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Introduction

The acquisition of Canada this year, as far as the neighbourhood of Québec, will be a mere matter of marching, and will give us the experience for the attack of Halifax the next, and the final expulsion of England from the American continent.

Thomas Jefferson

The War of 1812 has been relegated to the "dust bin of history". No societies commemorate the conflict, no national days are set aside to reflect on it. History courses tend to skip over the war with nary a mention. In fact, one is hard pressed to find any historic writing on this war at all. And yet, it is one of the most romanticized of conflicts. In the American text books, it is often referred to as "Second War of Independence", where a youthful nation stood up for its principals against the Imperialists of the Old Order and ensured that the Land of Liberty would flourish in the New World. In Canadian texts, the war is credited with forcing British North Americans to make the choice, once and for all, between the brash, confident republic to the south or "peace order and good government" of the British parliamentary system. Both images are gross over-simplifications of a complex and confused war that had no obvious causes or legacies. Without measurable gains and losses, this most unlikely of wars, gave rise to more myth than history. Isaac Brock and Andrew Jackson have come down to us as Hollywood-type heroes, prevailing against insurmountable odds. The Canadian militiaman, battling to save his home and his infant country, occupies the same place in Canadian history books as the Kentucky rifleman standing tall behind the cotton bails does in American history books.

For the wargamer, however, the War of 1812 has much to offer. The size of the armies make the battles of this war ideal for table top. Even when playing a semi-skirmish game such as The Sword and the Flame, the whole battle can be accurately laid out on a ping-pong table. Similarly, the naval battles of the war are small enough to be within the reach of the most modest miniatures fleets.

One aspect of this war which makes for great gaming is the varied terrain. Most often a large open space down the middle of the table is provided for the regulars. The flanks are covered with woods providing the opportunity for realistic flank marches and skirmishing, and often there is an impassable river or lake down one side, providing a realistic justification for the "edge of the world" syndrome.

The actions fought, show much of the same variety. Set piece battles have their place. However, you are just as likely to find ambushes, night attacks, amphibious landings, combined operations, frontal assaults on fixed fortifications and lost wanderings in the wilderness.

In addition, the war provides a great mix of troop types and weapons. British and American Napoleonic regulars fight side by side with Indians, French fur traders, companies of prison inmates, marines, naval gunners, Tennessee long rifles, Kentucky mounted rifles, black slaves, "Free Blacks", West Indies "coloured" companies and, of course, inept militia from both sides. Finally one cannot ignore the opportunity to use British congreve rocket battery in a proper historical context.

However, what makes the war most appealing for gaming are the personalities involved in the conflict. There appears to have been nothing bland or average about any commanders in these armies. War, it would seems, brought out extreme personalities on both sides. The iron-willed Brock and Jackson have already been mentioned, but in these scenarios one will also find the courageous Perry, the stoic Tecumseh, the fiery Scott, the cautious Chauncey and equally gun-shy Yeo, President Madison and his meddling Cabinet and numerous blundering, confused personalities from both camps. These characters serve for more than mere scenario colour and background. With battles having no more than a dozen units on either side, the quality and personality of the commander has a direct effect on the outcome of the battle.

So, don your commander's bicorne, draw your sword and try to convince your militia to follow. "Its merely a matter of marching..."

I hope you enjoy what follows.

Bruce McFarlane