 Editor in Chief Bill   | 08 Mar 2019 9:01 p.m. PST |
You were asked – TMP link According to a previous poll, a major flaw that keeps gamers from playing certain rulesets is "no historical/period flavor." Which rulesets are guilty of this flaw? 16% of the votes: "Black Powder"
13% of the votes: "Bolt Action"
6% of the votes (tie): "Fire and Fury" and "SAGA" |
| Tango01 | 08 Mar 2019 9:02 p.m. PST |
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vagamer63  | 08 Mar 2019 10:32 p.m. PST |
Maybe one day someone will provide a clear definition of just what the terms "Period Flavor" & "Historical Flavor" actually mean, so an actual measure might be achieved. Especially as most of the authors of the rules listed in the referenced poll weren't living during the period for which their rules were written. Not to mention the players of those rules who responded! |
 Extra Crispy  | 09 Mar 2019 7:33 a.m. PST |
One of my tests is this: if there were no minis on the bases, could you even tell what period you were playing? |
| Formerly Regiment Games | 09 Mar 2019 7:42 a.m. PST |
Mark, that is good way to look at it. |
| Dynaman8789 | 09 Mar 2019 7:49 a.m. PST |
Cold War Commander deserves top billing. I don't know what the combat system is supposed to be representing but armored vehicles isn't it. |
| ernieR | 09 Mar 2019 8:49 a.m. PST |
i suppose SAGA could be used for any sword/spear/bow period with little to no modification . it's still a good game with the Battleboard making it different from most other games and not requiring too many minis . Bolt Action , it's certainly not realistic (in 28mm pistol range is less than the length of a Tiger tank and lots more odd things with distances and movement) but i don't think of any other period when i play it . Black Powder is meant to be somewhat generic , that's why there are supplements for various periods , so you can add the rules that you think give flavor .
we've been playing with Napoleonic supplements and are going to try ACW soon . i guess we'll see if it feels different enough to bother . |
| KeithRK | 09 Mar 2019 8:57 a.m. PST |
For most gamers Period Flavor and Historical Flavor seems to be their perceived idea of how the period should "feel", and how close a ruleset gets to their own preconceptions. |
 McLaddie | 09 Mar 2019 11:16 a.m. PST |
For most gamers Period Flavor and Historical Flavor seems to be their perceived idea of how the period should "feel", and how close a ruleset gets to their own preconceptions. Yes, that 'Feel' could mean anything from the last history channel program they saw to how well the game goes with their preferred lager. They should just say they like the game and be done with it. All the 'flavor, feely' comments--ask 'based on what?' and it all gets very vague. It's meaningless to anyone else than the speaker, particularly if you try to design a game based on such notions. |
| D A THB | 09 Mar 2019 3:49 p.m. PST |
Bolt Action, Its a game. I suppose if you wanted Historical flavour and to be accurate you would only have one side on the table with the exception of a couple of units probing your defences. I have just taken part in my first Tournament and found that it was all about what you can do with your units and could you use your points more effectively by choosing other options. The first day I went with a Historical formation and then halved the sections to give me more tactical options the next day. The first day I had two loses and the next one win and one loss due to a truck making it off the table. |
| Garryowen | 11 Mar 2019 2:55 a.m. PST |
I think very. very many people who came into wargaming in the last 10 or 20 years don't really care too much about historical flavor. They are primarily gamers. The playing pieces give them all the historical flavor they need. This is probably just my bias, but it seems that the more popular a game is, the less historical flavor it has. The game is the important thing. I think D A THB hit it on the head with Bolt Action and Flames of War. Tom Tom |
