- BGG rating
- 6.9
More Drums and Shakos: Additional Scenarios, Army Lists, and Rules for Songs of Drums and Shakos
- 2–8 players
- 45 min
- 2008
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,287
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Song of Drums and Shakos
2008
Rules assistance for Song of Drums and Shakos
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–8 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Song of Drums and Shakos
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Song of Drums and Shakos is a board game released in 2008 for 2–8 players and 45 minutes per game. It was designed by Sergio Laliscia and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Action Points.
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About the game
"Keep your musket loaded!" Song of Drums and Shakos is a fast play Napoleonic skirmish game based on the popular *Song of Blades and Heroes: Revised Edition* mechanics. This is a stand-alone product - you do not need Song of Blades and Heroes: Revised Edition to play this game. Muster your squad. Deploy your soldiers and fire volleys at the enemy...and when the moment of truth comes, fix bayonets and charge! - Three scenarios included - Simple, elegant system where your tactical decisions matter - playable in any scale with single based models - All major troop types represented: 160+ profiles (French, British, Prussian, Russian, and Austrian) - Easy measuring system - No bookkeeping - Point system for building up your Squad - Play with as little as 5-6 elite to 20 inexperienced soldiers in a standard game - Playable on a small table (60x60 cm for 15mm) - Simple yet subtle command system, with Officers and NCO - Two or more players, 30-45 minutes for a full game - Ideal introductory rule set to small actions in the Napoleonic Era.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Ganesha Games
- lulu.com
Questions and answers
Song of Drums and Shakos supports 2–8 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 Song of Drums and Shakos 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.
Song of Drums and Shakos has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Song of Drums and Shakos belongs to these categories: Wargame, Print & Play, and Napoleonic. Its main mechanics are 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 Song of Drums and Shakos are: Sergio Laliscia. 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 Song of Drums and Shakos 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.