• Battle of Snayfwickby

Warhammer Ancient battles is a game that spans centuries, and even millenia. Lists available for the system include New Kingdom Egyptian from nearly 5000 years ago, to Vikings only 1200 years ago, to Samurai, and all the way to the Middle Ages. The game system itself has stolen the underlying rules behind Warhammer Fantasy Battles while applying historical army lists as opposed to reincarnated zombies and blood-lusting elves. At first glance it promises to simply be a less flashy version of Warhammer Fantasy, but when played in the historical setting it takes on a playing style all of its own.

It is true, soldiers are lined up in dense blocks, maneuver in dense blocks, and fight in dense blocks as with Warhammer Fantasy. Beyond that however, it plays much differently. Firstly, without maginc, games take on average 30% less time to complete. Secondly, the realistic strength, leadership, toughness, and wounds make the game much more playable. Battles tend to be decided decisively in much fewer turns than in Warhammer Fantasy, making the game almost fast-paced!

Finally, the 'challenge' system really comes in to its own in the historical setting. Two chieftains can square off against each other in the middle of a battle just as they would have (anarchonistically) in the dark ages. Imagine Harold Hadradda pointing over the rims of his shield wall at Godwinsson. Godwinsson, seeing his challenge, steps out and his soldiers, along with Hadradda's make room for the duel. A fierce battle within a battle takes place, and when Godwinsson drops, the remaining Saxons flee ;) I really like this game! Valhalla, here I come!