Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
[From the back of the Manual] Take control of the great battles of the 18th and 19th centuries with Volley & Bayonet.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Paper-and-Pencil
Record choices and results directly on a personal sheet.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Line of Sight
Visibility between pieces determines valid targets, movement, or effects.
Scenario Campaign
Play linked or standalone scenarios with their own setup, objectives, and consequences.
Secret Unit Deployment
Place or assign units secretly before their positions are revealed.
Simulation
Model a real or imagined system through detailed cause-and-effect rules.
Read the full game description
[From the back of the Manual] Take control of the great battles of the 18th and 19th centuries with Volley & Bayonet. Created by the people who brought you Command Decision, Volley & Bayonet gives you the ability to recreate the full scope of the epic battles of the black powder era. Each turn represents one hour on the battlefield but can be played in only fifteen to thirty minutes. Suitable for 5mm all the way up to 30mm. Alternatively you can simply tack down your existing stands onto V&B sized bases, and you're ready to go. Volley & Bayonet covers the entire period from the adoption of the socket bayonet (about 1700) up to the widespread issue of machineguns and magazine rifles (about 1890). The rules, with a few modifications to provide period flavor and to cover newer weapons, allow players to fight out battles throughout that entire dynamic era. All the battles and campaigns of Marlborough, Frederick, Napoleon, Lee and Grant, and Bismarck are at your disposal, and the rules include complete scenarios for almost a dozen battles. Three scenario books published: Battles of the American Civil War (GDW)--10 scenarios and a Campaign System using 'A House Divided' boardgame. Napoleon Returns (Emperor's Press)--1815 Campaign. 4 scenarios, background and extensive info on the armies and uniforms. Austria Stands Alone (Emperor's Press)--1809 Campaign. 5 scenarios, background and info on the armies and uniforms. Expanded by: Napoleon Returns: A Scenario Book for Volley & Bayonet Covering the Exciting Waterloo Campaign