This topic contains 8 replies, has 8 voices, and was last updated by torros 5 years, 9 months ago.
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This topic contains 8 replies, has 8 voices, and was last updated by torros 5 years, 9 months ago.
I have been toying with the idea of doing a recreation of the Battle of Hastings on the tabletop, and wondered if anyone had any ideas or advice about the best games systems to use for that kind of game?
I would think SAGA is a natural choice.
I think you are spoilt for choice on this, but it does depend on the style and level of game your looking for.
For a skirmish style of game then as @templar007 has said, Saga for me is the best choice.
If your looking for an army level recreating the battle, then Hail Caesar from Warlord Games and the latest supplement for the dark ages is very good.
Another good set of rules for an army level which is very enjoyable is To the Strongest. This uses playing cards instead of dice and also uses a grid for movement. I was sceptical about these things until I played it and I found it good fun.
There are many others out there, Sword Point, DBM, Sword & Spear, Clash of Empires and many more.
If you want something cheap and less time consuming to begin with…
I played Hastings at Historicon last summer using Triumph! Rules and it was fun and fast. A real challenge for the Normans just like the real battle. Highly recommended.
start with the scale you want to play and then work backwards, the best set (if indeed you can find a best) will be largely dependent on the scale you use. By scale I mean scale of game not miniature size as the two are not always the same.
After that it’s a case of deciding what kind of a game you want, a light pick up and play or a very granular simulation will shift the goal posts again.
I love Saga as a skirmish game, but if I want a historic version of Hastings it is balls. So you need to set parameters for yourself, otherwise we could probably list rulesets until the cows come home and it won’t get you any closer to what you’re after.
Wasn’t there a kickstarter for a set of rules that also offered a tier where you could simply buy both armies for Hastings with a single click using Baccus minis (I think it was). I wonder what happened with those rules and if they still offer that bundle?
The mechanics in To the Strongest and Basic Impetus would suit the period
Try
https://freewargamesrules.fandom.com/wiki/Freewargamesrules_Wiki
as there maybe something there that you like
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