Prufrock's Wargaming Blog

Prufrock's Wargaming Blog

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Your top five wargames rules?

Over on boardgamegeek someone started a thread listing the top five wargames they would keep if they had to get rid of the rest of their collection. Boardgamegeek is talking about board wargames of course, but it made me consider which rules would make an 'essential five' list.

1) Lost Battles. This is THE big one for me. I don't play it as often as I used to, but to me it's still the game that feels most similar to the surviving accounts we have of ancient battles.



2) Commands & Colors: Ancients. A fine set. As a game it is very good; it rewards study, allows people to formulate their own playing style and, once learned, has you playing the situation, not the rules. It may lack a little bit as far as being able to recreate the history goes, but sometimes you just want to play a game.



3) Modern Spearhead. I've been lucky enough to play this a few times with Luke U-S, and while I find the endless rolling for artillery strikes tedious and time-consuming I do need a set of rules to play hypothetical Cold-War-Goes-Hot scenarios with. I have nothing else that comes close to it, so Modern Spearhead gets the nod.

4) Spearhead. Again, a WWII game is required, and this is probably the best of what I have, though Crossfire would run it close if I had a chance to play it more often.



5) Johnny Reb II. Only played once, but a brilliant game. The order counters are a great touch and the whole thing was very atmospheric.



How about for you? Which five would you have on your keeper list?

16 comments:

  1. Great topic!

    I would love to give Lost Battles a try sometime. It looks terrific and I have had the book for a few years but still sits unused (but not unread).

    For my Top 6 Wargame Rules, I choose:

    Basic Impetvs/Impetvs
    Commands & Colors Ancients
    Samurai Battles
    A derivative of Whitehouse's Old Trousers/Old Ironsides
    A derivative of Wargames Times Journal's Republique
    Regimental Fire and Fury

    I know, that is six but I am sticking to it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Must check out Old Trousers - it sounds familiar!

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  2. My five are:

    Napoleon's Battles
    Crossfire - WW2
    Filed of Glory - Ancients
    DBA
    Fire and Fury

    There are others I like and am trying: Blitzkrieg Commander, HotT, Songs of Drums and Shakos, Songs of Blades and Heroes, Impetus, Blucher, Regimental Fire and Fury.

    And finally, Dead Man's Hand takes my fancy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have all of those bar Fire and Fury. Really should try out Nap's Battles at some stage, and also give Crossfire another crack.

      Delete
  3. Interesting Topic. Lets see:

    1. Spearhead/Modern Spearhead - Makes Microarmor playable.
    2. Battleground WWII Still my favorite Skirmish Rules
    3. Impetus - So simple, so nice.
    4. Command and Colors/Samurai Battles - I love the basic Mechanic
    5. Fire and Fury (though I loved Johnny Reb III)

    ReplyDelete
  4. To the Strongest! :-) But I must declare an interest.
    HoTT
    Command and Colors
    Science vs. Pluck or Death to the Mahdi (what a great title!)
    DBA

    I struggled to find 5, most I've not played for years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm a bit the same Simon - I've only really played two sets at all consistently!

      Delete
  5. Hmmm ... tough question as there are a number of new rules sets, like some of Sam Mustafa's, that could be classics in another ten years.
    I would go with:

    Johnny Reb 2 - good choice
    Command and Colours
    I Ain't Been Shot Mum!
    Maurice
    Age of Reason

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Really must try some of Sam Mustafa's rules. He comes pretty highly recommended!

      Delete
  6. Some really good rule sets there.
    My top ones would consist of,

    Regimental Fire and Fury
    Original Fire and Fury
    Volley and Bayonet( great for big non ACW 15mm games)
    I don't mind GdB, Bolt Action and out modified LotR rules.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Armati II
    Take Cover!!
    Rally Round the King
    Starfire (playing with minis though)
    DBM 2

    But over the next few years these may likely change as I play more rules.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No Ancient Battlelines Clash Shaun? You are too modest!

      Delete
    2. I did have ABC listed, and then thought I know it well enough I would not need it as I could carry the rules in my head!

      Delete
  8. I posted to the TMP thread but I'll do it again here without looking to see if anything changes. :D

    DBA 3.0
    Dux Bellorum
    Lion Rampant
    Bloody Big Battles
    Wargames

    There. I did it. ;)

    ReplyDelete

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