The best games with Pike & Shot ⚔️ 2024

Looking for a really good games with pikemen and shot ⚔️? Then we have just the thing: our list of the best games with pikemen and shot 2024.

What are games with pikemen and shot?

Pikemen and firearms games are war games set in the XVI (16)- to XVII (17)%2early XVIII (18)-century.

The era of pikemen and shot is generally considered to have begun in the mid-16th century, when mixed formations of musket and pike-armed troops dominated the battlefield; it is generally considered to have ended with the development and introduction of the socket bayonet around 1690.

Pike & Shot as a tactical infantry formation

Pike and shot was a historic tactical infantry formation that first appeared during the Italian Wars of the late 15th and early 16th centuries - prior to the development of the bayonet in the late 17th century. This formation combined soldiers armed with pikes (pikemen) with soldiers using early firearms ("shot") called either arquebusiers or musketeers.

The formation was further developed by the armies of the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Spain in the 16th century, and later by the Dutch and Swedish forces in the 17th century.

For more information on the era and that of the tactical formation, see the Wikipedia entry on Pike & Shot.

Other historical games

The Pikenier & Schuss games are also considered a wargame.

In addition to the "Pikemen & Shot" era games, we have created a general list of games based on historical events - and further divided them below into several, more detailed historical categories.

List of the best games with pikemen and shot 2024 ⚔️

This list was last updated on March 22, 2024. We compared 334 board games for this list and selected the top 10. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan

    All details for the board game Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan and similar games

    Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan is a strategic war game for two players, allowing them to relive the pivotal battle of Sekigahara in 1600, which unified Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate for over 250 years. Players take on the roles of either Ishida Mitsunari, defending the rightful heir, or Tokugawa Ieyasu, the most powerful daimyo, as they gather armies from their allies, all the while questioning their loyalty. With no use of dice, the game emphasizes strategy and loyalty through card mechanics, where cards are essential for motivating armies to fight. Loyalty is a fluctuating resource, represented by hand size, and battles involve deploying hidden units based on loyalty, with the potential for defections. The game aims to provide a historically accurate experience within a concise and intuitive set of rules, focusing on strategic deployment and the significance of loyalty without relying on luck to determine outcomes.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 2.

    More details for Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan
    • 2 Players
    • 180 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  2. Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles

    All details for the board game Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles and similar games
    • 2 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  3. Merchants & Marauders

    All details for the board game Merchants & Marauders and similar games

    Merchants & Marauders offers an immersive experience of the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy, where players choose the life of either a powerful merchant or a fearsome pirate, each path filled with adventure and peril.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.

    More details for Merchants & Marauders
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 180 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  4. History of the World

    All details for the board game History of the World and similar games
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 120 - 180 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  5. Pirates of the Spanish Main

    All details for the board game Pirates of the Spanish Main and similar games

    Pirates of the Spanish Main stands as the world's first constructible strategy game, inviting players into the swashbuckling world of piracy, treasure hunting, and naval combat. This innovative game allows players to assemble their own fleets of ships from collectible components and navigate the high seas in search of treasure and glory. With a unique mix of strategy, construction, and collectibility, Pirates of the Spanish Main offers an engaging experience for players looking to embody the adventurous spirit of pirates.

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 2.

    More details for Pirates of the Spanish Main
    • 2 - 10 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  6. King Philip's War

    All details for the board game King Philip's War and similar games
    • 2 Players
    • 120 Minutes
    • Easy to learn
  7. Wallenstein

    All details for the board game Wallenstein and similar games

    Wallenstein is a board game that immerses players in the historical context of the Thirty Years' War, focusing on Albrecht von Wallenstein, a key mercenary commander. This game combines elements of strategy, resource management, and historical warfare, allowing players to take control of several countries, manage economies, and navigate political and military challenges. The objective is to emerge as the most powerful force in central Europe through tactical expansion, careful resource allocation, and strategic battles.

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Wallenstein
    • 3 - 5 Players
    • 150 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  8. Merkator

    All details for the board game Merkator and similar games
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 45 - 90 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  9. 1655: Habemus Papam

    All details for the board game 1655: Habemus Papam and similar games
    • 3 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  10. Hamburgum

    All details for the board game Hamburgum and similar games

    Hamburgum transports players back to 17th century Hamburg, immersing them in the strategic depths of trade and city development during a prosperous yet tumultuous period. As heads of Hamburg families, players navigate a richly thematic and strategic environment, aiming to amass wealth and, more importantly, prestige through diligent production, trade, and church donations.

    Nominated for 3 awards.

    More details for Hamburgum
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 75 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty

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