"Age of Sigmar vs Kings of War?" Topic

Which do you prefer?

They scratch different itches.

Kings of War

AoS. KoW is too bland.

Neither but if push came to shove Kings of War

Kings of War.

As far as AoS goes, like most GW games the mechanics of the game are simple, but then the special rules bogged me down…

If I have to choose between the two (and Warhammer Fantasy isn't a choice), then Kings of War. I've always been drawn to large, colorful armies that parallel medieval battles and Tolkien. AoS is more warband/character driven IMHO.

Agree with wiz bangs in that these are two different systems. AOS is for large skirmishes while KOW is army driven. I was surprised how fun KOW was, even if it was a bit mindless at times and used hordes of dice, which isn't for everyone.

KOW. Painting up a Herd army now in fact.

AoS

Don't be mislead. Many of the AoS armies include as many , if not more miniatures as you find in a KoW army. The AoS armies simply aren't ranked up.

Kings of War.

Kings of War. I tried AoS but didn't care for it.

KOW.

At least mantic have not killed it off, yet.

Aos is seems based more on modern computer games with skirmishing and the style/look.

Kings of War it is a far better game.

LOL thank you Mithmee.

Kings of War is a good set of rules for battles on a scale using formations of troops (where one miniature probably represents more than one soldier). I do like these rules a lot, even better than Warhammer Fantasy Battles, for battles of this type.

Age of Sigmar represents a smaller scale type battle on a 1:1 scale. I also really like these rules.

So really, these rules are for different styles of games, I don't think its useful to directly compare them.

KOW. I do not carry or play GW products.
In business since 1983

When Warhammer blew up the campaign world I walked away, and over to KoW quite happily. That said, I am currently doing more Middle Earth than anything else, and have at least been sucked into painting an AoS army in the Nighthaunts. GW have really nailed an undead army that I find stylistically irresistible, so I'm guessing I'll at least be looking at AoS later in the year.

I prefer large skirmish to ranks and files. If I wanted to do large fantasy armies, I'd do something like Warmaster.

I don't actually play AoS. I'm happy with GW as a company again, but still can't get over IGOUGO and fixation on special rules. But I have been using Age of Fantasy from One Page Rules. It is, shall we say, similar.

andy

I've never played KoW but I've heard that it is good.

I really like AoS. I think it is a great Warband fantasy game. I like that there are essentially only one page of rules and few, if any, special rules in it.

AOS sounds a bit too dumbed down. Do you have to sit on the floor to play also? I know there are rules for making funny jokes and the like.

"..these rules are for different styles of games, I don't think its useful to directly compare them"

Vs

"Age of Sigmar vs Kings of War?"

Can we compare these two?

I would have thought comparing the games was the entire point. Though I agree they are very different, however each is its company's own (unlicenced) entry in mass fantasy.

Also, some discrepancy above in regards to what scale aso is, skirmishing or mass battle? I thought mass battle.

KoW.

Once GW blew up the WFB world and drastically changed their rules, I lost interest. AoS just doesn't appeal to me.

Pictors, I thought they still had rules for figures, armies, groups, etc.

ady

Well Mantic Games has their own Warband game as well.

link

Probably will be better than AoS.

Oh and cheaper as well.

Don't play either.

Have a number of KoW minis … great designs and bases for conversion.

"Oh and cheaper as well."

I don't know about better, but it sure isn't cheaper. It costs 25 quid more than AoS.

link

vs.

PDF link

link

Back at you smiley.

Actually the aos book is 35 pounds, compared to vanguard at 25.

They both have free rules available.

Mantic wins in there.

My bad. It would seem that I'm as misinformed about Mantic products as you and mithmee are about GW ones.

He us still wrong though as they are both free. Neither is cheaper.

The mantic rule book is 10 pounds cheaper.

Another win for mantic, or rather it's players, is that the free faction download actually has the same factions as in the range, where as aos only has the old fantasy battles "get you by" warscroles. As evidenced here.

link

Both seem to have many boxed sets of varying price and components.

Both rules are free. You don't need the AoS book to play. Most of the players at my local store don't have it. I can't speak to the mantic book as we don't have any mantic players there.

Also all the AoS stats come with the models so if you have the models and the rules you can play the game.

That would tie you into buying GW figures. Even using their older figures as the new factions would be difficult with no stats for them, as far as freebies go. You would be stuck playing "not fantasy battles" as only those army's rules appear readily available.

GW really should put up some more relevant rules. They covered the older armies, but it would be nice for players to get to see what the new ones are like before having to fork out. That is, after all, the point of having free rules.

You mean like where they list the rules for each of the units below where they are listed on the website?

PDF link

You have no idea what you are talking about.

Neat, thanks for that. However, it does seem that everything has a special rule or two. More, maybe, but many of those seem standard, like leaders having an extra attack. Not a big deal, but you'd mentioned few if any special rules. Not my impression.

thanks
andy

"You have no idea what you are talking about."

Yes mister "It (vanguard) costs 25 quid more than AoS."

