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Principles of War: Renaissance – Wars Between 1490 and 1660
- 2 players
- 2000
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- BGG rank
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Principles of War: 19th Century
1995
Rules assistance for Principles of War: 19th Century
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–8 players
- 180 min
- 12+
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Principles of War: 19th Century
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Principles of War: 19th Century is a board game released in 1995 for 2–8 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Tom Penn and its main mechanics are Action Points.
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About the game
Miniatures rules for 19th century conflicts, covering a period from roughly 1820-1920. Movement is via an action point system, and unit capabilities are based around a single strength value which is used to determine melee, firing and morale. Different weapons apply a multiplier to the strength. The strength itself has a random component added to a base strength, the latter being derived from the unit's quality. Thus the exact competence of your units is unknown until you try them in battle. Army lists in the rules cover all major, and many minor, conflicts in Europe from 1820 to 1920, whilst a separate army list book covers conflicts from the rest of the world, ranging from well-know ones such as the Zulu War and American Civil War through to the Yucatan Revolt and Dutch expansion in the East Indies.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- (Self-Published)
Questions and answers
Principles of War: 19th Century supports 2–8 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Principles of War: 19th Century is 180 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Principles of War: 19th Century for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Principles of War: 19th Century belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and Post-Napoleonic. Its main mechanics are Action Points. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Principles of War: 19th Century are: Tom Penn. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Principles of War: 19th Century as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.