kallman | 11 Aug 2016 9:35 a.m. PST |
So I took advantage of Tinman Studio's current sale and I have a nice set of not-tharks, not-John Carter and other characters on the way. So for a small skirmish setting what rules would you recommend? Fantastic Worlds comes to mind as does Valor & Steel & Flesh; however, I was curious as to what else was out there that folks have used or considered for such a setting. |
robert piepenbrink | 11 Aug 2016 9:41 a.m. PST |
Some of the locals in northern VA are using a home brew titled "Red Sands of Mars" whose author I can't remember off-hand. I've got a shortie "Padwar & Panthan" in playtest. PM me and I can send you a copy. |
Chris Palmer | 11 Aug 2016 9:44 a.m. PST |
We use GASLIGHT (No surprise ) for our John Carter of Mars games. You can download a free starter versions of the rules from the website: link
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Irish Marine | 11 Aug 2016 9:52 a.m. PST |
I would try Sharpe Practice. The weapons are probably used about the same the rules allow for character building and combat with swords. |
RavenscraftCybernetics | 11 Aug 2016 10:10 a.m. PST |
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Whemever1 | 11 Aug 2016 10:11 a.m. PST |
I see there is a new edition of the Space 1889 RPG out--new to me anyway. It's based on the Ubiquity rules rather than the charming but rinky-dink rules of the 1988 version. Anyway, take this for what it's worth. I've only briefly had my hands on the new edition, but it has loads of background info. And the original had skirmish rules, so I'm guessing this one does too. |
chuck05 | 11 Aug 2016 10:30 a.m. PST |
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bogdanwaz | 11 Aug 2016 10:39 a.m. PST |
With some modifications for the VSF weapons, Crom from Matakishi's Tea Room might work. |
Landorl | 11 Aug 2016 10:58 a.m. PST |
Also recommend GASLIGHT. That's the type of game it was made for. |
John Leahy | 11 Aug 2016 11:32 a.m. PST |
Yep, Gaslight would work well. |
nazrat | 11 Aug 2016 3:25 p.m. PST |
We tried Gaslight when Kim lived here in Charlotte and not one of us liked it. I'd say Fantastic Worlds would be best, but my good friend Marc wrote it so I am incredibly biased… 8)= |
elsyrsyn | 11 Aug 2016 3:44 p.m. PST |
I'd probably do it with Song of Blade and Heroes, or perhaps a variation on Flying Lead. Doug |
LostPict | 11 Aug 2016 4:04 p.m. PST |
I played in a great JCM game a few years back that Mark did in Raleigh with Fantastic Worlds. JCM was able to perform lots of swashbuckling jumping to and from airships so he could be rescued by Dejah. Great game system for charter based skirmish action. |
JimSelzer | 11 Aug 2016 4:17 p.m. PST |
you could download warriors of barsoom by tsr from the guttenburg project |
Zargon | 11 Aug 2016 7:18 p.m. PST |
Have you thought of using the Pulp Alley rules, they would be perfect for small skirmish games. |
freewargamesrules | 12 Aug 2016 3:51 a.m. PST |
Pulp Alley or Savage Worlds both great games |
blacksoilbill | 12 Aug 2016 6:55 a.m. PST |
Another vote for Pulp Alley: here's a great AAR. link |
The Shadow | 12 Aug 2016 7:16 a.m. PST |
As Jerry pointed out, Fantastic Worlds is a good choice, and I second it, but it is a skirmish game, not meant to field large units. |
The Shadow | 12 Aug 2016 7:22 a.m. PST |
oooooo…wait! The OP *did* mention a "small skirmish setting" and "Fantastic Worlds". Forgive me. I've been a little out of it from an internal infection. So I not only second Jerry's suggestion. I'd say that is your absolutely best option. |
Mugwump | 12 Aug 2016 7:28 a.m. PST |
Warriors of Barsoom Barsoomian Battle Manual Warlord of Mars Mars by Adamant Entertainment (rpg) Red Sands (Savage Worlds-Space 1889) Warriors of the Red Planet (rpg-beta test) Planets of Peril: The Sword & Planet role playing game. (rpg, my own commercial product) Dead Earth Saga (rpg, beta testing, meant to go with Bronze Age Miniatures: Dead Earth science fiction miniatures) you should be able to find free copies on the web and there was a thread or two here a couple of years ago. Again, my own creation. There is an authorized Barsoom rpg coming out…sometime. |
surdu2005 | 12 Aug 2016 7:31 a.m. PST |
kallman: Several good sets of rules have been recommended. What GASLIGHT offers beyond solid, simple mechanics is scalability. The GASLIGHT compendium has a skirmish game (with each player controlling one or two ten-figure units or a couple of vehicles), a smaller skirmish game (in which each player controls as few as four or five figures), role-playing game, battle game (in which players control four to six units), and aerial fleet battle game. The mechanics between these systems are consistent so it is easy to pick and choose the elements you want to "sculpt" a playing experience that meets your needs. In fact the GASLIGHT Compendium, which was the combining of four previous books into a single volume with some new material, is organized in a Chinese menu format to facilitate that sculpting. That organization can be a bit daunting for those who are new to GASLIGHT, so there is a free quick-start set of rules at Wargames Vault or at the link Chris provided in an earlier post. The quick start rules are bare bones but provide references into the Compendium to find more information and additional rules. |
Star Commander | 17 Aug 2016 7:11 p.m. PST |
In my opinion, Fantastic Worlds always worked best in the John Carter universe. The system favors swashbuckling action thanks to Pete Murray's swordplay ideas. Plus the special abilities and hero points help make superhuman feats from JC playable without making the game lopsided. The game is still available in pdf format (with several supplements and freebies available as well) at Oddman Productions I also am pretty certain some printed books are still available at Rattrap Productions Kim, I am pretty certain I call find a copy for you when you make it back to CLT in September. |
The Shadow | 18 Aug 2016 7:02 a.m. PST |
Marc I'm sorry to hear that FW is out of print, but then RatTrap was never very good at promoting their own products. If you want to see promotion that really works, just look at Pulp Alley. |
Dr Argent | 19 Aug 2016 7:49 p.m. PST |
Sorry for the deletion. I found myself typing and realized The Shadow had clouded my mind. |
Bobgnar | 19 Jan 2019 6:41 p.m. PST |
We are doing a campaign with Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes as the battle rules. Skirmish size, each player with 4 – figures. |