Skirmishers, Sharpe’s Rifles, and Why They’re the Most Fun You’ll Have on a Tabletop

Guest Article by Dr. Steven D. Wilson

Bernard Cornwell did not invent Richard Sharpe because line infantry was interesting. He invented him because the men who fought ahead of the line—loose, independent, lethal, and operating well outside the suffocating drill-and-volley world of the Napoleonic era—were genuinely fascinating human beings.

Wargames Atlantic has done an incredible job capturing the likeness of Sharpe’s 95th Rifles. These characters deserve more than a green jacket painted carefully on the models; they deserve a table, a scenario, and, hopefully, an opponent who underestimates them.

But first—a little history. Just enough, I promise.

What Made Them Different?

Napoleonic line infantry fought as a collective machine. Volley on command, advance on command, die in formation on command without a second’s thought. Line infantry was cheap, easily replaced, and strength in numbers counted more than specialized skills. Individual initiative was not a feature; in most cases, it was a liability.

Skirmishers broke every one of those established rules.

Operating in pairs ahead of the main force, spread out about 100 yards from each other, they:

• Used natural cover.

• Selected their own targets.

• Made independent decisions without waiting for a drum signal from hundreds of yards back.

Their roles included masking large troop formations during maneuver, provoking premature enemy attacks, and harassing artillery crews and senior officers with aimed fire.

The Decapitation Strategy

That last point mattered enormously. Riflemen specifically targeted officers, NCOs, drummers used to relay commands, and artillery gunners. At the same time, their small numbers were not attractive targets for artillery crews or massed volley fire. It was essentially a 19th-century decapitation strategy, executed at 300 yards with a Baker rifle.

Riflemen were encouraged to push the enemy on their own initiative using aimed fire. Deliberately aiming was a relatively new concept for the British infantryman, who traditionally "presented" his musket in the general direction of the enemy and hoped for the best. The rifleman chose his target.

"I never saw such skirmishers. They possessed an individual boldness, a mutual understanding, and a quickness of eye in taking advantage of the ground which, taken altogether, I never saw equalled." — A Portuguese officer fighting alongside the 95th.

How They Work on the Tabletop

Most gaming systems handle skirmishers adequately on the basics: open order, cover bonuses, and extended range. That’s "table stakes." What the best scenarios add is the behavioral dimension—the things that made these soldiers genuinely different.

• Screening and Deception: A skirmish screen doesn’t just protect; it actively misleads. Use your skirmishers to mask your main force’s movement and composition. Force your opponent to commit before they know what they’re fighting against.

• Target Priority: Your riflemen should be hunting officers, NCOs, standard bearers, and artillery crew. A unit that can’t receive orders efficiently is far more disrupted than one that simply has fewer men.

• Recon as an Active Mission: Rather than pushing skirmishers forward as a throwaway screen, design scenarios where they must confirm enemy positions or terrain features before withdrawing. This creates genuinely tense small-unit gameplay.

• The Withdrawal Problem: One of the hardest historical tasks was breaking contact cleanly—falling back through friendly lines without creating chaos or drawing cavalry. A screen that did its job but can’t get home without disrupting the main line has still failed tactically.

The Bottom Line

Sharpe and his “Chosen Men” weren’t special because they were brave—the line regiments were full of brave men. They were special because they were trusted to think. That’s what the 95th’s doctrine produced, what the fiction celebrates, and what these miniatures represent on the table.

The models are available. Now, find a reason to use them the way they were actually meant to fight—forward, independent, and slightly terrifying to whoever’s on the receiving end.

That’s not just good history. That’s good wargaming.

About the Author

Dr. Steven D. Wilson is a strategic communications professional and retired U.S. Air Force veteran who studies and teaches wargaming and wargame theory. His own miniatures remain distinguished primarily for their ability to shoot each other by accident.

References

• Greentree, D. & Hook, A. (2021). British Rifleman vs French Skirmisher. Osprey Publishing.

• 95th Rifles Regiment Historical Society. History of the 95th Rifles. 95thrifles.com

• Wray, Timothy A. (2005). The Army's Light Infantry Divisions.

• Cornwell, B. The Sharpe Series. HarperCollins.

• Wargames Atlantic. Cornwell Character Limited Edition Miniatures.