Fantasy skirmish rules - a useful list

[Khusru2]

As well as Five Leagues from the Borderland (a great game) there is, from the same stable, Five Parsecs from Home. A very similar system of story campaign and tabletop fight. I'm currently enjoying both.

[Plynkes]

As well as Five Leagues from the Borderland (a great game) there is, from the same stable, Five Parsecs from Home. A very similar system of story campaign and tabletop fight. I'm currently enjoying both.

In case anybody doesn't realise from the name, Five Parsecs is a Sci-Fi game rather than a Fantasy one.


I've just started a Five Leagues campaign and am loving it.

[ced1106]

Add Battle System's "Maladum", a dungeon-themed miniature skirmish based on the SF Core Space rules.

[tikitang]

SWORD WEIRDOS is now released, from the same guy that brought you Space Weirdos...

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/437324/Sword-Weirdos

[The Bibliophile]

SWORD WEIRDOS is now released, from the same guy that brought you Space Weirdos... https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/437324/Sword-Weirdos

A really enjoyable skirmish ruleset. Manages to get a lot into a small package.”

[tikitang]

Stumbled upon something else last week called MANY AGES

https://www.wargamevault.com/product/429814/Many-Ages

This looks fairly simple, in a good way, but still manages to have a substantial list of weapons and armour types with various modifiers. Building a warband couldn't be simpler, as you simply choose your troop type (infantry/archer/cavalry) and load them up with the appropriate gear.

No real provision for monsters or special races (at this stage), but the author has produced some free supplements that add some additional content, such as spellcasters.

This is the ruleset I'm now planning to use for my 54mm project, as it ticks all the boxes of what I want.

[Dentatus]

For any interested parties, I just released an advanced edition of the monster hunting game, Nightwatch.
Emphasizing cooperative play with a Game Master, Blood and Bone is a stand-alone rule set.

You can find a print version at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nightwatch-Blood-Bone-Patrick-Todoroff/dp/B0CMZGWQML
The PDF at Wargame Vault: https://www.wargamevault.com/product/458841/Nightwatch-Blood-and-Bone?src=hottest

More info at: https://www.Stalker7.com

Thanks.

[Dauntless]

Spears of Valour: Warbands is now out as a free download!

https://www.wargamevault.com/product/466930/Spears-of-Valour-Warbands

Spears of Valour: Warbands - A skirmish / warband level fantasy combat game between 10-100 models. The core book contains loads of scenarios, dungeon rules, a mini-campaign and the 'Medieval fantasy' world of Valaya. Units activate in initiative order and take up to two orders - so fast units like horse archers and flyers get the drop on heavier units. It's a succinct and intuitive game engine without too many special rules.

[Daeothar]

Another one I have not seen mentioned after perusing the entire thread once more (someone really should (again) do a round up and listing of every game mentioned):

Bushido: Risen Sun. A small skirmish game set in a fantasy version of medieval Japan (but including traces of many other Asian mythologies). Each player controls between 2 to 12 miniatures (5 being the norm) in alternating activations. Playing area is a mere 60x60cm.

The beauty is in the combat system: each character has a certain amount of combat dice to use, and these are divided into defense and attack dice, hidden from the opponent before a combat round. They are then revealed simultaneously. The bluffing element in this mechanic can lead to some very tense and fun tactical plays.

It is possible for instance to attack an opponent, but to  put all your dice in defense, just to force them to use up an activation, which can have a profound effect on their battle plan.

It's by far my favourite fantasy skirmish game...

[shadowbeast]

Spotted this one recently:
https://www.goonhammer.com/necropolis28-a-narrative-diorama-skirmish-game/

I have also recently acquired:
Reign in Hell
Forbidden Psalm
Idols of Torment

[Khusru2]

Witchin' Hour
A relatively new witch hunting skirmish game.
Available at Caliver Book and on wargames vault. I got mine from Sidekick Games.

[The Tactical Tabletop]

Perhaps best described as an “Epic Skirmish” game, Fights of Fantasy can work for small to large battles (though exceptionally grand conflicts may require multiple sessions).

In the spirit of full disclosure, I am the designer and publisher of this game. Here is the text  from Wargame Vault. It was easier to just copy and paste than writing a new description.

“Fights of Fantasy is a new, truly generic, miniatures-agnostic wargame from The Tactical Tabletop.

