Johnny Reb Campaigns Billy Yank Rules

Introduction Billy Yank Rules Unit Registry JVC I JVC II Scenarios Painting Miscellaneous

John Hill's Johnny Reb (2nd Edition) rules for miniature war games, set in the American Civil War, are a very enjoyable and playable set of rules. However, like any set of rules which are used to any notable extent, problems will be found by the players. These problems usually manifest themselves as inconsistencies between different rules, a lack of clarity in a rule, a lack of completeness in a rule, or situations which are not covered by the rules. Such problems do not invalidate the rules, they simply reflect the fact that no one is able to completely cover every possibility or to foresee all options. The Johnny Reb (2nd Edition) rules have been used by a notable number of gamers in northeastern Indiana area for over two decades. An unbelievable number of games have been played in which gamers whose gaming backgrounds ranged from total novice to highly knowledgeable and extensively experienced, participated. In retrospect it seems that there was never a game in which some serious question did not arise over a rule interpretation or application. The usual method for dealing with such a problem was to either have the Game Master make a ruling on the spot, or to try to remember what the ruling was the last time a similar situation occurred. Neither method was really effective, since rulings often seemed to change over time, and everyone had their own opinions. The Billy Yank rules are a Modifications, Clarifications, and Additions (MCA) for the Johnny Reb (2nd Edition) rules. They are an attempt to formally correct any known problems, to record existing local rules, and to try to anticipate future problems by a careful examination of the entire rules set. They also add a number of new rules which reflect the needs and experiences of the various gamers who have used the original rules. Available downloads:      Billy Yank Rules    This large set of rules is the Modifications, Clarifications, and Additions to the Johnny Reb (2nd Edition) rules. In over seventy pages they include corrections and fixes to the original rules, plus new rules for artillery, unit attributes, officer capabilities, unit types, and more. They may be downloaded in Word (2002) or pdf file format.     Billy Yank Templates   This is a set of templates for use with the Billy Yank rules (technically they are the last four pages of the rules). Copy these onto clear plastic sheets to make handy game play aids. A zip file contains four gif files.     Billy Yank Naval Rules   This is a set of rules for using warships with Johnny Reb and Billy Yank. Originally a section in the Billy Yank rules, they have been made a separate document since they are not commonly used. Although still largely not play tested, they provide an interesting addition to the rules. They may be downloaded in Word (98) or pdf file format.     Unit Information Form   This is a one page form used to record the relevant game information for a brigade. A zip file contains a gif file.

Additional Items:    Billy Yank Troop Listing Form Downloads:    Billy Yank Rules,  version 6.7 (Word file, 758K)   Billy Yank Rules,  version 6.7 (pdf file, 661K)   Billy Yank Templates,  version 6.5 (zipped gif files, 249K)   Billy Yank Naval Rules,  version 6.5 (Word file, 97K)   Billy Yank Naval Rules,  version 6.5 (pdf file, 189K)   Unit Information Form,  version 2.0 (zipped gif file, 19K)