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Spotlight Articles

Outstanding articles that are not necessarily linked to one particular game, but may have broad appeal to gamers.

Epic Revolution (AWI)

Spotlight Article Graphic

"Another instalment in Warlord Games’ Epic series has just been released..."! Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, checks out the latest figures/ruleset package in this series. "... a lot of work has gone into this rule set to make it AWI specific - well done that team."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/30/2025


War reaches northern Italy, 215 BC

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"Hannibal has come over the Alps..."! Prufrock and his friend Ian P bring us an intense Punic War clash that doesn't look too promising for the Romans, when they "...win the first move and mostly freeze."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/26/2025


Interview with Robert Phaneuf Designer of Secession 1861: The American Civil War and The Armada from Fortress Games Currently on Kickstarter

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"...there are few more fertile areas for educational, simulation-ai gaming." Grant Kleinhenz, in The Players' Aid, interviews designer Bob Phaneuf about his two upcoming games. See why he thinks that "...Secession 1861 will mature as a classic solitaire nail-biter."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/18/2025


Battles of Heraclea Lyncestis, 219 BC and Emporiae, 218 BC (Med Campaign 9)

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"Reports are in of a battle in northern Macedon between the invading Illyrians and a force scrambled together to meet them...". Prufrock continues with two more nicely photographed AARs in the ongoing Med Campaign! "...in Nearer Spain, Proconsul Aaronius Dubius Scipio Calvus, having landed a force near Emporiae, was engaged by an alliance of indomitable Iberian tribes...".

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/9/2025


My pre-orders analysis – what is new and coming!

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Michal, in The Boardgames Chronicle, covers his current game preorders, and why he is anxiously awaiting them. See which game has him commenting that "...we are getting so many new elements – from graphical representation, to add-ons and optional rules – that this it will be a great, refreshing comeback to fantastic classic!"

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/6/2025


My Top Solitaire Wargames: New Designs and All-Time Classics

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Michal, in The Boardgames Chronicle, reveals his favorite recent and all time solitaire classics. Check out the game he describes as "...probably the best small units combat simulation ever created, which has fantastic planning phase and unfolds completely differently each time.", and the one that challenges you to "...harness a brilliant mind, titanic energies, and a sometimes terrifying charisma to leave your mark on history?"

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/4/2025


Soviet 12mm WWII Pocket Army

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"My second WWII Pocket Army is now complete..."! Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, brings us a Pocket Army update pictorial.

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 5/26/2025


More Spotlight articles...


Gaming Conventions

Gaming Conventions

Another new feature for Grognard.com, the Gaming Convention calendar will make it a snap to keep up with all the latest gaming conventions in your area. But we need your gaming convention information, so please contribute.



Grognard News

Grognard Challenge - Expanded Room for Comments! (6/25/2023)

The Comments entry area has been resized to 512 characters.

Grognard Originals

In addition to our links to great content all around the internet, expect to see more Grognard.com "originals" in the future.

Malaya (v2.5) War Game Review

Pat La Pella reviews this post-card sized game and its computer editions. Can the UK Commonwealth prevent the Japanese from occupying Singapore in 1941?

Malaya Player Aid (pdf)

Pat La Pella created this player aid to clarify special movement rules for the Japanese player for Amphibious Movement and Reinforcement beach landing hexes. Computer versions of the game show eligible hexes automatically when the Japanese player selects a unit for movement.

PE TANG 1900 Q&A with Marco Campari

Some Q & A between myself and Marco Campari, designer of Pe Tang 1900 from Lumaca Games.

PE TANG 1900 Strategy Tips

This is the strategy I developed after playing Pe Tang 1900 from Lumaca Games.

More Grognard Originals...


Grognard Challenge

Latest Challenge

Have a look at the graphics for the latest Challenge and see past solutions and contest winners.

Recommended (archives)

Wargaming - General Info

Board Wargames

Miniatures Wargames

Computer Wargames

Academic Gaming

Board Games

Internet Based/PBEM Games

Individual Wargamer Blogs

Wargaming Magazines

Asst Software/Player Aides

In Memoriam

Grognards Lost


A B C D E F G H I
J K L M N O P Q R
S T U V W X Y Z '-9

Game: Sword and Spear



(s10090)
 
 




Publisher: Great Escape Games
Game Type: Miniatures
Designer(s): Mark Lewis
Search for this and related games with Noble Knight


Description:


Sword & Spear is a set of wargames rules for large battles set in the Ancients & Medieval period. They are suitable for any scale figures and any basing standard. The only requirement is that figures are organised into units of equal frontage. A typical game consists of about 12 units on each side and games take around 2 – 3 hours. The rules are designed from a top-down perspective, focusing on outcomes rather than detail. The rules feature a clever and innovative system for activating units that creates interesting and challenging decisions, keeps both players involved at all times and has a lot of depth and subtlety. Each turn is split into phases, where players each receive a number of command dice, which are rolled and then used to activate their units. The number shown on each dice determines which units it can activate (with better quality units being easier to activate), what the unit can do when activated, and the numbers also determine the activation sequence. Certain dice also give bonuses to combat, movement distance or shooting range.


