F���� ��� F������ C������

Rules for Tabletop Miniatures Games in the Early Contact Period of North America.

Credits
Rules written by Lee VanSchaik, Howard Whitehouse, and Roderick Robertson

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Rules Play tested by Mike Manning, Kirk Doughtery, Larry McGee, Tom Sero, Tom Knowlton, Andrew Ore
and many others who playtested at conventions across the USA and Canada.

Figures Sculpted by Robert Murch.

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Produced in conjunction with Pulp Figures and Silver Fox Productions Inc.

Background Material researched and written by Robert Murch, Lee VanSchaik

Art by Robert Murch, Maxsym Yenin, Evgeni Maloshenko

Edited by

Copyright 2018 by Crucible Crush Productions

Printed in Canada
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The Original Flint and Feather Rules
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This game is designed to be compatible with the original F���� ��� F������ rules while still standing on
its own as a game. If you desire to play with First Nations warriors in your F���� ��� F������ C������
games you may wish to purchase the original rules. In some instances, this book will reference the
original rule set (especially the Coureur des Bois). At the end of the book will come some special rules
on Close Combat between Europeans and First Nation warriors as this requires its own special set of
Combat Cards.
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We recognize this gathering place where we work and learn is home to many past, present, and future First
Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. Our acknowledgement of the land is our declaration of our collective
responsibility to this place and its peoples’ histories, rights, and presence. We recognize the on-going
relationships with the treaty lands of Odawa, Potawatami and Ojibwe (Anishinaabe peoples), Anishinnabe,
Hodinöhsö:ni’ and Lūnaapéewak peoples, the Delaware Nation, the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinnabe
and Hodinöhsö:ni’ peoples, Haudensaunee (Iroquois), Ojibway/Chippewa, Huron-Wendat, Mississaugas of
Scugog Island First Nation, the Neutral, Anishnaabeg, Wolastoqiyik, Wlastekewiyik / Maliseet whose ancestors
along with the Mi’Kmaq / Mi’kmaw and Passamaquoddy / Peskotomuhkati Tribes / Nations, Ojibwe, Odawa,
Potawatomi peoples and any other tribes of the First Nations Peoples.
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 Table of Contents
The Europeans 3 Fear 34
From Arquebus to Muskets 4 Other Nerve Tests 34
Chapter One― War Band Winning and Losing 35
Success in the game 6 Victory Level 35
Important Terms 7 Additional Rules 36
Creating your War Band 9 Battle�ield Medicine 36
Warriors 9 Surgeons 36
Equipment 10 Leader Casualties 36

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Ability or Abilities 11 Starting Fires 36
Units in Flint and Feather 12 Medicine Roll - Crazy White Man 36
Choosing your War Band 13 Chapter Three― Scenarios
Example War Bands 13 Scenario Terms 38
Chapter Two – The Basic Game Encounter in the Woods 39

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Setting Up 15 Chapter Four - Campaign Rules
The Table 15 Warfare 40
Terrain Suggestions 15 Starting Forces 40
Deployment 16 Special Characters 40
Fur Markers 16 New European Abilities 40
Inspiration 16 The Campaign Turn 41
Groups 17 War Phase 41
The Game Turn 17 Task and Troop Commitment 42
Activating Your Forces 18 Troops Charts 42
Medicine Rolls
Actions
Reaction
Ambush
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Choose Orders
Forage Order
Rest Order
Issuing Challenges
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Line of Sight (LOS) 20 Determining the Scenario 44
Movement 21 Battle Phase 45
Observation 22 Generate War! Dice 45
Shooting 23 Lost Cause 45
Shooting Damage 24 Aftermath Phase 45
The Shining Wood 25 Gentleman Retires 45
Units Shooting 25 Survival 45
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Injuries 25 Experience 46
Close Combat 26 Winning the Campaign 51
Combat Maneuvers 27 Integrating First Nations 52
Attack Maneuvers 27 Chapter Five - Campaign Scenarios
Defensive Maneuvers 27 Meeting Engagement 53
Combat Table 28 Ambush or Ambushed 53
Close Combat Modi�iers 28 Trade Mission 54
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Figure Abilities 28 Escorting the … 54

Terrain Advantage 29 Hold the Fort 55
Supporting Figures 29 Journey of Exploration 56
Larger Weapon 29 Acquire New Land 57
Fallen Down 29 Trip to Kebec 57
Armor and Shield 29 Protect the Settlement 58
Choose Your Dice 29 Attack Rivals 59
Rolling the Dice 29 River Crossing 59
Results 30 Patrols Engage 59
Falling Down 30 Parlay Gone Bad 60
Winning Close Combat 30 Protect the Settlement 61
First Nations in Close Combat 32 Contact Game Cards 62
Nerve Test 33 Quick Reference Sheet 68
Tie 34
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 Flint and Feather Contact
The Europeans
In 1492, Christopher Columbus led a Spanish-based maritime expedition which encountered the
Americas. This expedition led to the colonization of this “New” World. For centuries before Columbus
other Europeans had been interacting in ever increasing amounts with the indigenous populations
of what would become North America. In the 11th century it is believed that Norse bands settled in
Newfoundland and it is from this construct that we have extrapolated the Stone Coat Giant in our original

