Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I'm looking for a game all about roman gladiator fights. Something that's a bit historical as well.

I was just thinking fun gladiator based game would be a great thing to play between bigger games, especially so as a kind of campaign game where we're all managing our own ludus.

I like Red Sand Blue Sky by Two Hour Wargames. It uses zoned movement rather than measuring inches and has their unorthodox reaction system at it's core, but it's a fun game.

http://www.twohourwargames.com/redsandbluesky.html

As far as I know, it's the only set of rules with the ludus management campaign thing you want.

I will plug my own free rules The Games: Blood and Spectacle.

https://app.box.com/s/ntrgx0qon573jt6ttsis

It includes Ludus Management and campaign play.

I have also heard good things about the following:
Morituri Te Salutant
Jugula
Habet hoc Habet

However, I think many of these may lack the campign/Ludus element. I maybe wrong as my memory is a bit fuzzy.

Jugula is designed around a campaign style, build your own ludus scenario. I am seriously considering starting it, it looks a lot of fun and cards rather than dice makes for an interesting mechanic.

I was going to look into Jugula but was disappointed because they only released one box set of miniatures.

I know I could get miniatures from other ranges but its not the same.

I'm also waiting for Arena Rex to be released to retail, that looks amazing.

It isn't that they are only releasing one set of miniatures for Jugula but more that the game has only just been released and the rest of the sets are on the way. Gripping Beast are doing the 'official' range I believe and the Familia 2 set is due out soon.

Thats good to know filbert, I find it so hard trying to find out what Gripping Beast release schedules are for their games.

There is also:

Victus - Iron Ivan Games
Gladiator - OOP from Warhammer historical
And Wargames Illustrated 318 (iirc) had a mod of the Osprey game Ronin to turn it into a gladiator game

The only thing that turned me off about Jugula was that it sounded like you always had to field 4 Gladiators against 4 other Gladiators.

I'm not an expert, but I don't think that was how it worked back in the day.

Plus, it can get spending since you need a deck of cards for each Gladiator.

The Wargaming Compendium by Henry Hyde also includes a set of gladiator rules, as well as Wild West and a few others. I haven't tried them out yet, but it's a lovely book, and well worth getting if you're into historical games at all.

Songs of Blades and Heroes would also work for most types of gladiator matches.

In the Ancients section here you can find a few popular ones....

http://freewargamesrules.wikia.com/wiki/Freewargamesrules_Wiki

 Easy E wrote:
The only thing that turned me off about Jugula was that it sounded like you always had to field 4 Gladiators against 4 other Gladiators.

I'm not an expert, but I don't think that was how it worked back in the day.

Plus, it can get spending since you need a deck of cards for each Gladiator.

Just to bump this up - anyone played Jugula and can offer some insight? I don't think you need cards for each gladiator - it is a deck of cards per player. I have been looking at it and it seems a fun little game.

There is also the Arena Rex game that is forthcoming at some undetermined point in the future.

I know you were going for more historical, but have you tried Spartacus? Great game, worth more than the price tag (at least it was when I got it) and really fun. My wife and best friend love it and it's been a hit every time we've brought it out. Worth a look!

 Kiwi461 wrote:
I know you were going for more historical, but have you tried Spartacus? Great game, worth more than the price tag (at least it was when I got it) and really fun. My wife and best friend love it and it's been a hit every time we've brought it out. Worth a look!

Absolutely agree. I have absolutely no idea whether the TV drama is any good - whenever I've watched it just seemed like Chippendales jumping around and stabbing each other in slow motion, with Lucy Lawless from Xena Warrior Princess raising her eye suggestively and that Scottish guy from detective dramas making dry comments. But, this board game has won awards and I can see why - it is the most fun I have had with a boardgame with a group of friends, the different phases of the game make it actually quite tactical and its very easy to pick up.

Full name is 'Spartacus: Blood on the sands'.