I'm looking for a set of fast play (or at least easy to learn) to game the largest samurai battles (Sekigahara, Mimigawa, etc...).

As I want the battle to be easy to do, I dont need a set of rules with lots of samurai period chrome ie. leader challenges, etc... Some medieval or renaissance rules might work too as they are usually easy to convert for samurai.

I am thinking they should be 1 base = a unit type rules, but I'm open to all suggestions.

Ive already looked into Chrysanthemum Throne, Taiko, Killer Katanas, and FoG. None of them are really appropriate for this scale of battle. My fall back, if nothing better is found, will probably be Warmaster Ancients.

Based on the above, any recommendations?

I'd recomend Warmaster Ancients.

I've played which is easy to learn and easily scalable.

The biggest games I've played have been based on Arsuf, Manzikert and Doryleum from the early crusades period.  These have all been about 3250 points per side which comes out at about 50-60 units each with 3 elements, so a lot of figures on the table.

All the games were all played to a conclusion in about 6 hours.

Have a look at Impteus..there is a free version to download ( less compolicated but still good) , and if you like that you can buy the main set


http://www.dadiepiombo.com/basic2.html

I apologies for resurrecting another thread from the dead, but has anyone any other suggestions for rules for big battle Samurai games? Has anyone used the Peter Pig rules with large scenic bases for example, or know of a new set soon to be on the market that I may have missed.

Ideally I am after something that uses or at least can use, large scenic bases, almost mini dioramas ideally and gives a real flavor of the period.

A couple of links to some eye candy to show the sort of thing I'm talking about.

http://folk.uio.no/arnsteio/samurai/

and in 6mm

https://www.baccus6mm.com/forum/index.php?topic=1450.0

Hail Caesar

Quote from: Nosher on 26 July 2012, 11:20:14 AM
Hail Caesar

You know, a first I thought you were taking the p&%$,  but after a quick read through a couple of threads on the warlord forum, it looks like you may have something there.
I have just bought Black Powder for a possible  1700 to 1900 set and at least if i go with HC i'll be familiar with the rules to a point. Hummm, I will definatly have to look more closely at them, thanks 

One other suggestion someone made recently was "Impetus" has anyone got any thoughts on them please?

The problem with 'Samurai' battles is that they were basically warbands without any formal structure.  At Sekigehara for example, a commander could be in charge of 300 men or 3000!  tricky to model.

Personally i would HIGHLY reccommend using DBA.  Its in v3 for free beta testing at the moment and very good, having ironed out the 'fiddly' quirks of previous DBx iterations. 
Quick, simple, and should model what you're after pretty well (allowing commands of wildly different sizes, and localised command). 

I used DBA 'Big Battle' it for a historical refight of Magnesia recently  ( http://luddite1811.blogspot.co.uk/ ).

Or alternately you could go with the old DBM (reached v 3.5 when Field of Glory killed it (and DBMM) off on the tournament scene).   

DBx rules are like Marmite, you'll probably love them or hate them.  Personally i think they're well worth investing time in - you just have to accept their quirks and abstract foibles.   

Hi Luddite,

I'm a big fan of DBA and HOTT, but have never really got on with the larger DBX rules, big fan of Maximilian too for that matter. so yes I could do that, maybe do larger stands and alter the movement 60mm or even 80mm frontage would give me the look I'm after. 

I'm returning to war-gaming after many years in exile so probably have version 2 of the DBA rules and defiantly have V2 of HOTT, I'm slightly concerned they have become rather too focused on the rules as interpreted by the lawyers rather than the game. I remember being quite active on the HOTT yahoo group when they were struggling to develop V2 and feeling the whole thing was swinging away from a game and more towards a competition(never been a fan of competition games) with the almost endless tidying up of things to make sure that the rule was king. I have the feeling that HOTT lost a little more than it gained, though that could just be the old man in me thinking things were better before they messed about with them. The other thing I can't help feeling is that it would be something of a step back, or perhaps more accurately a standing still, rather than a step forward to go with DBsomethingorother  , I'll still have a look at them again though 

DBA isn't what this chap needs, however; he specifically mentions some battles at the end of the Sengoku era. Far from ancients.

Ah, that was the original poster FK I have rather cheekily and somewhat confusingly added to his thread. I'm less fixated on the Sengoku, just wanting to do large Samurai battles in a visually pleasing way, and with a splash of period flavor if I can possibly get it.    

Quote from: FierceKitty on 26 July 2012, 02:47:46 PM
DBA isn't what this chap needs, however; he specifically mentions some battles at the end of the Sengoku era. Far from ancients.

DBA covers 3000BC-1500AD, and v3 seems to extend that through to abut 1600AD, which brings in Sekigehara.  Also DBx is abstract enough to pretty much handle any period.  There's even a WWII variant out there somewhere...

Quote from: Luddite on 26 July 2012, 05:59:40 PM

DBA covers 3000BC-1500AD, and v3 seems to extend that through to abut 1600AD, which brings in Sekigehara.  Also DBx is abstract enough to pretty much handle any period.  There's even a WWII variant out there somewhere...

Reminds me of how in my schooldays a friend and I did WWII as a campaign with one figure a side, flipping a coin to determine the winner....

Quote from: FierceKitty on 26 July 2012, 11:18:23 PM
Reminds me of how in my schooldays a friend and I did WWII as a campaign with one figure a side, flipping a coin to determine the winner....

Which is different from rolling a dice....um...how?   

Well, in being possible, for one thing. Nobody can roll A dice.

Hi Uesuigi Kenshin
Our club did a couple of large scale Samurai games with modifided Armarti rules if you want to know more Pm me and I will see if I can find the conversion we used they worked really well and where very good fun to play

Regards
Martin