1812: The Invasion of Canada

A two-hour campaign wargame about the War of 1812, with Americans invading Canada and dice-driven battles.

Designers: Beau Beckett, Jeph Stahl
Published by: Academy Games, Inc.
Editions by: Schwerkraft-Verlag, ASYNCRON games

1812: The Invasion of Canada is a wargame about the war between the young United States and the British Empire, fought mostly on the Canadian frontier. It was designed as a campaign game: you maneuver armies and militias across a map, fight battles with dice and use event cards to swing the odds. Each side has its own strengths, and with more players you form teams, so it also works as a group game, best with two or with five. It is a campaign wargame that stays approachable, finishes in about two hours, and is a good way into the war's history without a rulebook as thick as a phone book.

Campaign of the War of 1812Dice battles and event cardsWorks for two or as a team game

Who it's for

You like history wargames but want a shorter, more manageable campaign for two or a team of five.

Not for you if…

You want a deep, rules-heavy simulation or a non-military theme. Dice decide a lot of battles.

Vibe's take

Tense and historical without drowning you in rules. Every battle is a dice gamble, and the campaign ebbs and flows as armies shift across the frontier.