Clash of Spears: Rules for Skirmish Battles in Ancient Times

About this board game

Clash of Spears: Rules for Skirmish Battles in Ancient Times is a miniatures wargame for 2–4 players, featuring tactical battles that typically take around 180 minutes. It is designed for skirmishes of roughly 30–60 men per side during the last few centuries before the birth of Christ.

The game focuses on small actions such as raids, scouting missions, and other engagements. Armies consist of line troops gathered into groups of 6–10 figures, supported by a few characters who direct the action. The rules work with 28mm or 15mm figures, and individually based figures are preferred, though no specific basing method is required.

At the heart of the system is resource management. Players must manage their characters’ command points to activate units, while carefully controlling fatigue so their troops remain effective in combat. This creates tactical decisions beyond simply advancing and attacking.

• D6-based combat, with higher rolls always being better
• Troop definitions for Romans, Carthaginians, Greeks, Gauls, Iberians, Italians, and Macedonians
• Rules for designing your own troop profiles
• Pick-up game scenarios and two flexible formats for building armies

Although it provides profiles for several ancient peoples, Clash of Spears is intended to have wider applicability. Its design supports players who want a ready-to-play ancient skirmish system as well as those who want to create their own forces and scenarios.

Released in 2020, the rules offer a focused framework for representing the uncertainty and tactical demands of small-scale ancient warfare with miniatures.