Ages of War: Battle for the Bronze Age is a fast-paced Bronze Age tactical wargame where you take command of an ancient army and fight to break your opponent's lines.

Deploy your troops, manoeuvre across the battlefield and launch attacks as you attempt to outwit the opposing general.

The battlefield is built from cards rather than a traditional board, while your troops are represented by unit cards that can move, attack and use special abilities. This creates a surprisingly tactical battle in a compact package.

You'll need to think about positioning, movement and the strengths of your army while taking advantage of your faction's cultural abilities and elite units.

Do you concentrate your forces and launch a powerful attack?

Flank your opponent?

Protect your vulnerable units?

Or take the initiative and try to break through their lines before they can respond?

Ages of War: Battle for the Bronze Age captures the feel of a battlefield without requiring the enormous maps, hundreds of miniatures or hours of play associated with many traditional wargames.

It's an excellent choice for players who enjoy tactical board games, historical games, card-based wargames and ancient warfare, but want something that can get to the table quickly.

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Why You'll Love It

• A turn-based tactical wargame set in the Bronze Age.
• Command an ancient army and fight opposing forces.
• Card-based battlefield rather than a traditional large game board.
• Move, attack and manoeuvre your units.
• Use unique cultural abilities to influence the battle.
• Deploy elite units to strengthen your army.
• Tactical positioning is just as important as attacking.
• Easy to learn compared with many traditional wargames.
• Compact and relatively quick to play.
• Supports head-to-head battles and team play.
• Great for fans of ancient history and Bronze Age warfare.
• Ideal for players who enjoy tactical combat.
• A great introduction to lighter wargaming.
• Suitable for players who enjoy games such as Summoner Wars or tactical video games.
• Plenty of opportunities to adapt your strategy during a battle.
• Games can change direction as the opposing armies take losses.
• Designed by Mike James and published by Thiad Games.

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How to Play Ages of War: Battle for the Bronze Age

The game puts you in the role of a Bronze Age general.

Your objective is simple:

Defeat your opponent's army.

Getting there is considerably more complicated.

1. Build the Battlefield

The battlefield is created using cards, giving you a flexible playing area without requiring a large traditional game board.

The layout gives your units space to manoeuvre while creating opportunities for tactical movement and attacks.

2. Deploy Your Army

Choose your faction and deploy your forces.

Your army includes regular troops as well as more powerful elite units, giving you different tools to use during the battle.

3. Move Your Units

Positioning is critical.

Units can move around the battlefield, allowing you to:

• Advance towards the enemy.
• Protect vulnerable units.
• Create attacking opportunities.
• Manoeuvre around opposing forces.
• Concentrate your army where it's needed.

Some movement decisions can set up attacks several turns later.

4. Attack

When the opportunity presents itself, attack your opponent.

The game's combat system creates tactical decisions around where and when to strike.

Rather than simply throwing everything into the nearest enemy, you'll need to think about how your units interact with one another and where the battle line is weakest.

5. Use Your Faction's Abilities

Different cultures bring their own abilities to the battlefield.

These special powers give your army additional tactical options and help distinguish the factions from one another.

Knowing when to use your faction's abilities can be just as important as knowing when to attack.

6. Deploy Elite Units

Elite units give you additional options when the battle intensifies.

Using them at the right moment can turn the tide of a battle.

Deploy them too early and you may waste their potential.

Wait too long and your opponent may gain the advantage.

7. Break the Enemy

Keep manoeuvring, attacking and adapting until you can overcome the opposing army.

The result is a tense tactical battle where the advantage can shift as the armies clash.

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The Strategy Behind Ages of War

Although Ages of War is a relatively accessible game, there's considerably more going on than simply attacking whatever is closest.

The battlefield encourages you to think about position, movement and timing.

A strong army in the wrong position can be surprisingly vulnerable.

A smaller force can potentially exploit a gap.

And a carefully timed ability can completely change the outcome of an engagement.

The game therefore rewards players who can:

• Read the battlefield.
• Anticipate their opponent.
• Position units effectively.
• Choose when to attack.
• Protect vulnerable troops.
• Make good use of special abilities.
• Adapt when their original plan stops working.

One particularly interesting aspect is that the game can remain competitive even as armies take losses, because smaller forces can become easier to manoeuvre around the battlefield.

That means a player who appears to be losing isn't necessarily out of the fight.

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A Wargame Without the Wargame Overhead

One of the biggest selling points of Ages of War: Battle for the Bronze Age is how much tactical gameplay it manages to fit into a relatively compact game.

Traditional wargames can involve:

• Huge maps.
• Hundreds of miniatures.
• Extensive rulebooks.
• Complex scenarios.
• Long playing times.

Ages of War takes a different approach.

The battlefield is constructed from cards, while the units themselves are represented by cards. There are no scenarios, control markers or turn limits to manage in the core battle system.

That makes it an appealing option for someone who thinks:

"I'd love to try a wargame, but I don't want to spend three hours learning the rules first."

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Who Is Ages of War: Battle for the Bronze Age For?

