First (before the rules)–if you like these or find them useful, please consider following/liking The Dietz Foundation on social media.  Consider a donation, too.  Our goal is to help educators bring creative, non-traditional methods into the classroom that educate AND spark interest in students to pursue a subject further on their own!

As long as you make reference to the Foundation and keep the titles–Yazan’s Simple Rules for Land/Naval Miniatures, you are free to copy/use either rules set for your personal or classroom use.

These are in addition to Yazan’s Simple Rules for Naval Miniatures–because everyone has toy soldiers. The rules are meant to me simple enough to be played with a younger person.  It doesn’t matter what era the soldiers are from or if you make soldiers from Legos or paper dolls–any mix will do. It’s the imagination and willingness to pretend that matters.

To play, you must have toy figures to represent soldiers, regular dice, and a ruler.

The number of men on a stand or piece don’t matter.  All that matters is whether the figure is infantry, cavalry, or a gun.

During a side’s turn, units must choose whether to move, charge, or attack.

MOVEMENT

Guns move 2″.
Infantry Movement:  Soldiers move 4″.
Cavalry Movement:  Cavalry move 12″

Charges: Infantry and Cavalry may charge which means Infantry move 8″ and cavalry move 24″ (twice normal distance).  Afterwards, mark the unit in some fashion.  The unit loses its next turn and if attacked during that turn, it does not get to defend itself.

RANGED ATTACKS

Cavalry do not have ranged attacks, only infantry and guns..  The range for firing is 6″.  For each firing figure, roll a die.  If it is a 5 or 6, eliminate an enemy figure.  If the firing unit is on higher ground or is in a, the attacker hits on a 4, 5, or 6.

HAND TO HAND

If a unit moves and is then touching another unit, there is hand-to-hand combat (also known as melee).  Each player rolls one die for each figure in his unit.
A roll of 6 eliminates an enemy unit with some modifications.
Guns hit on a 3, 4, 5, or 6.
Cavalry hits infantry or guns on a 4, 5, or 6.
If a fighting unit is higher than the other or is in a fort/castle, it gets to roll two extra dice.

Units in hand to hand combat remain there until one side or the other is eliminated.

CHARGE FIGHTING

If a unit charged and touched an enemy unit, on the first turn of hand to hand combat, the defender gets to roll first rather than both at the same time.  Any surviving attacking units get to roll TWO TIMES rather than the normal one.  At the end of a charge combat, return the attackers to where they started.  The unit loses its next turn (mark it as such)

REINFORCEMENTS/NEW UNITS

Sure–put them wherever you want on the edge of the battle area.

WINNING

Whatever you decide and makes it fun.  There are no ‘adult’ rules for elan, terrain control, or victory objectives–this is meant to be played with younger kids!

GAME LENGTH

Until there’s a winner or it is time to use the table or floor, whatever the battle area is, for something else…or a parent says it’s the end of playtime.

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Now, think of how you can create something like this for a number of subjects.  Can you create something fast/simple that models government?  Widget manufacturing?  It is not about 100% accuracy–these are meant to get children interested in a subject, to directly interact with it.  Once interested and as they get older, it becomes much easier to add realism/complexity.