the gamer. This is the ideal book for those new to gaming this period and veterans alike.