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Flint and Feather rules. In the 13th century it is recorded that English, Irish, and Norse �isherman begin
angling off the coast of Newfoundland. The archaeological record shows they made land fall along the
coast interacting with the natives in some small ways trading pots, jars and bowls for food. In 1473 it is
believed that João Vaz Corte-Real reached Newfoundland because he wrote about a “Land of Cod �ish”
in his journal. John Cabot and João Fernandes Lavrador were the next explorers to reach Newfoundland

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and Labrador in the late 15th century. In 1535 Jacques Cartier reached Quebec and he and Jean-
François Roberval attempted a French settlement at Charlesbourg-Royal near Quebec City which failed.
Meanwhile in the 16th century the Spanish founded colonies in Florida and continued on to Mexico.
Although the Spanish were very active in terms of colonization during this period the scope of these rules
does not cover the different type of indigenous society that existed in the south at this time. With a little
bit of work, you may be able to make them suf�ice.
It wasn’t until the early 17th century that colonies began in earnest up and down the Atlantic coastline.
In 1604 and 1605 Acadia and Port Royal were founded by France, to be followed by Jamestown and the
Pompham Colony by the English. On July 3, 1608, New France was founded at Quebec City by Samuel
de Champlain. Champlain wrote his book Les voyages du Sieur de Champlain, which makes a major

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contribution to the knowledge we have about early settlement of the Americas by Europeans upon which
this set of rules is based. Champlain made alliances with the Wendat (Huron) and with the Algonquin,
the Montagnais and the Etchemin, tribes which lived in the area of the St. Lawrence River. These tribes
demanded that Champlain help them in their war against the Iroquois, who lived farther south, in
current day New York State. Champlain set off with nine French soldiers and 300 natives to explore the
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Rivière des Iroquois (now known as the Richelieu River) and became the �irst European to map Lake
Champlain. Champlain and his party encountered a group of Iroquois. In a battle which began the next
day, two hundred Iroquois advanced on Champlain’s position. Champlain recounts his arquebus having
a decisive effect on the battle on this day. By 1610, Champlain supported by the Kingdom of France had
a growing colony in New France at present-day Sorel-Tracy, Quebec. He was supported by natural allies
in the Wyandot people, Algonquin people and Innu peoples against the Mohawk tribes to their east. The
forces of Champlain armed with the arquebus engaged and soundly defeated the Mohawks in aggressive
moves to protect trade routes.
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Meanwhile to the south late in 1606, English entrepreneurs set sail in three ships with a charter from
the London Company to establish a colony under the leadership of Captain Christopher Newport. The
expedition made landfall on April 26, 1607, at a place which they named Cape Henry. The settlers also
arrived too late in the year to get crops planted and during a drought period which continued until 1612.
During this time, they met the Powhatan tribe of indigenous peoples and some of their colonists even
deserted to this tribe in order to survive. The �irst explorers had been welcomed by the Indians with
dancing, feasting, and tobacco ceremonies. The iron knife and axe were a valuable commodity to trade
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with the First Nations peoples as these two items were much more effective than their �lint versions of
the tools. However, despite this early hospitality the tribes of Wahunsenacawh, Paspahegh, Weyanocks,
and other groups mounted a series of attacks on the fort during a period of violence lasting from May
27 to July 14, 1607. During this period at Cuper’s Cove in Newfoundland, Kecoughtan and Henricus in
Virginia, other English colonies sprang up.
By 1613 the colony at Cape Henry was still alive but struggling to be successful. Among the colonists
there was John Rolfe, who began to successfully harvest tobacco. Prosperous and wealthy, he married
Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan, bringing several years of peace between the English and
natives. However, at the end of a trip to England, Pocahontas became sick and died. The following year,
her father also died. Powhatan’s brother, a �ierce warrior named Opchanacanough, became head of
the Powhatan Confederacy. As the English continued to appropriate more land for tobacco farming,
relations with the natives worsened. After several years of strained coexistence, Chief Opchanacanough
and his Powhatan Confederacy attempted to eliminate the English colony once and for all. In 1622, the
Powhatan’s attacked outlying farms up and down the James River in what became known as the Indian
Massacre of 1622. More than 300 settlers were killed in these attacks.
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 The �irst Dutch settlement in the New World began on the site found by Henry Hudson when he explored
what would be known as the Hudson River for the Dutch in 1609. Castle Island was founded and became
a center for fur trading. Hendrick Christiaensen chose Castle Island to build Fort Nassau, in 1614 or 1615
as a dual warehouse and fort. Fort Nassau had been built on the remains of a 1540 French fur traders’
fort or store house. Apparently, this fort, along with a replacement built in 1618, was both damaged by
weather and replaced by Fort Orange in 1624. New Netherland (Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch) was the
17th century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the northeastern
coast of North America. The claimed territory was the land from the Delmarva Peninsula to southern
Cape Cod.
From Arquebus to Muskets

