escarmouche

Escarmouche is a term used in military history and miniature wargaming to denote a small-scale, often informal engagement between opposing forces. The word derives from French escarmouche, meaning a skirmish or minor clash, and has been adopted by hobbyists to distinguish quick, tactical encounters from larger, strategic battles.

In the context of miniature wargaming, escarmouche games typically involve a limited number of figures, shorter play sessions, and simplified or scenario-driven rules. The emphasis is on individual model actions, terrain effects, reconnaissance, and melee or gunfight at close range, rather than broad maneuver or logistical planning. Scenarios usually specify fixed forces, points limits, and objectives such as control of terrain features, rescuing a unit, or delaying the enemy.

In English-speaking wargaming discourse, escarmouche is often used interchangeably with skirmish, though some authors reserve it for specialized rulesets or for French-language sources. The term can appear in historical wargaming, fantasy or sci-fi settings, whenever the play focuses on small-unit combat. Overall, escarmouche serves as a label for compact, tactical engagements within a larger ecosystem of wargaming terms.