This is a great choice for:

• Fans of tactical board games.
• Fans of historical games.
• Ancient history enthusiasts.
• Players interested in Bronze Age warfare.
• Fans of light-to-medium wargames.
• Players looking for a tactical two-player game.
• Board gamers who enjoy card-based combat.
• Fans of skirmish games.
• Players who enjoy games such as Summoner Wars.
• Fans of Total War or Age of Empires who want a tabletop experience.
• Players looking for a relatively quick wargame.
• Families with older children interested in strategy.
• Experienced gamers wanting a compact tactical game.

The publisher describes it as suitable for both board gamers and history buffs, while noting that its simple-but-deep tactics can also appeal to younger players.

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Ages of War for Two Players

Although the game supports 2–4 players, BGG lists two players as an option and the game's core experience is particularly easy to understand as a head-to-head battle.

Two generals.

Two armies.

One battlefield.

That's a particularly attractive proposition for anyone searching for a two-player strategy game or two-player wargame that doesn't require an entire evening to play.

The game can also be played in teams, making it more flexible for groups.

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Ages of War vs Traditional Wargames

If you're interested in historical wargaming but aren't ready to dive into a complex hex-and-counter system, Ages of War makes a compelling starting point.

It delivers:

Ancient armies
Tactical movement
Combat
Faction abilities
Elite troops
Positioning
Flanking and manoeuvring

without requiring the same physical footprint or rules overhead as many traditional wargames.

Tabletop Gaming described it as a compact attempt to deliver a Bronze Age battle in around 30 minutes, while highlighting its card-based battlefield and tactical movement.

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Why Buy Ages of War From Roll The Dice?

At Roll The Dice, we love games that give you meaningful decisions without making you spend hours setting up and learning rules.

Ages of War is a particularly good fit for that philosophy.

It looks approachable, but once you've got troops on the battlefield you'll quickly discover that positioning, timing and tactics matter.

It's also a great choice if you're looking for something a little different from conventional board games.

Rather than building a city, collecting resources or answering trivia questions, you're commanding an army and trying to outmanoeuvre your opponent on the battlefield.

Every order is packed with care by fellow board gamers, with fast UK dispatch and friendly customer service.

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Game Information

These specifications are supported by BGG and the publisher/retailer listings.

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What's Included?

The base edition contains:

• 12 faction cards
• 24 elite unit cards
• 44 regular unit cards
• 38 terrain cards
• 10 tutorial cards
• 2 dry-wipe markers
• 2 wooden dice
• Rulebook
• Demo book

The unit cards double as dry-wipe boards for tracking damage, which is a particularly neat feature of the game's design.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ages of War: Battle for the Bronze Age?

Ages of War: Battle for the Bronze Age is a turn-based tactical wargame set during the Bronze Age. Players command opposing armies, manoeuvre their units and attempt to defeat their opponent.

Is Ages of War a wargame?

Yes. It is best described as a light-to-medium tactical wargame/card battler, rather than a traditional large-scale historical simulation.

Is Ages of War a card game?

Cards form a fundamental part of the game. They are used to create the battlefield and represent your units, making Ages of War a particularly compact card-based wargame.

Is Ages of War a two-player game?

It supports 2–4 players, with two players providing a straightforward head-to-head battle.

Can you play Ages of War with four players?

Yes. The game supports up to four players, including team play.

How long does Ages of War take?

BGG lists a playing time of 15–60 minutes, making it considerably shorter than many traditional wargames.

What age is Ages of War for?

The recommended age is 10+.

Is Ages of War difficult to learn?

It is designed to provide tactical depth without the rules overhead associated with heavier wargames. BGG currently gives it a relatively low complexity rating of around 2/5.

Is Ages of War suitable for beginners?

Yes. It's a particularly interesting option for someone who wants to try a tactical wargame without starting with a large or highly complex system.

Is Ages of War like Risk?

Not particularly. While both involve conflict, Ages of War is much more focused on tactical battlefield combat, with individual units manoeuvring and fighting rather than Risk's large-scale territorial conquest.

Is Ages of War like Summoner Wars?

That's a much more useful comparison. Both involve card-based tactical battles where positioning and unit abilities matter. A community write-up also specifically compared Ages of War to Summoner Wars and the tactical battles of the Civilization video-game series.

Is Ages of War suitable for history fans?

Absolutely. The game is specifically set in the Bronze Age and is designed around commanding ancient armies.

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You May Also Enjoy

If you enjoy Ages of War: Battle for the Bronze Age, you may also like:

• Summoner Wars – Tactical card-based battles where positioning and unit abilities are crucial.
• Risk – A classic large-scale game of territory and conquest.
• 7 Wonders – A civilisation-building strategy game with a very different style of play.
• Small World – Conquer territories and build fantastical empires in this accessible area-control game.
• Carnuta – A strategy game with an ancient-world setting.

For more games like this, explore our Strategy Games, Two Player Games, Card Games, Wargames, Historical Games, Ancient History Games and Games for 2–4 Players collections.