Having recently played the rules (see yesterday’s post) I decided to have a good read of them and let you know my thoughts.

Bryan Ansell’s “Street Fight” is a fast modern wargame for close combat, focusing on street violence and gang warfare. Published by his company, Wargames Foundry, it is simple and quick to play, appealing to both beginners and seasoned players. The game uses a small number of 28mm miniatures, often from Foundry’s Street Violence range, for intense battles where tactics and luck matter. It works well for narrative campaigns, integrating character progression and experience growth into the gameplay.

The core engine of “Street Fight” is a modern take on Ansell’s influential Old West rule set, The Rules With No Name. This background focuses on simple, clean gameplay. A key feature highlighted by players is the Fate Deck (or an adapted standard deck of playing cards) used for character activation. This approach removes the typical “I go, then you go” turn order, adding chaos and unpredictability that reflects the nature of a real street brawl. Characters activate based on the drawn cards, creating tense situations where a fighter may act multiple times or be stuck while their opponent takes control.

Combat in “Street Fight” is simple and relies on a basic dice mechanic, usually using a variable number of six-sided dice (D6s), where a ‘6’ typically indicates a successful hit. The combat resolution is “clean” and very fast, keeping the game from slowing down with endless tables or complex modifiers. This efficiency keeps the focus on movement, positioning, and tactical choices instead of dice calculations. Importantly, the rules have ways for character advancement, allowing fighters to “make their bones” and gain new skills or better stats over time. This aspect makes the rules appealing for players who enjoy crafting ongoing stories for their street gangs or crime outfits.

“Street Fight’s” emphasis on fun over absolute realism or technical complexity is a real bonus. Bryan Ansell’s writing style is known to be conversational and encouraging, giving players permission to adapt and extend the rules to suit their specific tastes, a trait reminiscent of older-school wargaming philosophies. It serves as an excellent, flexible framework for a variety of small-scale modern skirmishes, from armed gang confrontations to police actions, and is often considered a perfect choice for an evening’s worth of quick, enjoyable, and tactical miniature gaming.

The “Street Fight” rules divide fighters into four classes: Citizen, Gunman, Shootist, and Legend. This ranking affects their stats and how they use the Fate Deck for extra actions. It enables experienced leaders to take charge while beginners find it hard to contribute effectively.

The beauty of Bryan Ansell’s “Street Fight” rules lies in their flexible framework, which can support a wide variety of narrative scenarios perfectly suited to small-scale skirmishes. While the core rules are simple, the mission design is key to leveraging the character progression system and the unique drama created by the Fate Deck. The rule set generally encourages quick, narrative-driven missions that reflect the chaotic reality of street-level conflict.

The have stood up to the test of time and I like them. Don’t love them but like them.

Illustrations are taken from the rules, which can be found here.