"Hoplite Warfare rules" Topic

A couple of the guys in our gaming group wants to play a hoplite skirmish game and is looking for rules. Does anyone know if these rules, Hoplite Warfare, by Adams and Clarke, fit the bill? Also, if they are available for purchase?

If you have another suggestion, please toss it out! A picture of the cover for Hoplite Warfare is at the link below.

Thanks for the help!

link

It wasn't a skirmish game, but an army-sized pitched battle set, so probably not what you're after.

I think Hoplite Warfare covers mass battles for the perior it covers with an emphasis on the aspects specific to hoplite tactics and training, etc. So probably not the right answer for a skirmish game.

Chris

Thanks for clearing that up. Any suggestions?

a hoplite skirmish game

Did Hoplites skirmish?

Not a facetious question: I'd have though any ancient skirmish rules would apply (anything uniquely Hoplite would only be happening at a higher level encounter where hundreds of the fellows are cooperating in a large group body on a battlefield of thousands)

As the others have said, the Adams and Clarke game (which I recall was worth a look but seemed a bit dated last time I played them about 20 years ago … ) is for pitched battles.

Phil

Saga?

Greeks would be Anglo-Saxons or Scots?

How about Pig Wars? There are rules to convert the game to the Ancient era. I played in a game at Historicon a few years back and Pig Wars did an admirable job of "simulating" hoplite warfare. Of course, the game is out of print and is a little hard to find.

Brink of Battle.

Brink of Battle. I've tried it with Ancient Greeks and it works well. It's one of my go to games. You create your warband with points, which you decide on, and give skills for each individual. "Sort of" like Mordheim. The rules cover 3 different ages. Ancient, early gunpowder and contemporary. Best bang for your buck and if you want to add a fantasy element there's the new supplement for BoB, Epic Battles now for sale.

Go to their website and check it out. Best bang for your buck and lots of fun.

Dux brittaniarum?

I think you could play a game of Hoplites and skirmish troops with those rules, with only limited fiddling.

Labor of the Gods. It is meant for an earlier Greek period but it will work well for Hoplite skirmishing.
It also includes fantsy elements if you wanted to go in that direction.

Pig Wars is available as a pdf from the author, you can join the Pig Wars yahoogroup to find out how to get a copy.

OF GODS AND MORTALS might also be worth a look. Skirmish wargaming in the world of ancient (Greek etc.) mythology.

Thanks, everyone. Many good ideas, and some clarification too. Much appreciated!

It seems that SAGA and the other skirmish games mentioned will work fine with simple tweaks for Greeks.

Hoplamachi by Perfect Captain. A set of rules designed for hoplie warfare. A great game with great graphics and Free.

William

Hoplamachia by The Perfect Captain, hands down.

Hoplomachia is not a skirmish game to my knowledge.

I have written a set, just contact me at richardbradley5@gmail.com and I will send you a copy!

I love the idea of using Saga for some sort of small-scale Peloponnesian War fight.

Hoplomachia is not a skirmish game to my knowledge.

Correct. It is a detailed and very good (IMO) simulation of hoplite warfare but at a higher level. In modern terms units are companies that are formed up in the line of battle or phalanx. While there is skirmishing it is the psioli ahead of the main line.

I would add my 2c for a SAGA adaptation. Likely someone has already done it on the various SAGA fora.

As GurKhan and Batesmotel34 says Hoplite Warfare is for battles not skirmish gaming. The rules (of which I have a copy) are no longer on sale being over 30 years old.

as to SAGA for Greeks… the SAGA forum has the battle of Troy and all its participants already done by a fan… its pretty good too…

A Song of Blades & Heroes could work too….Andrea was supposed to be working on an adapted version for specifically Ancients warfare but I don't know if that ever got released or not. Either way the core SoBH would work well I think.

Did Hoplites skirmish?

Not a facetious question: I'd have though any ancient skirmish rules would apply (anything uniquely Hoplite would only be happening at a higher level encounter where hundreds of the fellows are cooperating in a large group body on a battlefield of thousands)

Damned good question. They were very heavily armed and armoured and I would not fancy skirmishing around while carrying a bloody great hoplon, bronze helmet and bronze armour on my tummy and shins.

Are you sure those guys didn't strip down and just wear light kit for any forays? Or leave that sort of thing to the peltasts and other riff-raff???

In 1 episode of that rubbish "Ultimate Warrior" tv show, they paired off a ninja against a Spartan hoplite. Even with the ludicrous nonsense of that awful show, it was pretty clear that the hoplite was extremely immobile and huffy-puffy when chasing an unarmoured man. Of course, hoplite was so heavily armoured that he was difficult to hurt.

Isn't the whole point about Sphacteria(?) that the Spartan hoppos couldn't chase and spar with the Athenian lights?