- BGG rank
- BGG #3,968
- BGG rating
- 7.3
De Bellis Antiquitatis: Quick Play Wargame Rules with Army Lists for Ancient and Medieval Battles
- 2–6 players
- 60–300 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 1990
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,985
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Hordes of the Things
1991
Rules assistance for Hordes of the Things
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.5/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Hordes of the Things
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Hordes of the Things is a board game released in 1991 for 2–6 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Philip C. Barker, Richard Bodley Scott, and Sue Laflin Barker and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Action Points.
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About the game
A fantasy miniatures game that is based on the same system as De Bellis Antiquitatis: Quick Play Wargame Rules with Army Lists for Ancient and Medieval Battles and De Bellis Multitudinis: Wargames Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battles – 3000 BC to 1500 AD. The first edition was published in 1991, with a much more clearly written second edition being published in 2002. The game consists of a single rulebook. The player's miniatures are organized onto stands or 'elements', an army consisting of about 10-14 such elements. Troop types range from powerful Heroes, Magicians, and Dragons, through such things as Blades, Riders, and Spears and down to the humble Hordes of the game title. Movement is alternate, with each player dicing for action points (PIPs) which allow them to move single elements or groups of elements, deploy certain element types and use magicians to be-spell enemy troops. Combat between elements is resolved by each player rolling a die and adding the element's combat factor. Highest score wins, with some elements automatically destroying others and most others being destroyed if their final score is half, or less, than that of the opponent. The strength of the game is that there are no 'fixed' armies. With only a few restrictions (concerned with which elements can be generals and the proportion of 'powerful' troop types) you can construct your army any way you wish. This means you can create armies to represent those from any work of fantasy fiction, myth, legend, film, TV, anything else that your imagination desires. A large number of example army lists, from a variety of sources, are included in the rules book.
Categories
Publishers
- Wargames Research Group
Questions and answers
Hordes of the Things 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 Hordes of the Things is 45 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 Hordes of the Things for ages 12 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.
Hordes of the Things has a complexity rating of 2.5 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.
Hordes of the Things belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Wargame, and Miniatures. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Action Points. 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 Hordes of the Things 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 Hordes of the Things 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.