Amateurs to Arms

Amateurs to Arms! is a historical wargame from Compass Games covering the War of 1812, a conflict often overshadowed by the Napoleonic Wars but full of difficult choices, uncertain campaigns and political pressure. One player commands the British and Canadian forces, while the other leads the Americans in a war that could have ended very differently from the historical draw.

The game covers the major theatres of the war, including the US-Canadian border, the Great Lakes, the old Northwest, the American Atlantic coast, the southern campaigns involving Native American allies, and the final clash at New Orleans. Players must decide where to commit scarce resources, when to build ships or fortifications, and how aggressively to pursue their war aims.

Gameplay is card-driven. Cards can be used for their historical events or for Operations Points, allowing players to move expeditions, raise troops, build defences and support naval activity. The American player has more resources early on, but the balance can shift once Napoleon is defeated in Europe and Britain can focus more attention on North America.

A key feature of Amateurs to Arms! is the Peace Track, which measures war weariness on both sides. Military setbacks, political developments and other events push the nations toward negotiation. When the markers meet, the game moves to the peace talks at Ghent, where the final outcome is decided — though each player still has one last card to play while news of peace crosses the Atlantic.

For players looking for a War of 1812 game with strategic scope and card-driven tension, Amateurs to Arms! offers an engaging Compass Games treatment of an unusual and under-gamed conflict.