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Song of Blades and Heroes is a fast-play, skirmish-level fantasy miniature system. It uses an action-point system that requires no book-keeping. The rules are designed to be simple, fast and fun so that a mini campaign of several games can be played in a single evening.
The game uses only 6 sided dice and requires approximately 5-10 models per player. The rules recommend 15 mm figures on a 60x60cm play area, but can be played in other scales. There is nothing scaled in inches or centimetres, three measuring sticks to measure all distances and ranges. Alternatively the game can be played without measuring sticks on a hexgrid.
The game includes statistics for 180+ monsters and heroes, and details to be able to create your own. Also there are campaign rules where your warband grows more powerful after every battle, and six basic scenarios.
There are some stand-alone games based on the same system, which could also be used as expansions to the base game:
Song of Arthur and Merlin (2008) - Arthurian supplement featuring sections on the historical Dark Ages king, the Welsh legendary king, and the Hollywood king. Originally an expansion, in 2011 this was re-released as a stand-alone product.
Mutants and Death Ray Guns (2008) - a post-holocaust skirmish game.
Song of the Splintered Lands (2009) - Sourcebook based on the Splintered Light miniatures line.
Song of Drums and Shakos (2009) - a Napoleonics skirmish game.
Flying Lead (2010) - a game of gang warfare to Pulp action, from military operations to black-clad assassins.
- compact, easy-to-handed small battles
- flavorful fantasy setting
- the transcript provides limited mechanics detail; hard to assess depth
- fantasy combat in small-scale engagements
- fantasy skirmish battles featuring undead and heroes
- heroic fantasy skirmish with theatrical flavor
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- initiative and activation sequencing — turn order influences pacing and tactical choices
- melee and undead recruitment — focus on undead units and supporting heroes within a thematic fantasy setting
- Skirmish-scale combat — small groups of fighters resolving actions and outcomes in a compact framework
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I will be controlling all of the undead all of the skeletons
- how to play Song of Blades and Heroes
- space marines codex
- D&D miniatures so if they get stuff on them you can just throw them in the dishwasher
References (from this video)
- heroic combat and narrative skirmish
- fantasy sword-and-sorcery skirmish battles; fantasy miniatures
- light-to-moderate narrative emphasis; scenario-driven play
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Unknown or not discussed — The transcript does not discuss mechanics; mentions it solely as a game used for a demo
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This video is going to be all about finding a pro painter or a pay paint service or something along those lines, someone a commission painter to do your work for you.
- There’s no reason to have completely unpainted armies on the table unless you just started.
- paying somebody to do it, especially if it's from somebody you can find local who maybe needs the work or, you know, wants to build up their experience and get, you know, big, there's no reason not to talk to people and get your army painted.
- If all these guys were either just primed or not even painted at all and you know the you know I just had pop cans instead of castle towers or whatever, you're not going to get too many people coming to your event.