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AOD Rules

Age of Discovery rulesWarfare in the Age of Discovery is a 1:25 set of rules that covers the Italian Wars up to the 30YW. The rules use an unusual system of combat and morale on the same table, which surprisingly does an excellent job of simulating the chaotic nature of the period. There are several scenarios and army lists that cover a large number of periods, including Eastern Europe and all the way through the ECW and 30YW. The rules hande artillery, pike vs. shock cavalry, elite Swiss units, et., very well and they produce an exciting game that is not only the most colorful period that we play, but a lot of fun as well.

15mm Renaissance & FWOR

 

16th Century Warfare in Italy & France

Definitely one of our most popular gaming periods, even though we don't play it that often! The forces for this period have slowly built up over the years, starting with just enough generic units to try a game to where we now have enough forces to represent almost any army list during the Italian Wars of 1495-1550. This includes plenty of Swiss and German pike, heavily armored gendarmes, Spanish, light cavalry, an assortment of artillery, plus a 128 figure tercio unit! There's still a lot of work to be done in terms of painting more units for some of the bigger battles of the period and although there is a good selection of dual purpose terrain (works for the Peninsula period for Napoleonics as well) there are plans to add to the selection in the future. The latest addition to this fascinating period of warfare are units for the French Wars of Religion, particulalry the early stages of that war. Here you have a classic Renaissance army composed of pikes, Swiss, Spanish, and gendarmes going up against German pike units, arquebus armed troops, and Reiters, which presents a stark contrast on the gaming table. Future plans include expanding all of oour existing forces and terrain as well as maybe an English army for the intervention in France in the early part of the 16th century.

The Italian Wars

The various wars that raged across Italy during the 16th century feature several things that should be in any good set of Renaissance rules. First, there were the Swiss and German pike units, which no army went forward without if they could help it. Second, heavy cavalry for shock action and light cavalry for pursuit. Then you add in the artillery, Spanish, arquebus units, skirmishers, French and Italian pike, etc., who could save or ruin a commander's day and you have quite the chaotic battlefield! Besides being a colorful period with unusual units, you never really know how units will react, which gives each game a uniqueness.