The Pikeman’s Lament: Pike and Shot Wargaming Rules

Daniel Mersey · Michael Leck

Jan 2017 · Osprey Wargames Book 19 · Bloomsbury Publishing

About this ebook

Recreate the action and drama of 17th Century warfare on your tabletop with The Pikeman's Lament. Start by creating your Officer – is he a natural leader raised from the ranks, the youngest son of a noble family, or an old veteran who has seen too many battles? As you campaign, your Officer will win honour and gain promotion, acquiring traits that may help lead his men to victory. Before each skirmish, your Officer must raise his Company from a wide range of unit options – should he lean towards hard-hitting heavy cavalry or favour solid, defensively minded infantry? Companies are typically formed from 6–8 units, each made up of either 6 or 12 figures, and quick, decisive, and dramatic games are the order of the day. With core mechanics based on Daniel Mersey's popular Lion Rampant rules, The Pikeman's Lament captures the military flavour of the 17th Century, and allows you to recreate skirmishes and raids from conflicts such as the Thirty Years' War, the English Civil Wars, and the Great Northern War.

About the author

Daniel Mersey has previously written four wargame rulebooks for Osprey, including Dux Bellorum (2012) and Lion Rampant (2014). Primarily gaming the medieval and colonial periods, despite his mediocre generalship, he has written many articles for the major wargaming magazines over the past two decades and has authored several non-gaming books.

Michael Leck is a Swedish wargamer who runs the extremely popular and inspiring Dalauppror blog. He has contributed several articles to wargaming magazines in his quest to spread light over the major events in Swedish military history, and has a growing international reputation as a 'wargamer who games', presenting demonstration and participation games in the UK and Sweden.