The Bayonet: Army Level Napoleonic Wargame Rules 2026

The Bayonet is an army-level tabletop wargame that lets you refight the great battles of the Napoleonic era, placing you in command of entire forces — divisions, corps, and grand batteries — where timing and judgement matter more than drill. Fire combat erodes formations, but it is movement, pressure, and shock that decide the day. Columns push forward, lines recoil under strain, reserves are committed — or held back too long. Units do not simply disappear; they waver, fall back, and collapse, triggering the cascading crises so familiar from historical battle accounts. Morale is the engine of the game. A bold advance can shatter a weakened enemy, but a mistimed assault can unravel your own battle line in minutes. Commanders must manage exhaustion, cohesion, and opportunity, always aware that success and disaster are often separated by a single turn.

—description from the publisher