New to Dark Ages... Small scale skirmish rules?

[S_P]

Go cheap- these play really well :

https://www.wargamevault.com/product/128006/Victory-with-Honour?manufacturers_id=6623

[Atheling]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Blood Eagle from The Ministry of Gentlemanly Warfare. I have never played it but thought this was popular. That seems to fit the request...

There used to be an absolutely brilliant set called Skjaldborg that really captured small scale Early Medieval Shieldwall type clashes.

I think it was available for free from Shieldwall Games. Alas, I think they are long gone as when I typed the URL into it lead to World of Warcraft page! 

I've got a paper copy but no pdf or I would happily send you the file.

[Ghost]

You could give a try to "Open Combat" for some games with less than ten miniatures per sides and "Knyghte, pyke and sworde" for bigger skirmishes.

[Codsticker]

This just landed in my inbox this morning courtesy of Little Wars: Ravenfeast.

[Sir_Theo]

This just landed in my inbox this morning courtesy of Little Wars: Ravenfeast.

I was just about to post this very thing! Looks like a fun game.

I love Little Wars TV.

[Codsticker]

I was just about to post this very thing! Looks like a fun game.

I love Little Wars TV.

They do wonderful work! I haven't had a chance to look over the rules but I am intrigued...

[metalface13]

The GW Lord of the Rings rules work really well for Dark Age skirmishes - which is what LOTR skirmishes basically are. Available free these days I think.

Unfortunately the latest version of the LotR rules are not free. The good news is, a new edition just came out a few years ago! The rules and armies books are available from GW.
https://www.games-workshop.com/en-US/Middle-earth?N=1777647504+442941151&Nr=AND%28sku.siteId%3AUS_gw%2Cproduct.locale%3Aen_US_gw%29&Nrs=collection%28%29%2Frecord%5Bproduct.startDate+%3C%3D+1606827000000+and+product.endDate+%3E%3D+1606827000000%5D

However if you don't care about the latest rules, I'm sure you could find the older rulebooks for cheap.

[BeneathALeadMountain]

Cypher I’d second the LoTR rules. It won’t take much to adjust to what you want to do and they’re a really good, tight enjoyable ruleset that does skirmish very well. There’s plenty of Armies/troops to pick from/ use as equivalents and this’ll allow you to get the different combatants behaving as you’d want them to. They do heroes very well as well and there are lots of scenarios you can adapt.

There’s also BattleLust which describes itself as medieval combat but in reality seems more like dark age to early medieval. I have it but haven’t played it yet but bought it for the exact reason you stated: this is it’s BGG page https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7984/battlelust-mediaeval-battle-system,

If I were you I’d go for LoTR - it’s simple yet does exactly what you want.

Hope this helps,
BALM

[Jagannath]

If you can get hold of the big blue LOTR book (I think it was just called Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game - it's hardback) it'll have all you need - plenty of troops to proxy and it's really easy to compare profiles and see how the points are constructed that it'll take no time at all to build your own troops. I used to use it for 15mm a lot.

[SteveBurt]

There's a free set on my website:
http://fluffycat.co.uk/Steves_Web_Page/Rules_files/Darkage.html

[Patrice]

As everyone gives his suggestions, I'll do that too and mention Argad! which is more intended for RPG-minded games (these rules work better when a game master / umpire prepares a story and handles some NPCs). http://www.argad-bzh.fr/argad/en.html

[Codsticker]

Little Wars has posted an AAR/play through of Ravenfeast for those that are interested-

[Atheling]

Well, we've probably done a great job at confusing Cypher226. I really hope not.

Cypher226, I think, overall, when choosing a rule sets, the best thing to do is to to try to define what you want out of said rules. Realism, fun (seems obvious), period feel etc. Also, what Century as that can make a big difference.

For example, Lion Rampant is great deal of fun but really has nothing at all to do with the manner in which we think 'Dark Ages' battles must have been fought (insofar as we can tell). Great game, very loose on the history.

Dux Britanniarum is the almost the opposite, very good on the history, a fun game too.

I suppose, at the end of the day, the best thing to do is read as many independent reviews as possible, though this might not be possible with some of the home grown/small scale print runs rule sets.

[steders]

If you can get hold of the big blue LOTR book (I think it was just called Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game - it's hardback) it'll have all you need - plenty of troops to proxy and it's really easy to compare profiles and see how the points are constructed that it'll take no time at all to build your own troops. I used to use it for 15mm a lot.

Totally agree with this. The LOTR SBG is one of the best rules systems GW ever made, really tight, very simple but loads to think about. Heroes are brilliant in it. The Battle of Amon Hen (the big fight at the end of the first LOTR film) is great fun, played it quite a few times. Basically 4 good guys (plus halflings) against a horde of orcs. Always turns out really close.

[Patrice]

This just landed in my inbox this morning courtesy of Little Wars: Ravenfeast.

  It seems interesting, I'll have a look at this.

Well, we've probably done a great job at confusing Cypher226. I really hope not.

Cypher226, I think, overall, when choosing a rule sets, the best thing to do is to to try to define what you want out of said rules. Realism, fun (seems obvious), period feel etc. Also, what Century as that can make a big difference.

Better too many answers than none at all, I suppose. 

One other thing in choosing a ruleset is: which one will want to play other gamers in the area? People can be reluctant to change the ruleset they use if it already works fine for their gaming group.