Corporal John

Wargames Rules for the Wars of the Late 17th & Early 18th Centuries

The period 1650 to 1712 saw dramatic changes in the conduct of European warfare with the final demise of the pike and the introduction of first the plug-bayonet and then its far handier successor the socket-bayonet. The heavy cavalry shed most of its armour and began to rely more and more on shock action. The infantry changed over from firing volleys by ranks and adopted the far more flexible platoon firing. Light cavalry began to make its appearance on the battlefield.

Command and control was no less rudimentary. Marlborough’s running footmen, on hand to carry his orders to all parts of the field, were the wonder of the day. A general staff, trained to act as a team, was still years in the future. And as for the name, Corporal John was the affectionate nickname given to John, first Duke of Marlborough by his troops. These rules are designed to replicate the warfare of Marlborough and Eugene, of Charles XII and Peter the Great, and of the great Condé and Turrenne. They might easily be used for the conflicts of Cromwell and Prince Rupert or even the wars of Maurice de Saxe. Whichever you choose. All models fielded under these rules are organised on “element” bases. They can be of any size provided that both sides field their forces on the same size bases. There is no figure-scale as such – the gamer is free to use as many or as few figures as he wishes and the base will accommodate – and no removal of casualties.