"Neil Thomas' Rules" Topic

I have the book by Neil Thomas called Ancient and Medieval Wargaming. It is really a simple set of miniature rules. They appear to be simple yet effective.

Is anyone out there playing them?

I read them but there were somethings I just could not figure out. I have not seen them at any of the big Eastern HMGS conventions.

I have played a few games of Greeks vs Persians, I like them. You will probably have to add a house-rule or two. Definitely give a good game, with emphasis on game. Battle reflected what I assume would happen historically: Persians tried to shoot up the slow advance of the Hoplites, Persian Cavalry swept aside the psiloi, Hoplites cut up the Persians in hand to hand, Persians caused damage with Cavalry but not enough to alter the battle's outcome. I have also seen the Persians win when they use good tactics and the Greeks don't…

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I use them for simple, quick games in Imperial Rome, Classical Greece, and WoR (with the supplement for WoR available from the Yahoo groups website.
Straight forward and playable, and similar results to Tactica.
The SoA mag "Slingshot" had an item in one of their issues re these rules , but I don't know which one.

TTFN

MGM

I played them just last weekend at a local gaming convention, Fields of Honor! I played 2 games with Romans versus Successor State Greeks. Also, my gaming group is working on developing Dark Age armies to play that variant.

They are a simple, effective set of rules yet tactically challenging. I think the rules do a great job of recreating the function of various unit types. Light, missile armed troops for instance are flexible for maneuver and attacking from range, but will be decimated when caught in close combat. Certain nasty units like Elephants and artillery can be devastating, but they also have their weaknesses/down side that helps balance it out.

I for one am pretty impressed with the rules and have a great time playing them, win or lose.

Neil Thomas also has various skirmish rules in his Wargaming, An Introduction rules. The Colonial version can be played with about 6-8 miniatures per side.

What other skirmish rules are included in Wargaming? medieval?

Only colonial and the WWII.

Rest are period variants on the main battle rules.

There's a Yahoo group at link The Files area there has some battle reports and Neil's rule clarifications which you should find helpful.

Several issues of Slingshot over the past couple of years have had articles about these rules.

I've used these – they are frustatingly simplistic even for a simple set (which is the kind I like). I've bolted on some of the Yahoo Group house rules and added a few of my own. But with a few adjustments, they are a good altrnative for Basic Impetus etc. Probably simpler to get the hang of…

I tried hard to like them but in the end there enough loopholes & unanswered questions to kill them for me.