Wars of Alexander
Author: Andy Callan
Publisher: WoFun Games, 2021
Period: Ancients
Scale: Big Battle
LIBRARIAN'S SUMMARY
Wars of Alexander the Great is an introduction to ancient tabletop wargaming released in conjunction with a "ready to play" army pack from WoFun miniatures. The author is refreshingly honest about the design goal. In the introduction, he explains the rules are “aimed specifically at gamers who have never played a historical wargame before and are designed as a simple introduction to the hobby.” That philosophy runs through every page (and there are not many pages!). Units are organized in formations. Combat is resolved with handfuls of six-sided dice. Movement is measured in base widths rather than inches or centimeters. The result is a game that feels immediately playable within minutes of opening the PDF. Generously spaced at 12 pages, the basic rules of play are just 5 pages long.
WHAT YOU NEED
Like all of Andy Callan's WoFun rules, this one is designed to get players playing as quickly as possible. Each player simply needs an army, a handful of ordinary six-sided dice, and a ruler or tape measure. The game measures movement and combat ranges in “base widths” rather than fixed inches or centimeters, making it flexible across scales and miniature collections if you aren't using the WoFun plastic miniatures. These are colorful, pre-printed flat miniatures that can be assembled almost immediately. For newcomers, it's arguably the biggest selling point of the system. Traditional historical miniatures often require weeks of painting before a single game can be played, but WoFun’s acrylic stands dramatically lower that barrier. Callan himself praises the concept as “a brilliant technical breakthrough which could open up the hobby to a new audience.”
The sample forces presented in the book are intentionally manageable in size. The Macedonian army fields phalangites, hypaspists, cavalry, and skirmishers, while the Persian force relies more heavily on cavalry and missile troops. Even with the larger advanced-game options, the armies remain compact enough to fit comfortably on a kitchen table or modest gaming surface. Most importantly, the rules demand very little rules overhead from the players themselves.
HOW IT PLAYS
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SHOOT: Roll to see which army fires ranged missiles first
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MOVE: Roll to see which army moves units first
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FIGHT: Resolve all close combats one at a time
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DISCIPLINE: Reform, check for heavy losses and Panic
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VICTORY: Count losses to see if either army suffered 1/3 losses
Each turn is divided into five stages: Shooting, Movement, Fighting, Discipline, and Victory. Players alternate actions based on dice rolls for initiative, keeping the game fluid. Combat is intuitive. Heavy infantry and phalangites hit more effectively than lighter troops, cavalry charges receive bonuses, and Macedonian sarissa formations gain a deadly “Strike First” rule during the opening clash of combat. The rules repeatedly encourage aggressive maneuver and decisive engagements. As the text bluntly reminds players: “shooting has only a limited effect. It is hand-to-hand fighting that will decide the battle!”
One of the most charming aspects of the system is how much personality Callan squeezes into a lightweight framework. Macedonian infantry can rapidly reform ranks after combat thanks to “superb training.” Spartans and Macedonians obey orders automatically. Persian armies rely heavily on cavalry and mobility. Horse archers use a “circle of death” formation that allows them to harass enemies from all directions.
Generals play a limited role in the battle. If attached, they can improve the combat effectiveness and morale of one unit. The lack of command and control in the system is sorely missed, but the Advanced Rules include a section on Orders. It's an extremely simple approach and enterprising plays may wish to add some "house rules" for a more interesting command and control mechanic.
There are other advanced rules to layer on terrain, disorder, special troop types, and army construction without fundamentally changing the simplicity of the core engine. These additions give the system surprising longevity for what is essentially a free introductory game. After your first game, use of all advanced rules is strongly recommended to add tactical depth and replay value.
Mechanically, Wars of Alexander the Great sits somewhere between classic featherweight rules like One-Hour Wargames and older mass-battle systems inspired by Donald Featherstone. The tradeoff, of course, is that seasoned Ancients players will find the system too streamlined. Likewise, this game may not appeal to tournament players who cut their teeth on DBA or Fields of Glory.
FINAL Note
Wars of Alexander the Great tells you on the first page what it is--a game for total novices--and delivers in every regard. For experienced gamers, the rules may function best as a relaxed club-night diversion, a teaching tool, or a gateway game for younger players. But those are worthy goals. Many hobbyists spend years searching for the “perfect” ancient ruleset while forgetting that fun and enthusiasm are often what bring new people into the hobby in the first place.
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Additional reading
REFERENCES
RELATED GAMES
Field of Glory (Osprey Games, 2008)
Hail Caesar (Warlord Games, 2011)
Mortem et Gloriam (The Wargames Zone, 2016)
Age of Hannibal (Little Wars TV, 2018)