Finding The Right Skirmish Board Game – 5 Suggestions To Try
So you want to dabble in skirmish Board Games? Here’s a few to take a closer look at depending on what experience you’re looking for.
There is something about smaller scale skirmish games that are appealing and approachable. They typically don’t take a ton of setup and are much faster than their full blown tabletop counterparts. Sometimes you just have limited time and you just want to get into the gaming! Today, we’ve got a few skirmish board game that scratch a lot of different itches and we’re going to get into why each one is different and fun for their own reasons.
Sidenote: We are going to avoid games that aren’t played on a board — even though some of our entries might have full tabletop versions, the “base” game is played on a board. There’s lots of tabletop sized skirmish games out there and that will probably be another article at another time. That caveat thrown out there, let’s get into it!
5 Skirmish Board Games To Check Out
D&D: Onslaught
So I got a demo of this game and wrote up some initial thoughts. I quite liked the PvEvP gameplay and think that this is a great entry point for D&D players looking for more of the combat experience of D&D. It’s easy to learn and fast to play. It’s an objective based game and there are other enemies on the board that can attack your party (or the other player’s party). It’s a competitive arena-style skirmish game that’s light on the campaign stuff but and heavy on combat. If you’re looking for a lighter RP game with a focus on combat and objective play check out Onslaught.
- Games Type: Player vs Environment vs Player
- D20 combat system based (loosely) on D&D combat
- Fully painted minis included in box
- Great for D&D fans that can’t get enough combat encounters!
Warhammer: Underworlds
Warhammer: Underworlds is a pretty vast set of expansions at this point. So if you’re looking for a game with a LOT already out there for it, this is a good place to start. It’s another competitive arena skirmish game and uses all those fancy GW minis. The game is another one that is fast to learn and play. But there’s a lot of tactical depth to this game. On top of the many, many factions out there each one also has decks associated with them. That’s kind of what makes this game different in that it’s still a classic D6 dice game but with the added complexity of the decks. There are three different deck construction modes and that can vary the complexity. But at the end of the day, it’s a straightforward arena skirmish game and a really nice palette cleanser between larger tabletop sessions.
- Game Type: Player vs Player arena skirmish combat
- Great for limited space
- Good tactical depth with lots of warbands to choose from
- D6 system with additional card decks to build/play with
- Unpainted (but dyed) plastic “push fit” minis (you’ll probably still need a few hobby supplies)
- Perfect for one day Tournaments or league play
Necromunda: Hive War
Okay, okay, this one might be skirting the line between board game and tabletop game. BUT the core box is technically a board game because you DO play on a board. Can you expand and play large games on a full Necromunda tabletop? Absolutely! That said, the old starter set and even the newer ones are designed to be played on the limited board space initially. What I love about Necromunda is the longer tail aspects of this game. If you’re not aware, Necromunda is still a skirmish game at it’s heart but it’s the pre- and post-game activities that really make this a campaign. Each gang is basically their own adventuring party with their own personal goals and histories. There is no story line here — you’re literally writing it as you play!
Playing in a league or full campaign with 2-4 players (or more) is a really rewarding experience as each gang develops overtime. You’ll have lots of stories to tell of individual ganger heroics (or epic fails). The campaign system also tracks XP individually for gangers, too. If you’re looking for a game that rewards you for campaign play and but doesn’t have a traditional “campaign” story check out Necromunda.
- Game Type: Player vs Player (with options for even more players in a single confrontation)
- “Board Game” with the ability to expand to tabletop games
- Lots of expansions and miniatures in the line
- Highly customizable minis (that you have to build), not pre-painted
- Deep, tactical game play with many scenarios to play
- Create your own narrative
- Very free-form campaign play – Forge Your Own Narrative!
Frosthaven
Frosthaven is the successful Kickstarter follow up to Gloomhaven. This one had to be mentioned on the list. If you didn’t play Gloomhaven, then you missed out on an amazingly self-contained “board game” with a really unique combat system and campaign. The Frosthaven is all that and more — and fully backwards compatible with Gloomhaven, too! This box is BIG. We’re talking 30 lbs big. It’s a DENSE game with a wonderful set of miniatures. The combat in the game uses a unique cards-as-abilities-and-your-hit-points system. I know, that sounds weird, but it’s actually a really neat mechanic.
What really sold me on this game was the campaign system. The best description I can use it that this feels like an RPG without the need for a Game Master. The campaign/scenario book makes the world you’re exploring feel alive and active. You can uncover secret quests that can unlock new powers and even characters in the game. It’s a legacy-style game where your wins and losses have an impact on the future state of the game world. If you want a skirmish game where you and your friends are taking on the baddies together in a long campaign then check this one out!
- Game Type: Player vs Environment (co-op multiplayer vs AI)
- Unique Card based combat system
- Massive “Board Game” with 30 lbs of components
- Rich campaign setting and story all pre-planned with branching paths and storytelling — all without a Game Master to prep/write it for you!
- Backwards/forwards compatible with Gloomhaven line of games
- This one is a commitment to play but 100% worth it
Darkest Dungeon: The Board Game
Based on the hit video game, this successful Kickstarter in now out in the wild. You and a group of friends take on the role of adventurers looking to clear out your former home after some tragic (and possibly eldritch horror style) event has corrupted the land. Your base of operations is the hamlet outside of the keep. You’ll face off against hordes of enemies in various scenarios and dungeon tiles in board game that translates a lot of the mechanics from the video game in the best ways possible.
This game is 1-4 players and it’s a blast. There’s a campaign in the sense that you’re gaining xp on your characters and can spend it in town and there’s a story line but it’s not as involved as a full RPG campaign. It’s a good mix between the entirely free-form “write your own narrative” and the extremely detailed planned out style of game. It’s still a game I’d consider a skirmish game because you’re party of 4 is typically facing off between 2-4 enemies at a time in the random dungeon tiles. The minis are great, the mechanics are heavily influenced from the video game, and it captures the look and feel perfectly. I’m currently playing in a campaign with some friends and it’s been a blast so far!
- Game Type: Players vs Environment (co-op multiplayer, 1-4 players)
- Simple yet deadly AI enemies
- D10 combat system (rolling low is good)
- Borrows heavily from the video game mechanics including stress, light management, positioning in combat, and hamlet building
- light-storytelling but still engaging narrative
- Fights take place on various dungeon tiles and exploration is another set of random boards
- creepy atmosphere — very much like the video game in the best ways!
Hopefully you get to try out all these various skirmish games. Each has their own level of complexity, story telling, and combat. There’s something in there for any type of player out there!
There’s a BUNCH of other skirmish games and if we missed your favorite share your recommendations in the comments and why you like them!