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There are several changes in the �irearms during
the period which these rules encompass. In about
1590, an Arquebus weighed about 7.5kg and �ired
balls about 21.7mm in diameter. The ability to �ire
the Arquebus was limited due to the weight of the

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weapon. For this reason, a forked rod was required
to steady the end of the barrel and make aiming
truer. Over the next forty years or so the weapons
were to be lightened and the caliber of the balls
lowered which made the weapons vastly superior
to any other battle�ield implement. In our rules we
refer to the weapon as the Shining Wood. This is the
name used by the indigenous population of the New
World for the weapon. It is also the name used in
the original Flint and Feather rules and was kept for

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clarity. It is a phrase that encompasses any �irearm
for the period in our rules.
The Dutch lightened the muskets to 6 to 6.5kg by
reducing the caliber of the ball to 18.5mm. However,
Gustavus Adolf II of Sweden, who is considered
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one of the great military innovators of the period,
reduced the weight and the weapons by changing
the butt design and using a smaller caliber bullet.
Finally, by 1650 the musket had improved to the
point where it only weighed 5kg and no longer
required forks. Most of our �igures are portrayed with these weapons.
This transition from Arquebus to Musket also led to the change in clothing that was required on the
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battle�ield. As the musket came to dominate the battle�ield the helmet and cuirasses, which were heavy
and continued to provide less protection against the musket ball disappeared. In North America many
of the early settlers came over equipped with these two items and they were found to be of great use
against the early First Nations warriors.
Few soldiers were sent to Canada in the �irst few decades of French expansion. The reasons for this were
two-fold. Soldiers were expensive to hire. Many had experience from the battle�ields of Europe, but the
trading companies often worked on the borderline of outright bankruptcy so hiring soldiers was a luxury
they could not afford. Also, many of the early settlers were listed as companions or had another trade
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that they practiced and may have appeared in the historical records as other occupations. The historical
records show that the number of soldiers stationed within the French colony in 1652 consisted of 15
soldiers in Quebec, 10 in Trois-Rivieres and 10 in Montreal. Quite often these men would be bolstered in
combat by local settlers, (not necessarily termed soldiers) and for quite certain women and children as
well. It is this era of expansion that we are simulating in the F���� ��� F������ C������ game.
While the French settlement of Port Royal on the eastern shore of the Bay of Fundy (Nova Scotia) slowly
prospered, the English colony of Virginia grew rapidly. Faced with a steady �low of English colonists,
the governor of Virginia, Sir Thomas Dale, decided to gain control of the bountiful �isheries in the Bay of
Fundy. He commissioned Captain Samuel Argall to achieve this goal.
In 1613, Argall put several small French �ishing settlements to the torch along the eastern shore of the
Bay of Fundy. He encountered little resistance at Port Royal and razed the settlement to the ground.
The settlement would be rebuilt the next year and eventually play an important role as the English and
French struggled for control of North America.
Peace in the English colonies in Virginia after 1614 lead to many small plantations appearing along the
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 James River as settlers interacted peacefully with the First Nations peoples in this area. This peace was
shattered in 1622 when English settlers in small communities all along the river were massacred in a
mass attack. Bodies were looted and buildings were burned before the First Nations Warriors moved
off again into the interior. There were approximately 1200 colonists in this area at the time and 350
people suffered the fate of death at the hands of their former trading partners. Many small and isolated
farms and communities suffered the death of all their inhabitants. These skirmishes and this period of
settlement are portrayed in our game.
In 1620, the construction of a wooden fort called Fort Saint-Louis started under the orders of Samuel de
Champlain; it was completed in 1626. In the summer of 1627, the English organized a military expedition
under the command of two brothers, Jarvis and Thomas Kirke, to conquer the French settlements in

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Canada. This expedition seized Port Royal, on the eastern shore of the Bay of Fundy (Nova Scotia), and
occupied Tadoussac, 160 kilometres north of Quebec on the St. Lawrence. It then proceeded upriver
to Quebec and demanded the surrender of the settlement. Winter forced the English expedition to
withdraw, but it returned the following spring. With only 18 armed men available to defend Quebec,
Governor Samuel de Champlain had little choice. He surrendered to the English on 20 July 1629.

