I use ‘Fire and Fury’ there are both brigade and regimental versions. They’ve been around for a few years. ACW themed but I have seen house rules for Franco Prussia war and Crimea.

Johnny Reb by GDW (you’ll have to find a set second hand however), however there’s a “split” in the playerbase between 2nd and 3rd edition (I’m one of the diehards that stuck with 2nd). It’s an older set of rules (so expect tables and charts), but it used an innovative order system using chits that are placed face down (so you don’t know what you opponent has ordered until they are revealed). It stops the usual brinksmanship and adds a layer of chaos into the game.

The later edition (and Fire and Fury) share a common basing (so you can switch between both sets of rules for playing either Regt level or Brigade). But just like Napolenonics, Ancients, (or just about any historical) period there’s a gazillion set of rules out there and everyone is playing each one. The best way (if you have a group or club) is find out what the others are playing (rather than striking out on your own).

But you probably need to decide if you want a detailed set of rules or a more quickplay set for a start…..

I think it all depends on the complexity a game your are looking for. I’ve played over the years Johnny Reb 2 and fire and fury both brigade and regimental. More recently I’ve started to use black powder with the glory hallelujah supplement.

I would say that Johnny reb in today’s terms is quite a clunky a game system,  it does give a good feel for the period.

The latest edition of fire and fury regimental and brigade are very good and also give good period flavours.

Black powder is a simple system that needs a little input at the start to make sure you put the period flavours into the game, but the mechanics are simple.

My large ACW gaming I use an old computer program Rebel Yell (sadly not in production) as this gives me the right weapons, damage etc that is scaled in my opinion correctly. There are other good sets on the market namely carnage and glory, which also do a similar thing.

I’ve got a copy of, over Malvern hill by stand to games.  Just one D10 each needed and plays great.  Lots of feel of the period and can be played in 15 or 28 mm

Interesting comments from many people.  😀

Johnny Reb is “clunky by today’s standards.”  Well, it’s been a while since I played Johnny Reb (honestly I don’t remember what edition it was), but generally speaking I feel too many of today’s standards are frankly way too slick, too simple, too catered to short attention spans.

I’ll  have to check out Rebel Yell.

Black Powder – in the past I have not been a fan.  Way too simple, too fast.  Bereft of detail.  Can’t seem to make up its mind on scale.  28mm figures  with 10-40 figures in an army but no real ruling on how many men that’s supposed to be, clearly a command-tactical game where a figure represents more than one man but still with the True LOS rules for terrain?  How can that be when you’re figures / units are not to scale with the terrain?

That said, clearly I was looking at some kind of introductory rules set.  I see YouTube video with a 178-page book  that’s DEFINITELY not the one I was looking at before.  They still have that damned “pivot” movement option in it.  God **** it all to hell, I wish games would stop doing that.  Have these people ever DONE close order drill in the military?  Much less in combat?

Johnny Reb basing limitations: Honestly I can’t speak to this.  I played 15 years ago with someone else’s army, I can’t remember off the top of my head whether there were four or five figures on the base.

Which brings up a question – how does Johnny Reb handle the wildly different sizes to the regiments and brigades, especially between the Union and CSA?  Confederate units would usually be reinforced with replacements between battles, so they had a smaller number of “units” with more or less a steady manpower level (at least until later in the war).  Union regiments would be used and used until they were finally disbanded (or enlistment papers ran out), and then replaced with new units.

So you’d have Confederate regiments that were supposed to have 1000 men but usually had say 600-800 (usual battlefield rate) – but Union regiments could be as small as 200 after a couple battles.  Of course, such disparities were then carried up through brigade and division and corps.  Gettysburg is a common example: three Confederate corps faced off against seven Union corps and the disparity on the field was only 75,000-90,000 or so (I don’t count Union units that arrived too late on July 3 to take meaningful part in the battle).

Just saying, this force level in a “regimental” game is a factor, I honestly don’t remember how Johnny Reb handles it.

Volley and Bayonet is a nice set as well and just about covers ACW. I think there was an ACW version of General de Brigade done as well

I do find Black powder a bit bland