Articles


Article ID
Pub Date
Article Description
Source
7
Date: 9/16/2022
Poster: Doug Holt
1471 - Feud on the battlefield!

"...their embittered hatred of each other would now no doubt be played out on the battlefield and it would be personal!" Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, takes the Tewkesbury action between his two Piggy Longton opponents, Darcy and Trebian, from board game to figures table, using the Sword and Spear miniatures rules. Join Norm for the clash, and see if the issue is decided when "…it is Trebian who is getting the upper hand and he eventually cracks the Lancastrian centre, but…"!
Web Link
6
Date: 8/17/2022
Poster: Doug Holt
1471 - The 2nd Battle of Coron Torr

"...once again, Darcy had to attack towards Crown Hill, the gateway to his estates from the west." Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, brings us another intense Piggy Longton clash, using the Sword and Spear miniatures rules. The fight reaches a crescendo when the Bishop of Dungborough, Stephen the Fearless, "…led the long spears to the foot of the slope and then started to climb to clash with Trebian’s dismounted Men-at-Arms, the latter being roughly handled." Is this a win for Lord Darcy, or does he just face more hard decisions…?
Web Link
5
Date: 6/3/2022
Poster: Doug Holt
1471 - The defence of Crown Hill, Piggy Longton.

"Even as Somerset and Darcy were breaking camp and readying their troops for the attack on the hamlet, Lord Trebian’s men were already marching!" Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, brings us more intense Pocket Armies action, using the Sword and Spear miniatures rules. Join Norm for the fun and great miniatures photos, then find out why he exclaims "Well that was a surprise!", and concludes "1471 is proving to be the year of decision!"
Web Link
4
Date: 1/5/2022
Poster: Doug Holt
The Battle of Longton Fields - 1471 Piggy Longton

"Darcy, aware he was outnumbered, joined his own Men-at-Arms and moved them forwards, ready for the inevitable clash of heavy armour on heavy armour." Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, brings us more spectacular Pocket Armies action, using the Sword and Spear miniatures rules. Join Norm for a gripping narrative: "In the Centre, Darcy was coming under extreme pressure, he had lost many archers and his Men-at-Arms were now engaged by both Salisbury’s Men-at-arms and William Stanley’s levy billmen. This centre could become broken…"!
Web Link
3
Date: 12/6/2021
Poster: Doug Holt
Festival of Osric’s Chapel - Piggy Longton 1471

"Lord Darcy... suspected that the Festival of Osric’s Chapel the following Sunday was the moment that his adversarial neighbour would choose to strike." Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, brings us more Pocket Armies action, using the Sword and Spear miniatures rules. The men of Lord Darcy, bucked up by local Bishop Stephen the Fearless and the promise of ale, are ready for a good showing. Yet things reach a point where the engagement "…had become a battle that really could go either way. Both commanders simply had to hold their nerve."
Web Link
2
Date: 9/21/2021
Poster: Doug Holt
Raiding Piggy Longton 1471

"The moment needed someone to take charge and Bishop Dungborough, or rather Stephen the Fearless, was that man!" Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, brings us more Pocket Armies project action, using the Sword and Spear miniatures rules, and featuring a redoubtable man of faith! Join Norm for the clash of arms, terrific miniatures photos and some unique victory conditions: If the Yorkists successfully burn down the tavern, they instantly win. If the Yorkists capture Stephen the Fearless, they instantly win. If the Yorkists cause the death of the Bishop in combat ….. they instantly lose!
Web Link
1
Date: 6/28/2021
Poster: Doug Holt
Wars of the Roses clash

"...I thought it about time I created a generic scenario that different rule sets could be bench marked against, to test different areas of the rules and try to pick a 'go-to' set." Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, is back at his Pocket Armies project, using the Sword and Spear miniatures rules. Check out the action in a War of the Roses encounter, where "…in the end, the [Lancastrian] pike found themselves fighting to both front and rear."
Web Link