Cold Steel
Tactical Combat in the 19th Century

Cold Steel is our series of mid-19th Century tactical combat games. Units are battalions, squadrons, and batteries; ground scale is 200 meters across each hex; rules and system are closely derived from Infantry Attacks. With six maps, 605 pieces (die-cut and silky-smooth!) and 48 scenarios.

Cold Steel moves back two generations from Infantry Attacks, so the engine needs somewhat more modification. There is no off-board artillery of any sort, no armor and no motorized vehicles. It’s all about infantry, cavalry and artillery.

The system’s designed to cleave as closely as possible to Infantry Attacks, so that players can pick it up quickly. This is supposed to be fun, not an exercise in memorization skills. Fire combat is up close and personal, and assault combat is still there, too (hence the “Cold Steel” series title). You still need leaders to move forward, initiative to activate ahead of the other guy, and if anything, morale is ever more central to success. Artillery is right there on the map, much like the field guns of Infantry Attacks.

Complete Games
Each of these is a “core” game: it has everything you need to play, and you don’t need any parts or rules or anything else to play every scenario (complete game situation) in the box.

North Army 1866
The June and July 1866 battles between Austria and Prussia in Bohemia, that reached their climax at Königgrätz and set the future course of modern German history. With six maps, 605 pieces (die-cut and silky-smooth!) and 48 scenarios. This game is not yet available.

Custoza 1866
In June 1866, the Royal Italian Army invaded Austrian-ruled Venetia. There the badly-outnumbered Austrian South Army inflicted a crushing defeat on the Italians at Custoza. With four maps, 517 pieces (die-cut and silky-smooth!) and 36 scenarios. This game is not yet available.

The Pope’s Divisions
Pope Pius IX (Pio Nino) was a rather belligerent pontiff. And he had an army, and he used it. The Pope’s Divisions has scenarios from three papal wars: 1848, against the Austrians (at Vicenza and Treviso), 1860, against the Royal Italian Army (Castelfidardo), and 1867, against Garibaldi’s Red Shirts (Mentana – the pope’s men actually won that one). With two maps, 341 pieces (die-cut and silky-smooth!) and 24 scenarios. This game is not yet available.