"Brink of Battle: Review from the Solo Gamer’s perspective." Topic

I've just posted a review of the historical skirmish game Brink of Battle over on my Six Sided Blog. This isn't a rehash of the same well written assessment that is in the review on Anatoli's Game Room but rather a look at the game from the solo gamers viewpoint.

The author has gone down a road and IMHO succeeded where many others have failed. He did this by carefully framing what the game was and was not and limiting his design to fit that vision.

Even if you aren't a regular solo gamer, these rules are good for a one-off night's gaming, a change of pace from your routine, an ability to game out a small action that may have happened off-board in a bigger game.

or

as in my case, I think there is a great deal in the rules to use it just to play those rules at skirmish scale.

Please give a look if interested over at:

link

JJ

Good review. Logical and even-handed. Well done.

Dave

Do you have any feeling for how it plays with sides in different technological eras? Could you have an Ancient side be competitive against an Early Modern side? For example, Aztecs and Spanish, Anglo-Zulu wars, or Australian or NZ frontier wars?

I haven't done this yet, pretty much playing "matched pairs" to this point but it is an excellent question, and I think it could be done easily.

The difference in eras could probably be handled based on the type of units with Horde for the "natives" and Regular or Elite for the moderns, but you can equip them with appropriate weaponry, and you add traits to each figure. That way, some of the natives might be capable of using ranged weapons (slings, bow & arrow) while others are more suited for close combat. A smaller group with better firepower would seem to have the upper hand, but by the same token, if not in a perfectly flat environment where the natives could use cover, they might also overwhelm the moderns with numbers.

You might want to take a look at the information on the blog page and home page for the game for more info.

Hope that helps – if you have any other questions, please LMK here and also I know that the author, Bob Faust welcomes them as well.

Questions Regarding the Game
For questions regarding the Brink of Battle: Skirmish Gaming Through the Ages rules, including gameplay-related issues and general rules clarifications, please contact us at sitrep@brinkofbattle.com

@Muerto – Adding to what JJ said, you can reflect technological bias. Just be prepared for realistic results! :)

There are periods I call 'fuzzy' or grey areas of history where the tech differences can be problematic. I have prepared for this with Firearms especially. They negate Armor & Shields of earlier periods because of their higher power.

Since we're talking 3-20 models per side, with scenery covering 60+% of the table top, there are plenty of tactical options for lower tech forces to get at higher tech ones. Besides, this is a very realistic game when it comes to damage. People get hurt and die from the damndest things sometimes. An arrow in the neck kills a man today much as it did in the Ancient/Medieval period.

I hope you check it out, and also read Anatoli's review. JJ and he have covered the mechanics and feel of the system very well.