"Ancients: Single Model vs Element" Topic

JJartist once wrote – TMP link -

WAB's current disfavor is that it is a single model style game – in a world where elements are all the rage.

Do you prefer single-model or element-based games?

It depends on the game… I would hate to do Platea or Changping with individual figures, but I would hate doing a skirmish or boarding action with elements.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to REALLY like this troop block idea I just came across:

TMP link

TMP link

Someone should do those for ALL big battles … with Fantasy, and Medievals, and Ancients, and you name it!

Dan

Elements. Any Ancients game purporting to do Gaugamela or Daras with single figures is a nonsense.

Khusrau,

I always imagine all those battles exactly like this:

Dan

It was a major liberation to realise that I didn't need to use single elements for anything but commanders and scouts, and not even always for those.

I like DBV for single figure game, and DBA 3 for game with elements.

I like both. I have a couple armies I kept in single bases for playing WAB, as I am still quite fond of the game.

However, most everything else is based for Impetus on 120,,X60mm (or deeper) unit bases.

In case I need those WAB minis for Impetus (or other) games, I also have movement trays ready to hand. Easy solution for me, anyway. I realize that YMMV.

V/R

I'm with TKindred.

Most of my playing is DBMM so just about everything is on 60mm frontage.

However, new stuff is being based in singles or groups of singles.

15mm for elements and 28mm for singles.

15mm elements for battles, 28mm singles for skirmish.

Another vote for elements.

Single models with some multiple bases.

Cacique Caribe

I have done something very similar in 6mm…

My Napoleonic armies are at:

link

I have made a few roughs for ancients too – they may appear sometime in the future perhaps?

Yes, simple; element based is best for games of a larger scale!

For battles, elements.

elements for battles, singles for skirmish.

I have a strong preference for games with a lot of figures, so I've primarily beem building units of elements with a few single stands to 'make change' if necessary. Over time, I've been rehabilitating old units of single figures as above.
pjm

I go both ways--elements for small figures and individual mounts for 28mm. But I want elements that look like something--16 formed 5mm infantry on a 40mm stand or 16 15mm pikes in an 60mmX60mm block. None of this "four castings is a decent chunk of an army" busines.

Elements – usually play solo using DBX variations, makes life a lot easier. Obviously skirmish type games need individual bases.

Elements for land games, individual ships for naval

Because skirmish is boring, elements.

Single figure basing.

For larger battles, a single based figure does not equal one man. I assume that is the same for the number of figures on an element base. Generally each figure will count for the lowest level unit that can receive a command.

Sometimes multiple figures will count for a unit, usually if there is a need to track state by removing figures from the unit. So units will only have 4-8 figures.

Problem is I like skirmish (Saga and Frostgrave) and big battles so I have no choice but single basing.

I love the look of diorama bases and that is actually usually my choice when I have enough single based elements that I can start multi basing. The problem is configurations change battle to battle so usually a diorama base limits what you can do.

I forgot! single basing AND buckets 'o dice.

I prefer single basing, but it gets harder.
Sabots are my current favorite. 60mm x 40mm allow enough combinations and magnets are cheap.

WAB is essentially an element game, made more difficult by allowing a lot of free form units.. but usually the units are guided by the unseen hand into similar sized arrangements on multi-model unit trays.

Some will always point out that there are other keen ways to denote single model casualties… markers casualty figure bases… and I say more power to that. As long as people can see what is going on .. then I like the game.

To me visual representation is the whole point of a miniature game. So if a four ranked 6x4 phalanx unit looks like a skirmish unit to some, I prefer the massed figures.

I prefer attrition to base elimination, and larger figures that I can still see, so that is what puts me off a lot of the element games that often gain an audience more with the 15mm afficionados.