"Top 5 reasons why I like Ancient wargaming" Topic

I have a mild disquiet on all the "Top 5 reasons why I dislike…." threads.

Rules are a personel thingand I do not think there are many absolutes, just opinions.

So perhaps a broader brush would be useful.

Why I like Ancients:
1) some interesting troop types such as chariots, elephants, pike blocks etc
2) it is much more hand to hand rather than the use of fired projectiles. I like it "up close and personal"
3) figures are often easier to paint: naked spearmen
4) historical sources give you some guidance but because they are incomplete leave some leeway in interpretation. I can paint my Roman tunics almost any color I want

Um … that was only 4 reasons.

this is a much better thread.

I'd add that you get much more scope for representing the different approaches which peoples took to war in their army – they may copy ideas from each other, but they never end up looking exactly the same but with different coloured coats on.

the rules and lists used in Ancients are all geared toward being able to find an opponent world wide on a relavitely even footing – once you agree on the rules, all the rest is sorted, unlike say Napoleonics, where we can't even agree on a basing size within the same new rule set.

the history is enough to say we know something, but not enough to stop theory and interpretation, so you get to put your own ideas into your own armies.

No one takes it personally when a nation becomes the bad guys – since no one feels that close to any of these ancient peoples to feel it is an attack on their culture whcih must be defended.

the empires fall as quickly as they rise (notable exceptions) and every gets a go at some point at being dangerous, provided you can find a set of rules to emphasise their best points – to contrast, would anyone play a set of 18th century rules that made Piedamont a major power on the table?

Its not obsessed with sprockets and tehnological explanations ofr military sucess, tactics can make any army win even if armed with just a few sticks and stones and a little luck.

(one extra, I could go on)

Amazon Armies-they show up everywhere

Romans-History's first Meatgrinder

Elephants-only replaced by Giant Ants as Nature's Panzers

Ancients teach the basics of combined arms tactics

Ancients taught me how to run a campaign game

Ancient Naval games demonstrated Ramming is a viable option

Anabasis-civilian inspired road trip

Cleopatra, Boudicca and Zenobia-three women that scared the snot out of Rome

Bar Bar Bar Bar-berians(sing along…)

Armies with big, big blocks of troops

Like Skippy says, Barbarians galore

Irregular troops that don't have piping, epaulettes or complicated uniforms

Edephants (as per the Little Prince)

Chariots

As noted, you can always find a place for your Amazons

Pretty easy to find people willing to play

For some armies, a refreshing tactical simplicity (you mean there are other tactics than a full out frontal charge?)

1. Painting is easy, in that the details are flexible = fun.

2. "nekkidness" and woad tattoos and maiden guards and….

3. Face -to-face smiting.

4. Broad sweeps of culture and history to digest.

5. Elephants and chariots.

I am outraged that Keraunos would use this venue to air his blatant anti-Peidmontese agenda.

Seriously, ancients is one of those periods where almost 'anything' goes. There's not nearly enough hard evidence to substantiate or refute anything that may find its way onto the gamimng tabletop. It's like a big jigsaw puzzle that has MOST of the pieces missing.

And you thought that 18thC Imagi-nation 'Lace Wars' gaming was spurious…

Thus my 5 reasons to like Ancient Gaming are:
1. anything goes
2. you can do as you please
3. there are only conventions, not rules
4. you are your own expert
5. no one can say you're wrong

The perfect recipe for anarchy. Bwa-hah-haaaa!

Chariots. Real Men ride into battle standing up.

Elephants.

Killing Romans. (I hate Livy…)

Friday night rules seminars. (OK, I lied about that one.)

Seriously, ancients is one of those periods where almost 'anything' goes. There's not nearly enough hard evidence to substantiate or refute anything that may find its way onto the gamimng tabletop.

Allen? Call for you on the Red Phone.

Tossing sticks.
Rowboats.
Slingshots.
Running and screaming.
Swinging pieces of metal around.

Sounds just like my childhood. No wonder I was drawn to it.

see – mention a culture within 250 years of now, and someone defends them.

but 2500 years ago, and you can say what you like about them (those damn cisalpine gauls, worthless they were)

This thread fairly seethes with blatant anti-Bongolesian bias.

