Some time ago, I grew frustrated with Make and Ant and started porting my build files to every build tool I found (SCons, Waf, etc.). Each time, as soon as I stepped out of already available rules, I ran into some difficult to overcome stumbling blocks. Then I discovered this little gem of simplicity: doit. It's Python-based. It doesn't try to be smart, it does not try to be cool, it just works. If you are looking for a flexible little build tool for different languages and tasks, give it a chance. My build files weren't that big or complex, therefore I don't know how well it scales, and I wouldn't recommend it as a replacement for more complex build tools like Maven either.
Doit: a disarmingly simple and flexible build tool | Heykuki News