''System 7 Napoleonics'' is a miniatures line and rules system for tabletop miniatures wargaming published by
Game Designers' Workshop
Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) was a wargame and role-playing game publisher from 1973 to 1996. Many of their games are now carried by other publishers.
History
Game Designers' Workshop was originally established June 22, 1973. The founding m ...
in 1978.
Contents
''System 7 Napoleonics'' is used for miniatures wargaming, and features double-sided die-cut cardboard counters that are used instead of metal miniature figures.
Reception
In the June 1979 edition of ''
Dragon'' (Issue #26),
Tim Kask
Timothy James Kask (born January 14, 1949) is an American editor and writer in the role-playing game industry. Kask became interested in board games in his childhood, and later turned to miniatures wargames. While attending university after a sti ...
pointed out the value of these counters for newcomers to miniatures wargaming, calling ''System 7 Napoleonics'' "the most significant release in recent wargaming history
..potentially hobby shaking and revolutionary." Kask concluded "''System 7'' is colorful, inepxpensive, accurate and possess the 'feel' of the period; what more can I say, except that you ought to run right out and buy it."
In the same issue of ''Dragon'',
Bill Fawcett admitted that $8 worth of cardboard counters "lack the aesthetic beauty of multitudes of minutely painted 25 mm or 15 mm figures" but pointed out that an equivalent number of unpainted metal miniatures "would probably cost nearly $1000." The counters weren't without issues — Fawcett pointed out that keeping hundreds of counters organized would require some work, and the small counters were "hard to handle." Fawcett also felt that some historical units were not as versatile or as powerful as their historical units due to the ''System 7'' rules. "These are basically 'fast' rules that sacrifice some detail for playability." But Fawcett liked the rulebook, which he found "surprisingly understandable", although he disagreed with the rule that kept a turn to one hour in length, calling it "the worst flaw in the system
..This is best ignored." He concluded with a strong recommendation, saying, "''System 7 Napoleonics'' is versatile, inexpensive, and enjoyable. Definitely a good investment for a Napoleonic gamer or for those interested in becoming one."
Awards
''System 7 Napoleonics'' won the
H.G. Wells award for Best Historical Figure Series and Best Miniatures Rules of 1979.
References
{{reflist
Game Designers' Workshop games
Origins Award winners