The only items required to engage in hours of imaginative and entertaining fantasy miniatures battle are this rulebook, some twenty-sided dice, a measuring device, some homemade markers, and the non-brand-specific 25mm or 28mm miniatures players already own. Players should also avail themselves of the free PDF materials available on Wargame Vault.

There is no official lore, background, or setting provided with the rules. Players are encouraged to devise their own settings and mythology or they can use existing fantasy worlds from literature.

Fights of Fantasy returns imagination to the players where it rightfully belongs while providing the tools to bring their miniatures to life (and possibly an untimely death) on a mythical battlescape.

Common fantasy beings and races do not exist in this game unless players choose to include them. There are no Elves, Dwarves, Goblins, Dragons, Trolls, or other such entities unless a player decides to create them. Fights of Fantasy encourages and facilitates creating unique new races instead of revisiting the same overused and hackneyed cliches so frequently employed in the genre.

The rulebook dispenses with illustrations, photos, and fictional vignettes to reduce cost and also avoid creating imagery that might stifle player creativity.

These rules accommodate battles involving small to large numbers of models. For example, a game session including heroic characters is possible with as few as three models per player.

Every miniature represents a single combatant capable of independent action or as a member of a unit depending on their specific role within the game.

The game’s unit and character activation process ensures players remain constantly immersed in the action, even when it’s not their turn.
The rules don’t use the industry-standard “army list” format when creating forces and instead allow players to build individual combatants which they then form into units or use as independent characters.

Combatant lists and options give players the tools to create armies, creatures, and individuals from any fantasy literature or mythology or even devise completely new personas and/or species for their games.

There are no “free lunches” within the rules that allow one army to possess an unfair advantage over another. All players use the same system and options when mustering their forces for battle. Intelligent army creation, sound tactics, and good generalship win the day instead of built-in stratagems and army-specific advantages.

Combat resolution uses opposing dice rolls and is both fast and brutal.
The magic system is comprehensive, flexible, and provides for spellcasters that can truly impact events on the battlefield without getting bogged down in overwhelming details. Magic focuses on spell effects instead of descriptions.

The game also includes rules for aerial combat, siege warfare, and limited naval actions.

The rulebook consists of fifty-three pages of core rules and ninety-six pages of combatant lists followed by references, record sheets, and templates.
Follow the Fights of Fantasy page on Facebook for official announcements and join the growing Fights of Fantasy Fans page to take part in the discussion on this new wargame.”

[Dauntless]

Legend of Mythra can now join this illustrious list of fantasy skirmish rules! And the pay-what-you-want expansion is also live!

https://www.wargamevault.com/product/480477/Legend-of-Mythra

https://www.wargamevault.com/product/520725/Legend-of-Mythra-Kingdom-Fallen-Expansion

The fantasy is on the low end of the spectrum with 'realistic' weapon rules. Spears and halberds are king of melee, full plate gives you a 2+ save, archers can take out lightly armoured troops, great weapons don't strike last (!), flails can bash anyone in base-contact, etc.

The book is 72 pages, containing the core rules, army lists and lore for playing (or RPing) in the Mythra setting. The setting is mostly inspired by Finnic and Baltic myth / culture so feels unique!

[onlysix]

Deth Wizards

Designed to play solo, co-op, or PvP skirmish game.

https://www.snarlingbadger.com/dethwizards

[SgtSlag]

I am a huge fan of 2e BattleSystem Skirmishes.  I would love to adopt it for my 2e AD&D RPG sessions, to use its combat rules...  Mere minutes of in-game RPG combat takes 1+ hours of real time to resolve at the tabletop, and it drags me down, after a while (I DM).  As a wargame, it relies, very heavily, upon its players being familiar either 1e AD&D, or 2e AD&D RPG rules.  It often requires interpolation between itself, and the RPG rules.

As far as combat goes, though, it plays quickly, with enough of a veneer of RPG over the top of it, to be a blast for AD&D RPG fans.  Use whatever mini's you have/want.  Make up stats for new/different creatures, as needed.

When I play this game, as opposed to an RPG session, it is all about full terrain, and mini's plodding across the terrain, for better, or for worse, encountering creatures as they may.  It really is a lot of fun, but setting up/tearing down can be time-consuming if you use full 3D terrain.  Cheers!