
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Ancient Historical Battles
- 2–6 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1992

1990
Rules assistance for De Bellis Antiquitatis: Quick Play Wargame Rules with Army Lists for Ancient and Medieval Battles
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
De Bellis Antiquitatis: Quick Play Wargame Rules with Army Lists for Ancient and Medieval Battles is a board game released in 1990 for 2–6 players, 60–300 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Philip C. Barker, Richard Bodley Scott, and Sue Laflin Barker and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Modular Board.
A flexible, fast-playing set of miniatures rules. An army consists of 12 units (called "elements"), classified as Blades, Warband, Knights and so forth. The rules are very simple (and can actually fit on one sheet of paper) but nevertheless pretty effective. The Fantasy version is Hordes of the Things, and the De Bellis Multitudinis: Wargames Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battles – 3000 BC to 1500 AD rules add more detail and significantly increase army size. De Bellis Renationis extends the time period through the end of the Renaissance (1700 AD) and Horse, Foot and Guns covers the period from 1701 to 1915.
De Bellis Antiquitatis: Quick Play Wargame Rules with Army Lists for Ancient and Medieval Battles supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for De Bellis Antiquitatis: Quick Play Wargame Rules with Army Lists for Ancient and Medieval Battles is 60–300 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists De Bellis Antiquitatis: Quick Play Wargame Rules with Army Lists for Ancient and Medieval Battles for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
De Bellis Antiquitatis: Quick Play Wargame Rules with Army Lists for Ancient and Medieval Battles has a complexity rating of 2.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
De Bellis Antiquitatis: Quick Play Wargame Rules with Army Lists for Ancient and Medieval Battles belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Modular Board. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of De Bellis Antiquitatis: Quick Play Wargame Rules with Army Lists for Ancient and Medieval Battles are: Philip C. Barker, Richard Bodley Scott, and Sue Laflin Barker. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists De Bellis Antiquitatis: Quick Play Wargame Rules with Army Lists for Ancient and Medieval Battles as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.