18th–19th Century
Black Powder Actions
Rules for the age of musket and bayonet. Discipline, volley fire, and the shock of cold steel in the Napoleonic and colonial eras.
Rules Overview
Rules Overview
Black Powder Actions captures the linear warfare of the 18th and 19th centuries — the era of close-order drill, massed volley fire, and the decisive bayonet charge. The system models the discipline and cohesion that made European armies of the period so formidable, as well as the chaos and carnage of close-range musketry. Suitable for the Seven Years War, American Revolution, Napoleonic Wars, and colonial campaigns.
Key Features
What Makes This System Distinctive
Drill and Discipline
Close-order formations are powerful but vulnerable. The drill system rewards disciplined manoeuvre and punishes disorder.
Volley Fire Mechanics
Massed musketry is modelled with period accuracy — range, rate of fire, and the devastating effect of close-range volleys.
Shock and Melee
The bayonet charge and cavalry shock are decisive tools. Melee resolution captures the terrifying speed of close combat.
Period Scenarios
Scenarios covering the Seven Years War, American Revolution, Napoleonic Wars, and colonial campaigns of the 19th century.
From the Designer
Designer's Notes
The Napoleonic era has always been my first love in military history. Black Powder Actions is my attempt to capture what made that period of warfare so distinctive — the extraordinary discipline of the soldiers, the terrible effectiveness of massed musketry, and the decisive role of cavalry and artillery. The rules have been tested extensively against the historical record and against experienced players who know their period.
Field Orders
Download the Rules
The complete Black Powder Actions rule set is available as a print-ready PDF with all period supplements.