Blood and Bayonets: Land and Sea Battles in the Napoleonic Era

Blood & Bayonets is a tabletop historical miniatures wargame, focusing on land and sea skirmish combat during the Peninsular Campaign of the Napoleonic Wars.

Built on the mechanics of their flagship pirate wargame, Blood & Plunder, it serves as an accessible gateway into historical gaming by requiring smaller forces than traditional Napoleonic games.

Core Gameplay Mechanics

The game scales down massive historic conflicts into fast-paced tactical skirmishes:

- Force Size: Matches require roughly 40 to 60 miniatures (28mm scale) per player.
- Card Activation: Turn sequencing relies on a standard playing card deck to manage the “fog of war”.
- Combat Dice: Fighting mechanics resolve via pools of 10-sided dice (d10s).
- Formations: Play rewards strict positioning using line volleys, attack columns, or skirmish screens.

Land & Sea Environments

Uniquely for the era, the system natively bridges land battles with functional naval warfare:

- Naval Actions: Players command small ships and sloops crewed by armed sailors.
- Amphibious Raids: Scenarios allow seamless movement between open water and beach landings.
- Play Space: Battles function on modest 3’x3′ or 3’x4′ dining-room tables.

Playable Factions

The core rules include specialized national armies, navies, and unconventional forces:

British Empire: Command the British Army and the British Royal Navy.
French Empire: Deploy the French Army, French Navy, and Joseph Bonaparte’s loyalist troops.
Spanish Kingdom: Field regular army divisions, royal naval detachments, or Spanish Guerrillas.
Portuguese Kingdom: Deploy regional infantry forces to fight along the Iberian front.