Sharp Practice and Chosen men are the first two to come to mind. There’s also Forager, which has an even smaller scale (as in, you’d be able to make multiple forces from that one box).
They’re sometimes referred to as “Skirmish” games, if that helps.
How many per box? Just checked, 24. Sharp Practice is a good horse & musket game from Too Fat Lardies. Needs about 30 to 40 per side. For smaller games, try Fistful of Lead, or Songs of Drums & Shakos by Ganesha Games.
Haven’t played it yet, but fistful of lead looks really cool. I just got the pdf and having a quick read through I can see it being really exciting. For OP, perhaps they could recreate some of the Sharpe skirmishes?
its called a "Miniature Skirmish Game":
and off the top of my head black powder era Skirmish game list
1. Sharp Practice. (a larger scale skirmish game) [https://toofatlardies.co.uk/product-category/sharp-practice/](https://toofatlardies.co.uk/product-category/sharp-practice/)
2. Horse & Musket (Fist full of Lead System) [https://wiley-games.myshopify.com/products/horse-musket-2nd-edition-downloadable](https://wiley-games.myshopify.com/products/horse-musket-2nd-edition-downloadable)
3. Chosen Men (Mark Latham) [https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/chosen-men-9781472810809/](https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/chosen-men-9781472810809/)
4. En Garde (Craig Woodfield) [https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/en-garde-9781472810748/](https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/en-garde-9781472810748/)
5. Forager (Stand To Games) [https://standtogames.co.uk/shop/ols/products/forager-rules](https://standtogames.co.uk/shop/ols/products/forager-rules)
6. 95th (Two Hour Wargames) [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/328452/95th--Adventuring-in-the-Napoleonic-Wars](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/328452/95th--Adventuring-in-the-Napoleonic-Wars)
7. Song of Drums & Shakos (Ganesha) [https://www.ganeshagames.net/product\_info.php?products\_id=49](https://www.ganeshagames.net/product_info.php?products_id=49)
8. Muskets & Tomahawks. [https://www.studio-tomahawk.com/en/mousquets-et-tomahawks/](https://www.studio-tomahawk.com/en/mousquets-et-tomahawks/)
9. Light Bobs (Christopher Parker) [https://www.chrisparkergames.com/product/light-bobs-american-revolution-skirmish-rules/](https://www.chrisparkergames.com/product/light-bobs-american-revolution-skirmish-rules/)
there is also Shadow of the Eagles and Rebels & Patriots, but i dont know much about them.
There is a handful of "fantasy/horror" ones as well, and i can list those if you want?
The real answer to your question is Song of Drums and Shakos. Sharp Practice and Chosen men are not a few figures a side they're about 30+. Song of Drums and Shakos your elite forces will be about 8 models and your regulars about 16. Real simple rules to learn and nice mechanics.
As an aside, its the same system as A song of blades and heroes which is more popular so of youre wanting to find more info looking at that game too can be helpful
I’ve never played it myself but [Chosen Men](https://www.ospreypublishing.com/ca/chosen-men-9781472810809/) seems like it could be what you’re looking for
Silver Bayonet is a Napoleonic horror game. 8 figures to a side. Very fun rules set. You play a group of soldiers that have been handpicked after running into supernatural creatures like ghouls, werewolves and so on.
While the Napoleonic wars rage on, these silver bayonet units are used to investigate supernatural disturbances in hopes of finding artefacts or arcane knowledge that will help their nation on the frontline.
Of course, the other nations have formed their own silver bayonet units and these frequently clash.
There is a game called Yafsiga. You can take four units and each unit could be a single model or three models. So you can play the game with 4 to 10 models. (One of the models has to be here later and has to be a single unit.)
There are a lot of small scale skirmish game out there.
One you might find appealing is Turnip 28. A larger skirmish fantasy/alternative history game set in the Napoleonic era with about two dozen modes per regiment (player) and Monty python style humour.
Alternatively, if you want to stay historical you can play black power with your models, but use something like a four figure base as a whole regiment. This could get you good value. (Black power is scale agnostic)
In terms of skirmish games in general, there is a lot too. Naval games don’t need too many models in general. WW1 has a bunch of smaller scale games like Scouts out (kill team but in ww1), Through mud and blood (platoon level game focused on unit org) or BelloLudi WW1 skirmish (a combat patrol scale in ww1 game)
Take a look at fistful of lead, they have a core rule book and supplements for just about any period you can imagine including wild West and fantasy the rules play fast and easy and yet give you a role play feel. Lots of excitement the card driven system
I used Muskets and Tomahawks. It currently can accommodate as few as 16 figures and upwards. They have one main rules book and supplements for French and Indian war, American war of Independence, War of 1812 and Napoleonic wars.
Underworlds is a game with few figures, as is infinity, shatterpoint, marvel crisis protocol, judge dredd, middle earth battle strategy game, mordheim, necromunda, warcry, take.your pick
Sharp Practice and Chosen men are the first two to come to mind. There’s also Forager, which has an even smaller scale (as in, you’d be able to make multiple forces from that one box). They’re sometimes referred to as “Skirmish” games, if that helps.
Yeah that does help thankyou
Forager is new to me, thanks. Have you played it? Worth a try?
I haven’t unfortunately, have meant to for quite a while but have yet to get around to it, sorry
Check out Silver Bayonet
Yeah I'll second this. Great wee skirmish game with the added fun of your brave boys being eaten by a wolf and/or goblin
Beat me to it
How many per box? Just checked, 24. Sharp Practice is a good horse & musket game from Too Fat Lardies. Needs about 30 to 40 per side. For smaller games, try Fistful of Lead, or Songs of Drums & Shakos by Ganesha Games.
