In Freedom's Cause

American Civil War Regimental Combat in Miniature

Figure Scale: This game is designed for use with standard wargaming miniatures in any scale. Units can be measured in number of figures (25/28mm) or number of bases (1-inch 3-figure 15/18mm, as used in other popular rules sets for the period) with distances as written. For smaller scales, distances can be halved, or centimeters substituted for inches, as desired.

Equipment Needed: Figures and terrain as for most other non-skirmish ACW rules systems, rulers or tape measures (in inches), status markers, 6-sided dice, and a single device to run the app (tablet, smart phone, or PC). No set-up is required to play.

Type of Game: A traditional competitive battle game, with an optional cooperative/solo play setting.

Link to App: In Freedom's Cause

Rules and Guidelines for Play: HTML PDF

"Colquitt's Brigade At Chancellorsville" (Coop/Solo Play Scenario): HTML PDF

"Gordon's Flank Attack at the Wilderness" (Competitive Play Scenario): HTML PDF

"The Battle of Murphy's Station, 1863" (Fictional Competitive Play Scenario): HTML PDF

Introduction

In Freedom's Cause is a traditional miniatures game for regimental actions, with each side being a brigade or division of troops (battles up to a corps on a side would be possible). The game app serves to make modifier calculation quick and easy, by generating the specific tables which players use to perform combat actions and take morale checks. Innovations in the turn sequence allow for involuntary fire, making the behavior of tabletop units more realistic than in many similar systems. The result is a fast-playing game which remains more realistic than some other "fast-play" systems: the device serves to both simplify play and enhance the accuracy and speed of modifier calculations.

The coop/solo mode was originally designed to help gamers weather the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you are stuck at home and want to play a solo game against an unpredictable enemy, or you want to play a remote game over Skype or Zoom using a simple camera set-up, this feature makes the game a good choice. The rules explain everything you need to use the app for locating and positioning the enemy, and gives guidance on how they will subsequently act.

The Game App

The game app is used by the game master to moderate all play. It features a set of tabs for each important battlefield function (fire, melee, and morale) and provides a log of enemy encounters for reference during coop/solo play. (Movement is done as for any typical miniatures game, and does not require the app).

The Fire tab with a generated table for rolling hits.

Each tab contains only those fields used to perform the action in question, making it easy to learn and use. In Freedom's Cause keeps the action moving, bringing realism to a fast-play format in a way that paper-and-dice rules can't match!