I love Ancients because you can find evidence, but it's hard. One is not spoon-fed the answers. I share all of the above reasons for loving Ancients, but for me;

1)Elephants
2)Cataphracts
3)Scythed chariots
4)Pike Phalanxes
5)Dead Romans

Yup, another unrepentant Seleukid-lover. <sigh> OK, I KNOW it's irrational….

For me it boils down to two words…

…Horse Archers.

In the past I have owned Skythian, Hunnic and Parthian armies all relying to a greater or lesser extent on the mounted bow and have been very successful with them.

I sold them years ago but last year I bought an Alan Sarmatian army for Impetus.

…No grass grows where my horse has trod.

Ha! No one's even mentioned the top reason:

It's SEXY!

Hey! I mentioned the maiden guard.

After checking with the judges, we will accept "nekkidness" as an alternative for "sexy" (as long it doesn't apply to Gaesatae); However, they're still checking on these so-called maiden guards

1) As most people have said, no army cannot be improved by the addition of elephants
2) Variety
3) The history
4) Long enough ago that _most_ people aren't offended by the subject
5) Solid blocks of pretty coloured troops

Most of the above could describe the Horse and Musket period, except that it isn't the ELEPHANT and Musket period!!!

Cheers.
JohnG

5) So much history to read.
4) A lot of leeway in creative painting.
3) Romans.
2) Chariots

And the number one reason to like Ancients:
1) Tar Daubed Flaming Pigs!

1. the epic sweep of the history
2. the colourful characters
3. elephants
4. cataphracts
5. Roman legions
6. really colourful armies

1-2.Can elephants count as two choices?
3. Pike blocks are cool looking in mass.
4. Romans are the ancient version of Napoleonic French.
5. You can tell your wife, "But Hon, Amazons and Maiden Guard are real units and you want me to get the colors right don't you? Other wise all the guys will laugh at my paint job."

There is nothing quite as inspiring as an entire Roman Legion in 28mm.

28mm Gauls are even cooler lookin.

Someday I will find rules I like (that was positive)

I really didn't need all that storage space that 28mm Ancients occupies -- glad to have my shelves crammed with this stuff.

Someday I will find a non-competitive (not hung up on points and lists) Ancients opponent.

The Macedonian Phalanx
Lakedaemonians

It has an excellent magazine (Slingshot) to support it! :^)

1) Cool helmets
2) Chariots
3) Big, purdy shields
4) Relatively easy to paint
5) Tremendous variety of armies to choose from

I have never done ancients, but I have a box of HaT's Hittites
and one of their troops of Chin Shih Huang Ti. Mainly, I like those two ancient peoples. And Old Chin Shih had a great army, but no minis.

I made a list of my top 5 but most of them are listed, so here are the ones no one mentioned:

- The Persians were still powerful, one of the few periods where you can play with a dominant Persian faction.

- The armies are unique, this doesn't happen in many other periods but all of the major factions play differently with different strategies.

1) Flank Marches
2) Ambushes
3) Elephants
4) Extent of miniature ranges in all scales
5) Ease of painting many of the armies

You need 5 reasons? One word "ANCIENTS"

platypus01au

re your point 4 – I refer you to the Napoleonic boards and to any thread you care to find on the merts of Frederick.

plenty of folks take that period of history personally enough to get over excited about it.

even biblicals don't produce as much web animosity, thankfully.

Hey, great idea for a thread!

My top 5 are:
1. Variety of armies/tactics – keeps things fresh
2. Variety of opponents due to widespread appeal
3. Enjoy the history/reading…games/armies serve as a "reading list generator" that have pushed me into lots of new, interesting topics.
4. *Very* happy with my rules of choice – DBMM (and DBM before)- in terms of period flavour, tactical challenges on tabletop, fun, scope of army lists, etc.
5. Opportunity for creative painting.

rgds
rob

I see anti Nova Caledonian bias too, but I shall rise above such pettiness. But yeah my biggest collection is ancients.

Gotta be chariots: the Ancient world's answer to sports cars.

One of my regrets is I've never had an ancient army utilising camels.

Throw in wardogs, elephants & we have the "menagerie effect".