Published in 1824, and written by a Prussian Army officer who had served in the Napoleonic Wars, Kriegsspiel is the genesis of modern wargaming. This was the set of wargames rules used by von Moltke, that inspired von Schlieffen, and that led to the birth of wargaming as both a military tool and a hobby.

These are the 1862 rules that the Prussians used to train for their spectacular victories in Bismarck’s wars. This set builds upon the original 1824 rules but includes details of the Dreyse needle gun and rifled artillery, bringing the rules up to date. In pdf format, these rules provide all you need to share that historic experience.

Gamers interested in this period might well be interested to note that there is a guide to Kriegsspiel in the Seven Weeks War of 1866, with full details for creating and using Austrian forces, in the 2008 Summer Special.