Song of Battle: Carmen de Proelio – Wargame rules for complete tactical battles in Anglo-Saxon Britain

Wargames involving shield walls do not have to be dull, or merely a contest of die rolling. Early medieval warfare in Britain also involved armies with several different ways of fighting. The role of leaders, each with their own attributes, was crucial. Song of Battle focuses on command and the impact of leadership (called intervention) which can affect movement, morale or combat. The rules include Normans, Anglo-Saxons (Anglo-Danes) Norse (“Vikings” from Denmark, Norway, or the Isles), Scots, Welsh, and Irish. Each have their own special formations and troops types. Although the author uses 3”x2’ bases with 2-6 28mm figures for each “body” (unit), the rules work with 40mm or 60mm bases with any number of figures - losses of men and morale are tracked through step reduction, not figure removal. Attrition was important historically , and so is in this game as well. So too are the particular characteristics of each troop type: milites, huscarles, fyrd (and the better equipped “mounted fyrd”), bondi, gael-ghaeils, spearmen, bowmen, etc. Well-play-tested, Song of Battle is a good simulation, and a playable and enjoyable game that gives tense battles with many decisions for the players to make to affect the outcome - not just two masses smashing together an rolling dice! Playing time for the largest battles an be expected to be 4-6 hours, with 2-6 players. Play as William, or Harold, or Harald, or earlier as Cnute or Edmund, or many other 11th Century commanders, - with their subordinate leaders each acting to bring victory or stave off disaster. The author is a professional historian and a veteran wargamer. —description from the publisher