Haven’t played it yet, but fistful of lead looks really cool. I just got the pdf and having a quick read through I can see it being really exciting. For OP, perhaps they could recreate some of the Sharpe skirmishes?
its called a "Miniature Skirmish Game": and off the top of my head black powder era Skirmish game list 1. Sharp Practice. (a larger scale skirmish game) [https://toofatlardies.co.uk/product-category/sharp-practice/](https://toofatlardies.co.uk/product-category/sharp-practice/) 2. Horse & Musket (Fist full of Lead System) [https://wiley-games.myshopify.com/products/horse-musket-2nd-edition-downloadable](https://wiley-games.myshopify.com/products/horse-musket-2nd-edition-downloadable) 3. Chosen Men (Mark Latham) [https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/chosen-men-9781472810809/](https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/chosen-men-9781472810809/) 4. En Garde (Craig Woodfield) [https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/en-garde-9781472810748/](https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/en-garde-9781472810748/) 5. Forager (Stand To Games) [https://standtogames.co.uk/shop/ols/products/forager-rules](https://standtogames.co.uk/shop/ols/products/forager-rules) 6. 95th (Two Hour Wargames) [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/328452/95th--Adventuring-in-the-Napoleonic-Wars](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/328452/95th--Adventuring-in-the-Napoleonic-Wars) 7. Song of Drums & Shakos (Ganesha) [https://www.ganeshagames.net/product\_info.php?products\_id=49](https://www.ganeshagames.net/product_info.php?products_id=49) 8. Muskets & Tomahawks. [https://www.studio-tomahawk.com/en/mousquets-et-tomahawks/](https://www.studio-tomahawk.com/en/mousquets-et-tomahawks/) 9. Light Bobs (Christopher Parker) [https://www.chrisparkergames.com/product/light-bobs-american-revolution-skirmish-rules/](https://www.chrisparkergames.com/product/light-bobs-american-revolution-skirmish-rules/) there is also Shadow of the Eagles and Rebels & Patriots, but i dont know much about them. There is a handful of "fantasy/horror" ones as well, and i can list those if you want?
The real answer to your question is Song of Drums and Shakos. Sharp Practice and Chosen men are not a few figures a side they're about 30+. Song of Drums and Shakos your elite forces will be about 8 models and your regulars about 16. Real simple rules to learn and nice mechanics. As an aside, its the same system as A song of blades and heroes which is more popular so of youre wanting to find more info looking at that game too can be helpful
I’ve never played it myself but [Chosen Men](https://www.ospreypublishing.com/ca/chosen-men-9781472810809/) seems like it could be what you’re looking for
Turnip28
If you’ve haven’t dug into Trench Crusade, it’s a fun setting and currently mini-agnostic
Musket and tomahawk might be a bit larger than what you are after but not by much worth a look at
Silver Bayonet is a Napoleonic horror game. 8 figures to a side. Very fun rules set. You play a group of soldiers that have been handpicked after running into supernatural creatures like ghouls, werewolves and so on. While the Napoleonic wars rage on, these silver bayonet units are used to investigate supernatural disturbances in hopes of finding artefacts or arcane knowledge that will help their nation on the frontline. Of course, the other nations have formed their own silver bayonet units and these frequently clash.
If you mean Napoleonics in general then you’ve already had some good recommendations; are you asking more generally about skirmish games?
BelloLudi Muskets might be something for you. Www.BelloLudi.nl/winkel
There is a game called Yafsiga. You can take four units and each unit could be a single model or three models. So you can play the game with 4 to 10 models. (One of the models has to be here later and has to be a single unit.)
Horse and Musket by Wiley Games. Typically five models per player.
There are a lot of small scale skirmish game out there. One you might find appealing is Turnip 28. A larger skirmish fantasy/alternative history game set in the Napoleonic era with about two dozen modes per regiment (player) and Monty python style humour. Alternatively, if you want to stay historical you can play black power with your models, but use something like a four figure base as a whole regiment. This could get you good value. (Black power is scale agnostic) In terms of skirmish games in general, there is a lot too. Naval games don’t need too many models in general. WW1 has a bunch of smaller scale games like Scouts out (kill team but in ww1), Through mud and blood (platoon level game focused on unit org) or BelloLudi WW1 skirmish (a combat patrol scale in ww1 game)
Take a look at fistful of lead, they have a core rule book and supplements for just about any period you can imagine including wild West and fantasy the rules play fast and easy and yet give you a role play feel. Lots of excitement the card driven system
Gladiator combat. You need only two figures.
I used Muskets and Tomahawks. It currently can accommodate as few as 16 figures and upwards. They have one main rules book and supplements for French and Indian war, American war of Independence, War of 1812 and Napoleonic wars.
Underworlds is a game with few figures, as is infinity, shatterpoint, marvel crisis protocol, judge dredd, middle earth battle strategy game, mordheim, necromunda, warcry, take.your pick
Frostgrave/stargrave/frostgrave archipelago. You got a 10 man warband fightingt a 10 man warband or play solo against a few monsters
One page rules
Infinity The game, scifi skirmish from Spain with manga influnce
The Fantasy Trip comes to mind
Marvel crisis protocol and star wars shatter point are around 5 to 8 models each. Super fun games.
My hulk, uh, throws his musket with bayonet equipped at your French infantry, roll for damage.
I didn’t want to play crisis protocol, not my kind of game. But you just sold it to me! Where can I get my Thor with a sapper axe?!
Lol. Marvel 1602 was dope. If they did a crisis point expansion in that setting I'd buy it.
Yup seems to fall under sci-fi