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Less than three years later, France would reclaim these settlements. Under the Treaty of Saint-Germaine,
signed on 29 March 1632, the English returned Quebec and Port Royal to France. Champlain, who had
languished in an English prison for three years, returned to rebuild Quebec.
During the 1630’s the Dutch traders in Fort Orange, near present day Albany, began to trade muskets,
known to the First Nations as the “Shining Wood”, to the Iroquois in the area for furs. This led to an
unbalance of power as the French would not trade muskets to the Wendot save for the few that they gave
to converted Roman Catholic Wendot warriors. The shifting of power that this trade created ultimately
led to the destruction of the Wendot peoples and the ascendance of the Iroquois nation in the area of the
European colonies.

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On August 27, 1664 four English frigates sailed into New Amsterdam’s harbor and demanded New
Netherland’s surrender. On September 6, the local Dutch deciding not to offer resistance signed the
of�icial Articles of Surrender of New Netherland and the bloodless conquest was complete. Shortly
thereafter the Second Anglo-Dutch War began. In June 1665, New Amsterdam was reincorporated under
English law as New York City, named after the Duke of York (later King James II). He was the brother
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of the English King Charles II, who had been granted the lands. In July 1673, the Dutch brie�ly retook
the colony. In 1674 the New Netherland colony had once again been ceded to England in Treaty of
Westminster, ending the Third Anglo-Dutch War.
It is our intent that the F���� ��� F������ C������ game is designed to portray the early period
of settlement in the colonies in North America. At the advent of the 18th century the availability and
improvement of the musket changed the situation in the New World. Also, the arrival and accessibility of
soldiers, as exempli�ied by French military involvement, in the form of an entire regiment of 1000 men,
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that landed in Quebec in the summer of 1665 bring to close the period of our simulation. The Carignan-
Salieres Regiment would achieve an almost legendary status in Canada. With the addition of the original
Flint and Feather rules you could use this system to game King Philip’s war in the period of 1675-1676.
Finally, the fall of the Dutch settlement to the English in 1674 removes that nation as a power among
North American colonies and the period begins to move into that which is termed the French Indian
Wars.
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 Chapter One― War Bands
F���� ��� F������ C������ is played on a miniature landscape set out on a tabletop. This can be as
elaborate or as simple as you like; the game is best played on a board showing a lot of cover―forest,
swamp, forest, creeks and streams, forest, rock formations and caves, and yet more forest. You’ll probably
want a village or at least one or two small log cabins in due course.
Each player controls a War Band of about a dozen models. Some forces may involve more models,
consisting of less skilled (or worse-armed) warriors, depending on how you wish to design your War
Band. A game between two War Bands should take about two hours to play.
Equipment Needed: F���� ��� F������ C������ requires a handful of dice (we use red and green),

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tape measures and printed copies of the cards and marker counters supplied with the game. A roster is
provided to �ill out, listing the names of your gallant warriors, their Combat Values and Skills, and their
weapons and equipment.
F���� ��� F������ C������ is designed as an unpredictable game full of random events―sudden

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rushes, musket �ire, and men fading back into the forest. The winner is usually the player who can handle
the chaos and still follow through with their plan. One player takes their turn, rolling to see how many of
their warriors will follow orders, and begins their series of actions. Their opponent is allowed to react
to their actions by counterattacking, �iring on them, or retreating out of the way. The �irst player �inishes
their turn, and the sequence is reversed.
On Scales: F���� ��� F������ C������ is set at a man-to-man level, with each miniature building
exactly as shown, and each door is precisely where it is shown on the model. The ground scale, in turn,
is in relation to the 28mm-sized models, so an inch is about �ive feet. This means, of course, that weapon
ranges are far shorter than in real life; a weapon that shoots 24” on the table would be shooting only
forty yards. Likewise, a moment’s thought will suggest that the time scale must be very short, since

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moving, say, 4” equals only twenty feet, a bare few seconds for any moderately �it person to walk. As
game designer, I ask you to think brie�ly of these issues, and then set them aside in favor of simply
playing a fast-moving game!
In order to introduce new players to F���� ��� F������ C������ and allow them to grasp the concepts
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of War Band tactics and learn the core rules we’ll start with just the basic version of the game. Optional
Rules will be covered as they appear. For now, what’s needed is to get to grips with the elements of the
game.
Success in the game:
This is based on rolling a D6 and scoring equal to or less than the target number. The rules will say “Test
against X”, where X is an Ability listed on the Warband Roster. The Target Number can be modi�ied based
on events in the game.
To explain how F���� ��� F������ C������ works, we’ll create two opposing War Bands to play out a
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basic engagement where two patrols meet. One party is led by Lt Charles Beachum (see page 13), played
by Mike. The other is led by Sir Jean de Langlade (see page 14), played by Howard. We’ll use these two
units in examples throughout the rules.
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