Fire and Steel is a Napoleonic miniatures wargame published by Game Designers’ Workshop (GDW) in 1978, designed for use with 15mm miniature soldier figures. The game presents complete rules for conducting tabletop battles between opposing forces in Europe from 1808 to 1815. Winner of the H.G. Wells Award for Best Miniatures Rules of 1978, the system is designed to be accessible to beginning miniatures wargamers while still accurately modeling the effects of Napoleonic warfare.
Components
56-page rule book (6” x 9”)
56-page organization book
Player aid cards covering:
Fire combat
Melee combat
Morale
Casualty calculation
Terrain effects
Unit capabilities
Weather and officer casualties
Setup
Agree on a scenario or historical battle to recreate.
Set up terrain on the tabletop according to the scenario.
Consult the organization book for the correct order of battle.
Deploy miniature units (infantry, cavalry, artillery) per scenario instructions.
Determine first player.
Turn Structure
Each turn follows a structured sequence of phases:
1. Movement Phase
Both sides alternate moving units.
Infantry, cavalry, and artillery have different movement rates.
Artillery fires at longer ranges; infantry fires at shorter ranges.
Consult the fire combat table: cross-reference the firing unit’s strength with range and modifiers.
Results produce casualties on the target unit.
3. Melee Combat Phase
Units in contact resolve close combat.
Compare melee strengths with modifiers for terrain, formation, and unit type.
Results include casualties, retreats, and routs.
4. Morale Phase
Units that have taken casualties or are in difficult situations must check morale.
Morale checks are modified by unit quality, officer presence, and current losses.
Failed morale checks result in disorder, retreat, or rout.
Actions
Movement and Formation
Line formation: Maximum firepower but slow movement.
Column formation: Faster movement, weaker in fire combat, stronger in melee charges.
Square formation: Defensive against cavalry, vulnerable to artillery.
Formation changes require movement points and can leave units temporarily vulnerable.
Fire Combat
Artillery: Long range, effective against massed formations. Types include foot artillery, horse artillery, and howitzers.
Infantry fire: Effective at close range. Volley fire is more powerful but requires line formation.
Skirmishers: Light infantry that can harass and screen.
Melee
Cavalry charges: Devastating against unprepared infantry; ineffective against squares.
Infantry assault: Close combat between infantry formations.
Combined arms: Coordinating infantry, cavalry, and artillery for maximum effect.
Command
Officers provide morale bonuses to nearby units.
Officer casualties can degrade unit performance.
Units generally activate automatically (light command rules).
Scoring / Victory Conditions
Per scenario. Typically involves:
Holding key terrain objectives.
Inflicting sufficient casualties on the enemy.
Breaking the enemy army’s morale.
Achieving historical campaign objectives.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
Weather effects: Rain, fog, and other conditions affect visibility, movement, and fire combat.
Officer casualties: Officers can be hit during combat; their loss impacts morale.
Terrain effects: Hills, woods, rivers, buildings, and other features modify combat and movement.
Unit quality: Troops range from elite (Guard) to conscript, affecting morale and combat effectiveness.
National differences: The organization book provides specific orders of battle for French, British, Austrian, Prussian, Russian, Spanish, and other armies.
Scale: Designed for 15mm miniatures; each unit represents a battalion or regiment.