Habitants & Highlanders

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Wargames Rules: Habitants & Highlanders Habitants & Highlanders , designed by Mark Morin and published by the Canadian Wargames Group in 1992, is a tactical ruleset dedicated exclusively to simulating military operations during the Seven Years War in North America (the French and Indian War). The system is engineered to capture the distinct tactical contrast between standard European line regiments and the specialised irregular forces fighting in dense wilderness terrain. The rules handle small-to-medium engagements with an emphasis on skirmishing, scouting, and line dynamics. Mechanics feature detailed parameters for movement through rough cover, ambushes, Native American war parties, and provincial militia discipline. Rather than forcing open-field European doctrine onto North American battlefields, it balances traditional musket volleys with irregular woodland tactics. When applied to small-scale or 6mm miniatures, it provides a fast-flowing, highly atmospheric grand-t...
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A First Venture into Remote Gaming with Jonathan Freitag

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I recently had the pleasure of taking part in a brilliant Zoom tutorial and test game hosted by Jonathan Freitag over at Palouse Wargaming Journal. Having spent some time reading through his back catalogue of remote gaming posts, I was eager to see how the setup worked in practice. Jonathan kindly offered to run through a live session, using his ongoing 10mm American Civil War Salem Church scenario to demonstrate the camera views, card activations, and general mechanics of playing across the Atlantic.

Despite being limited to viewing the battle on a small phone screen—which definitely tested my eyesight against 10mm figures—the session was a complete success. We managed to fight through two full, action-packed turns. Taking command of the Federal forces, I pushed divisional artillery forward to bombard Confederate positions around Salem Church, while Jonathan’s Rebels launched a fierce counterattack against my left flank. Though my dice rolls were utterly shocking and Bartlett's Brigade suffered heavy punishment, Federal artillery eventually managed to stem the Rebel advance and stabilise the line.

A First Venture into Remote Gaming with Jonathan Freitag

Key Takeaways from the Remote Session:

  • Command Friction & Flow: Playing via Zoom felt surprisingly fluid. The combination of clear webcams and grid-based movement allowed tactical decisions to be executed seamlessly without confusion.
  • Hardware Upgrades: While a mobile phone worked in a pinch, a dedicated desktop monitor and proper webcam are essential for inspecting troop formations and tracking miniature movements clearly.
  • Tactical Utility: Remote gaming offers a fantastic avenue for solo wargamers looking to expand their opponent pool globally without leaving the home workshop.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable intro to remote gaming. I have already ordered a dedicated Logitech C920 webcam to replace the phone setup, and I am very much looking forward to getting back to the remote battlefield soon—hopefully with better luck on the dice!

What do you think?

Have you tried playing wargames remotely over Zoom or Skype? What hardware or camera setups do you find work best for tracking 10mm or 6mm miniatures? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Related project hubs for this period:
Solo Wargaming Hub  |  The Strategic Campaigns Hub

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Comments

  1. Jonathan Freitag02/10/2026, 11:08

    For participating in a remote game, a large monitor helps to enlarge the picture of the action from the host’s webcam(s) table view. A participant does not actually need a webcam to play but showing a face to the group is helpful. A very good introduction, Andy. I enjoyed that!

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