Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Age of Myths, Gods and Empires => Topic started by: Basementboy on 10 March 2024, 06:56:51 PM
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Hello all, I have about a dozen singly based EIP Romans and I was wondering what skirmish rules I could use them for. There seem to be lots of mass battle games for the period but I don’t know about skirmish games. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance :D
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A long, long time ago there was an announcement for an ancient variant for SoBH. Afaik it never happened, but if you accept a bit of tinkering, I can highly recommend the original game: (Advanced) Song of Blades and Heroes.
Other good games in that size range for miniatures that also require some modifications are GW‘s LotR game which is pricy, but good. Chevauchee (medieval rather than ancient though) and FFoL in the fantasy variant.
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There is a historical SoBH variant: Song of Shadows and Dust (http://irregularwars.blogspot.com/p/stylefont-style-normal-alignleft.html). The author posts here (Irregular Nic?). It's a great little ruleset, designed for urban riots and gang fights in the Roman Empire, but with profiles for gladiators, legionaries and the like.
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Osprey's "Broken Legions" are fantasy ancients rules. Never played them so don't know how good they are.
I'm fond of the "Tribal" rules, from Mana Press, which would work with the period, though it's gladiators rather than legionaries that are featured.
"Gangs of Rome" is something I'm planning on getting but haven't got round to yet.
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Clash of Spears is a ‘warband level’ game for around 20-50 figures per side, so might be a bit bigger battle than you’re looking for, but is meant for the period.
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There is a historical SoBH variant: Song of Shadows and Dust (http://irregularwars.blogspot.com/p/stylefont-style-normal-alignleft.html). The author posts here (Irregular Nic?). It's a great little ruleset, designed for urban riots and gang fights in the Roman Empire, but with profiles for gladiators, legionaries and the like.
Forgot about this neat little set! Highly recommend!!! It’s exactly what you need.
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Go with Fist Full of Lead.
Simple to learn, easy to use for just about anything and, most importantly...FUN.
PDF copies available from Wiley Games
[https://wiley-games.myshopify.com
Always liked the Angus McBride illustration of troops on Hadrian's Wall.
Great ideas for skirmish games, e.g. half a dozen legionaries, escorting a wagon to the Mile fort, get ambushed by twelve barbarians.
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Raven Feast as well.
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Just to be clear, you have Early Imperial Romans and want a Model-vs-Model game to use them with. Is that accurate?
The best ones I can think of that fit that are:
Broken Legions:
Review: https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2016/12/review-broken-legions-osprey-wargame.html
Battle: https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2020/05/battle-report-broken-legions-oracle-of.html
A Song of Shadows and Dust
Sorry, never played it
with some tinkering to fit the period.....
Homer's Heroes: Bronze Age Bad Boys
Overview: https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2023/03/wargame-design-homers-heroes-bronze-age.html
Battle: https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2021/09/battle-report-homers-heroes-clash-at.html
Battle: https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2023/01/battle-report-homers-heroes-hold-shrine.html
Gangs of Rome
This just got a new edition that I have not played, but I did give 1st edition a look. Not really geared for fully-fledged legionaries.
Review: https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2021/05/review-gangs-of-rome-warbannerfootsore.html
There are not a lot of Model-vs-Model Ancient skirmish games.
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Melee, the combat component of The Fantasy Trip RPG works great for small skirmish games, and the pdf is free:
https://warehouse23.com/products/the-fantasy-trip-melee-pdf
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Just to be clear, you have Early Imperial Romans and want a Model-vs-Model game to use them with. Is that accurate?
That’s right!
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And thanks all for the recommendations so far :D
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Another vote for Fistful of Lead here.
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Another vote for the Fistful of Lead Core Rules book
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I would wait for these, to be released in August:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-hour-Ancient-Medieval-Skirmish-Wargames/dp/1036110249/ref=sr_1_2?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.C_jS_uakXWQr6yxw0gvNgxsFMdbvl-60Gdl08asLnms3HNGaJM3kuyVL9PwZvyjNcxOXo6n5HKIIRfSgI-3Lw_UmbVEO05vGTopUvy7gyD9M2Bxx2wi4JipyIBvkfsMILLjsD5r4tL62lZtj7rXosHVcF2S3Z4VE5kHPv-B3TjZaUPOMV405QR7ePDKkglfCxJQQeSUGsw9KJiuM5Y5mpdRS9c_SycJrU-yrQzZ9FHs.dEc3TLBTm2WVYgpTaRIuyU9z1xa7I6BnUQlPpGnsjlA&dib_tag=se&qid=1711635742&refinements=p_27%3AJohn+Lambshead&s=books&sr=1-2
The current gunpowder version are the best rules I played, if you like fast and simple but innovative mechanics using only ordinary playing cards
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Set of 'One Hour' rules now on pre-order. :)
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Good to know :)
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Another vote for Fistful of Lead. The core book will work fine, but I recommend the Might and Melee version. It's more tailored (really all of the core rules and most of the traits are the same across all of the series, they are just tailored in spots for the given setting) to what you want.
I've run multiple Ancient Greek (Trojan War and Hoplite era) as well as Dark Ages and Samurai with FFoL. It's all round the best multi-purpose skirmish rules for small model count games (or bigger battles if you want larger squad on squad type skirmish).
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Fistful of Lead - gives you all you need rules wise. And lets you cover any other period you want to game. Fun and easy rules.
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Thanks all! I keep hearing good things about FoL, I’ll definitely give it a look :)
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I haven't played it yet, but I bought Clash of Spears and am painting up a Republican Roman force for the Second Punic War. After reading reviews and watching some play-throughs, the rules appealed to me for the alternating activation with the chance to interrupt. Like, if skirmishers charge out of the forest and get ready to throw javelins, veterans troops have a chance to pivot and lock shields before getting skewered. As well, I like the concept of fatigue, as the more you clobber someone, the more tired you get, and more you get clobbered the more tired you get. We'll see how it goes. Currently waiting on the Carthaginians to get their mobilizations scrolls.
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Very good to know! I haven’t heard much about CoS so I’ll have to take a gander ;)
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Maybe Open Combat is worth a look https://www.secondthunder.com/collections/open-combat ?
It's a pretty DIY system that allows you to stat up your individual minis as you like and something like this would be right up the game's alley if you don't mind a bit of orga work :)