"What is your favorite set of Skirmish rules?" Topic

I noticed several posts recently ( one of mine among them) requesting suggestions for a good set of skirmish rules.

So I'd like to ask:
What is your favorite set of skirmish rules?

and relatedly:

How many figures per side?
What constitutes a unit? A single figure? Are units a set number (of 4, 6, 8, etc.) figures? Is the number of figures in a unit flexible and if so do the rules of the players decide unit size? Does it allow for both units of multiple figures and individual figures (variously termed heros, leaders, big men, etc.)?

For purposes of this topic, I'd like to suggest the size of a skirmish game is whatever you think it is.

I like THW's Chain Reaction, as it's approach is pretty neat AND its FREE!

It works best with just a few figures per side (under 20). Units are just whoever follows each hero (or main character)--usually no more than 5 or 6 per.

Rob

G.A.S.L.I.G.H.T.

Blood and Swash are a fun set of rules, not just for pirate/musketeer games either.

Twilight 2000 first edition, just using the combat rules.

Songs of Blades and Heroes-family for small scale skirmishes (6-8 figures per side).
Sharp Practice for larger games (20-40 figures per side in our games, but would work with more). It has individuals (leaders called Big Men) and units of 6-12 figures.
Both are great rules and give very narrative games.
Cheers,
Shandy

Corner of a Foreign Field….excellent detailed rules for a section vs squad ….5-12 guys per side…d20 used…(I mess with the activations a little but probably unnecessarily)

For Larger up to 2-3 multiple Platoon exchanges I really like Chain of Command

SAGA!

Dark Age skirmish. It has really caught on and I love the rules myself.

Units begin with 4 to 12 figures each. Games are normally played using 4 or 6 points per side. 24 to 48 figures per army most often.

I changed the bases on my DBM Anglo-Normans and ended up with 3 very distinctly different Saga armies… Norman, Welsh and Crusaders.

I've just bought SAGA but haven't tried it yet

Donnybrook, you can use them for lots of periods, card driven, character based and simple mechanics.

SAGA is my favorite, with Ronin a close second.

I can't settle for a single set of rules for all of my skirmish gaming. THW's "Chain Reaction" is my choice for games with modern firearms as the major weapons. I use "Mordheim", which provides for superior & lesser characters, for Border Reivers & Barsoom games with up to 8 players each running 2-6 characters. "Pig Wars" is my favorite set for Dark Age skirmish; my group has played PG with up to 7 players each running a 20 figure warband. PG figures range from a powerful leader thru good to average to poor warriors, & civilians with a minus to their combat.

I'm hoping Relic Knights will turn out to be a good game! Got to try a demo at Pax East. Still waiting for the near-mythical KS shipment to arrive (mine will be in the final wave from the warehouse)….

One page fantasy skirmish PDF link
Free… There are adapted versions. One page with 1/2 page scenario, campaign stuff.
Sides purchase their figures and qualities, it's a hoot.

To me about 1-20 figures per player make a skirmish game. If you tend to have about 1-8 figures, you're probably playing a RPG game…but then Space Hulk usually has squads of 5, and I'd class it as a skirmish.
I like the idea of skirmish games, but most of my projects balloon out to 100-120 figures per side, I blame the quality of figures available. Kudos to the manufacturers.

My own: Tirailleurs en Grande Bandes. Napoleonic in nature, with units varying from 12-30 figures. No more than two units per player for a fast game. We usually have 4-8 players.

Battleground WWII

G.A.S.L.I.G.H.T. (VSF) – link
Feasting Ravens (Vikings, free for download) – PDF link
Where Heroes Dare (Pulp) – link

Al | ravenfeastsmeadhall.blogspot.com

FUBAR and Ambush Alley.

Chain Reaction and its variants, before that GASLIGHT and 'Blood and Swash'… and TSATF of course.

4-40 on a side, maybe? Numbers vary by situation and rules…

I very much enjoy Infinity infinitythegame.com It is one of the only skirmish game I enjoy for a period or genre that I could do in a larger scale.

SAGA.

Although it is kind of the anti-skirmish game in many respects. Instead of emphasizing the minutia of weapons and armor, there are very few special rules for, or even distinctions between, different types of weapons. Dane axes, crossbows, javelins, and compound bows are, I believe, the extent of it. Otherwise, all melee weapons are identical, as are the remaining missile weapons.

I like Songs of Blades and Heroes for fantasy skirmish, Fubar for science fiction.

In Her Majesty's Name
Dredd
FUBAR

Currently Muskets and Tomahawks.

Rabbit

Another plug for "Donnybrook" from the LoA and would like to add "Sharp Practice" from TFLs. Both are card driven games with similar size options for units on the table.

P.

Rezolution,Dark Age, Pig Wars, LoTR, Necromunda, Mordheim

Dynaman, love those quick and damn bloody games dont ya? :-)
Man i miss those Twilight 2000 games.

Grimm

BloodBowl = most favorite.

Bolt Action is surprisingly fun.

FUBAR

"The Sword and the Flame" and it's off-shoot "The Sword in North Africa". According to the rules a foot unit has 20 figures and a cavalry unit has 12 figures. The number of units depends on the scenario.

Ambush Alley, Tomorrow's War and The Sword and the Flame.

For WW 1, it is still 'Trench Wars.' Always enjoy these fast-play simple rules that offer a glimpse of the seemingly purposeless slaughter of this war.

Tie between Pinnacle's "The Great Rail Wars", 1st Edition and Osprey's "Of Gods and Mortals".

A friend pointed out that I should say West End Games' "Star Wars Miniatures Battles", but none of the battles I stage with those rules is ever small enough to be called a "skirmish".