American Civil War Wargaming
Airfix Magazine Guide 24

Wargame Rules Review

Airfix Magazine Guide 24: American Civil War Wargaming by Terence Wise.

Breech-loading rifles, machine guns, railroads and the telegraph all contributed to make the American Civil War the first modern war. The Airfix Magazine Guide 24: American Civil War Wargaming outlines the organisation, weapons, equipment and capabilities of the Federal and Confederate armies, then shows how to build up miniature regiments and recreate the battles on the tabletop, using the playing rules provided.

Infantry regiments are organised in two-figure companies, representing 50 men, and mounted on a 25 × 10 mm infantry stand. Cavalry troopers are mounted individually on a frontage of 25 mm per figure. Artillery batteries of six guns or howitzers are represented by one model gun mounted on a triangular base, with each side measuring 82 mm, and six separate gun crew figures.

The rules cover muzzle-loading smooth-bore muskets, Springfield, and Remington rifles, Sharps breech-loading rifles, Spencer repeating rifles, Enfield, and Spencer carbines, as well as Indian short bows. 6-pdr and 12-pdr Napoleon smooth-bore guns, 12-pdr Whitworth guns, 3″ Rodman rifled guns, 20-pdr and 30-pdr Parrot rifles, 12-pdr, 24-pdr and 32-pdr howitzers.

Contents

  • Title: American Civil War Wargaming, Airfix Magazine Guide 24
  • Period: American Civil War
  • Type: Tactical Wargame
  • Time Scale: 1 turn = 2.5 minutes
  • Ground Scales: 1:915 (1 mm = 1 yard)
  • Troop Scale: 1 figure = 25 men
  • Basing: 25 × 10 mm two-figure infantry company bases
  • Casualty rate per minute at 100 meters range: (unmodified)
    • Smooth-bore Musket: 0.13 hits
    • Remington Rifle: 0.16 hits
    • Spencer Rifle: 0.4 hits
    • Sharps Rifle: 0.48 hits
  • Author: Terence Wise
  • Format: 64-page rule book
  • Language: English
  • Publisher: Patrick Stephens Ltd, Cambridge, England
  • Published: 1977

Chapters

Editor’s Introduction by Bruce Quarrie, 1 page

  1. Basic principles, 11 pages
  2. Organisation, 9 pages
  3. Tactics, 5 pages
  4. Boys, this will be short but desperate!, 16 pages
  5. Rules summary, 10 pages
  6. Information, 3 pages
  7. The Peninsular Campaign, 6 pages
Confederate Infantry Regiment, 1:76 Miniatures Airfix

The effect of infantry, cavalry, and artillery fire is calculated without dice. The player simply refers to the infantry fire chart which list percentage casualties at a given range. Infantry firing Remington rifles at 100 m range, inflict 40 percent casualties per turn. Cover and open order formations reduce the fire effect. For every 25 casualties suffered by fire or melee, one model soldier is removed from the unit. The photo shows Airfix Union and Confederate Infantry with kepis and slouch hats, painted to represent a Confederate infantry regiment in wargames. The standard-bearer is a converted infantryman with the rifle removed and replaced by a flag staff made from pianowire.

Airfix American Civil War Wargaming rules are easy to understand and implement. Infantry, cavalry and artillery fire casualties are a factor of effective range, rate of fire, number of men firing, target cover and formation parameters, without the use of dice.

Wargame Rules