"Also all the AoS stats come with the models so if you have the models and the rules you can play the game."

Would have been a nice place to mention the free warscrolls, as you did later.

It's very odd they are not listed with the main rules download.

Mantic's free rules are all in one easy to find location on their site.

I sure don't understand the folks who can't leave it at "I like this one more than that one."

andy

Yes mister "It (vanguard) costs 25 quid more than AoS."

I already admitted that I know as little about Mantic products as you do about GW ones.

"Would have been a nice place to mention the free warscrolls, as you did later."

Might have been, but if you knew anything about it you would have known it. Of course you don't so you ended up making yourself loo ignorant.

"Mantic's free rules are all in one easy to find location on their site."

And GWs are right near where the models are you are buying so "players. . . get to see what the new ones are like before having to fork out."

"That is, after all, the point of having free rules."

Andy there aren't special rules like there were in WFB or 7th edition and earlier 40K in the sense of their being things like "Rend" or "Fear."

Now the rules are the rules and the units are the units and everything you need for a unit is on its warscroll card.

Each unit has its own rules but special rules aren't part of the game like they used to be. You don't have to remember what "frenzy" does or what weapons with "armourbane" do.

Thanks, PS. I actually feel more comfortable with a list of standard abilities used by various armies than rules for each kind of figure, army, or group (like battalions, or whatever they call them). The rules on the warscrolls do y do look well explained and clear, though.

I'm far more favorably inclined these days.

andy

I agree standard special rules are best. It saves players from suffering the whims of the games designers at the time and allows a stronger game structure.

Magic the gathering drives me nuts these days with so many crazy rules on new cards, hense many cards being banned in tournaments. Although there, you either have crazy new rules or duplicate rules with a different name and picture. The perils of success, I guess.

Magic, however, is perhaps what they are playing towards with aos. Magic is a popular game and adapting to get some of those players would be attractive to any games company.

"Might have been, but if you knew anything about it you would have known it. Of course you don't so you ended up making yourself loo ignorant."

That's what all the GW catalogues on the floor of my house are for.

I already admitted that I know as little about Mantic products as you do about GW ones.

Thing is I know quite a bit about GW products and I do know about those free war scolls.

But Free Rules are never going to cover everything in either game.

They are only a hook to get players interested and GW knows that quite well.

So while you could get by with those war scrolls if you want to ensure that you have all of the rules you will end up paying hundreds of dollars.

Most Battletomes costs anywhere from $40 USD-$50 and to just get the ones for the Grand Alliance that would be around $260 USD before tax.

Remember while most players today can really afford to own 1-2 armies there are many of us older Warhammer Fantasy Battle players who own 5+ armies.

I alone have; Empire, High Elves, Dwarves, Orks & Goblins, and Undead armies.

With the way GW is doing business these days means that I could not keep up spending hundreds of dollars every 3-4 years just to keep up with their rules, which in every Edition just got worst.

Take Fantasy Flight and their Arkham Horror game. I dumped all of my 2nd Edition stuff when they brought out Eldritch Horror which is a better game.

But now they have 3rd Edition Arkham Horror out and I picked it up again since it is a better game than 2nd Edition.

When GW puts out a new Edition they are not better games and their best stuff is still going to be from the late 1980's to early to mid 1990's.

You can play AoS without any of the books just fine. I'll prove it with my next demo game.

i bet you could but those really will not do for most GW Fanboyz.

They got to throw money at GW just so they can have everything.

Well I stop doing that over 15 years ago.

I picked up enough of their stuff back when it was better during the late 1980's and early to mid/late 1990's.

Some people like their stuff, many people apparently. I buy a lot of their books but you claimed you needed the books to play.

"Most Battletomes costs anywhere from $40 USD USD-$50 and to just get the ones for the Grand Alliance that would be around $260 USD USD before tax."

Or you could download all the warscrolls from the website for free. So cost would be a big fat zero dollars. Before tax, of course.

But you would not have all of your army/force special rules.

Why do not think that GW profits are doing what they are doing.

It is because of this piece mealing of their products.

You want the whole game you are going to have to pay for it.

Oh and many people also hate their current stuff and have taken their money elsewhere.

I am one of those individuals and I am not alone.

From their profits it would seem that you are almost alone. I think their profits are doing what they are doing because they are making great minis and fun games and more people are buying them than ever.

Neither if I could avoid it – many better rule sets out there but – if I showed up at a game store and there were only two choices probably Kings as I like mass battle better than skirmish but only because in my experience mass battle systems have been more fun.

Oddly discontinued Rune Wars is a far better system than either.

TomT

Yes Runewars was a far better game but Fantasy Flight did not capitalize on all of us who already own miniatures and just put out the cards and dials for units.

Plus their expansions for it were way overpriced with 4 miniatures for $25 USD or more.

But it was a far better game.

I think we should combine the two into The "Age of Kumar."

KOW. I'd rather play Checkers than AoS.

You really don't like dice!