Small Scale Skirmish Rules - Ancient Period

[Captain Darling]

I would endorse the suggestions of; the Song of… and Ravenfeast rule sets.

[Kenntak]

I see there is Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes and Song of Shadows and Dust. I am trying to figure out which would be better suited for small scale ancient skirmishing. There don't seem to be a lot of reviews of the latter.

[rumacara]

Song of Shadows and Dust already have profiles for the roman period like gladiators, roman gangers, civilians, bodyguards and i think celts and germans (probably many more), Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes has profiles for fantasy (orcs, humans, elfs, hobbits, dwarfs, etc). Having said that probablly the easyest for you would be Song of Shadows and Dust.

Ravenfeast is a easy to learn set of rules for Dark Ages but with the advantage of change the profiles on a easy way for several periods plus you can add adicional rules for the chosen period so that you have a greater "feeling" of that said period. Sometimes the simple change of name is enough without changing anything else (instead of bondir viking call it germanic warrior and his characteristics are the same as well as the equipment).

[Rick]

Is Song of Shadows and Dust a standalone set or an expansion of Song of Blades and Heroes where you'd need the original rules to use it?
Also, if it is a standalone set, would it be worth getting advanced SoBaH to give you more troop or mythic options?

[Kenntak]

Rick, Song of Shadows and Dust is a standalone set. Great question about whether it would be worth getting SoBaH to provide more troop or mythic options, I would like to know as well.

[DivisMal]

Is Song of Shadows and Dust a standalone set or an expansion of Song of Blades and Heroes where you'd need the original rules to use it?
Also, if it is a standalone set, would it be worth getting advanced SoBaH to give you more troop or mythic options?

I have both and while ASoBH is Not necessary to play and there is a great squad builder on the Ganesha Games homepage, ASoBH will give you explanations for a lot of new special abilities plus ideas of how to use them.
I don’t like the layout of ASoBH, but the game is pretty good. Possibly the normal SoBH will also suffice your needs if you find it cheaper.

Song of Dust and Shadows is an excellent rule set, but it’s basically Mordheim/Necromunda in Rome, so not really hoplites or legionaires but muggers and thieves.

[Easy E]

It is pretty clear to me how a Hoplite, Peltast, Hastati, etc. would fight in a smaller formation or even 1-on-1. 

However, I am always unsure how a Phalangite on garrison duty went about his business.  Did he forgo the Sarissa?  Did they operate in smaller "Files"* but ultimately the same?  Were they never used as garrison/policing troops, but only in field engagements?  I doubt they fought 1-on-1, but who knows.   

I am not sure there is much to go on for scholarship in that space. 




* = I forgot the correct Macedonian term for the smaller units of the phalanx.

[Pappa Midnight]

“Brethren” by Matthew Sutton-O’Conner are quite a nice set of skirmish rules. There is a basic rule set then lists for Ancients and  Dark Ages. Caters for around 10 minis up to reasonable sized battles.
It is points based and you can build your own factions if you like.
I got it for some Roman/Dacian small scale skirmishing.

Regards
PM

[Rick]

It is pretty clear to me how a Hoplite, Peltast, Hastati, etc. would fight in a smaller formation or even 1-on-1. 

However, I am always unsure how a Phalangite on garrison duty went about his business.  Did he forgo the Sarissa?  Did they operate in smaller "Files"* but ultimately the same?  Were they never used as garrison/policing troops, but only in field engagements?  I doubt they fought 1-on-1, but who knows.   

I am not sure there is much to go on for scholarship in that space. 




* = I forgot the correct Macedonian term for the smaller units of the phalanx.

Why did the macedonian sarissa come in two halves joined by a bronze tube affair? Why were ECW pikemen, like Macedonian Hypaspists, trained to use both the pike (sarissa) and the half pike (spear)? My take has been that, in mass battles, Sarissaphoroi were trained to operate in pike blocks but, in skirmishes operating in small open groups, they would have traded the sarissa for a spear.
Oh and I think the Macedonian's used the fairly standard Greek systems for sub-groups; Dekas for file, several Dekas making up a lochos, several lochoi making up a syntagma.