"A Few Questions" Topic

I have a few unrelated questions and wasn't sure where to post them, so I chanced my arm here.

Many years ago I bought Hordes of the Things 2ed, Warfare in the Age of Reason 2ed, Warmaster Ancients, and LotRs Strategy Battle Game.

HotT: I'm looking for a good 28mm fantasy wargame that is similar to Kings of War – but not, Kings of War. Has to be 28mm and preferably Warband scale. The reason I don't want to use HotT is that I've heard it can be a bit simplistic. Not sure what was meant by that as I've never played it.

WitAoR: I played this back in the 1990s and it was great. We had this campaign thing going with multiple nations all jostling for power. What's your opinion on the rules today?

Warmaster Ancients: Just a good solid system/game.

LotR SBG: I've got the blue hardback book, must be about 250+ pages (not sure). Is there a newer version out? I'm sure I saw something. Are the two games similar rules-wise, is one better than the other? I might use this for scratching my 28mm fantasy wargaming itch but I'm not sure because I don't know if there's enough variety as concerns fielding different units on the table. I'd also like to delve into a different backdrop and read up on that.

Sorry for the smorgasbord of questions. Any help and suggestions greatly appreciated.

Happy new year!

This board is really about the business of the toy soldier hobby. Ask Bill to post your questions in the Ancients, as well as the Fantasy boards.

Oh, ok. Thanks for the advice.

I don't know about the other stuff, but there is a new version lotr out recently; now it's called Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game. It's very good and super similar to the old game. There are a ton of YouTube videos on it and you can check of the GW website. 😀

Try Dragon Rampant from Osprey for fantasy

Kim

I guess that HOTT is "simplistic" in the sense it's a simple set of rules that paints with a broad brush – it does not differentiate units with anything like the granularity of KoW, say. It's got considerable depth as a game, though.

It works fine with 28mm, but may be more on the big battle end of things than "warband scale". (Big as representing large battles that is – the number of figures is fairly low.)

HoTT is a superb set of rules, one of my all-time favourites! Well worth reading and trying them.

Second for Dragon Rampant.

While not fantasy, per se, on this board, I have to say the the Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game rules are one of the neatest I have read.

They include elements for individual "characters" (figures/miniatures) so it is really on a 1:1 ratio of 1 miniature equals 1 person in the game.

So, in a way it is a skirmish game, but can be played as a larger skirmish game.

I'd say stick with the book you have for LOTR and take out the magic and give it a try for historical games!

If you enjoyed a set of rules in the past, what makes you think you would not enjoy them today?

I played AD&D first edition, buying the books in elementary school (probably grade 6) and I find that version to be the one I really love. I've never tried version 4 or 5 and have no desire to. I hear 5th is pretty good, but I know and understand 1st ed. and could easily teach it to others and I am sure they would like it.

So, stick with Warfare in the Age of Reason! Or, shall I say, start again, with them. Then look to see what other rules there are and try them to see if you can something better.

People have been ardently playing various sets of rules for decades without wanting to change. Just look at 'The Sword and the Flame' written in the 1970's!

Hordes of the Things is a great set of rules – but it is an army level game, not a skirmish. You need to decide whether you want warbands fighting or armies.

If you are looking for a more detailed skirmish set of rules, I would suggest 2nd Edition BattleSystem Skirmish game. It is OOP, but copies do appear on e-Bay with some frequency. It works well enough for groups of 20 figures, per side, but it becomes cumbersome after that. Combat is resolved for each individual figure, each round.

I recommend this because it has granularity: it is a simplified version of 2e AD&D RPG combat, with each figure having 1-15 Hits, typically. Combat resolution is quite fast, compared to the full-blown RPG. It is designed as a miniatures game, first, and foremost, but it has a thin veneer of RPG overlaid on top of it.

The book is pretty comprehensive, requiring no other books to play it. It has a painting guide (dated, of course, being published in 1993?), as well as ideas on constructing simple terrain features. It also has loads of color photographs -- it's a very pretty book.

It is based on 2e AD&D rules, so it can be expanded upon, easily: all of the 2e books are available in PDF, and a number are available in POD formats, as well. Check out Drivethrurpg.com.

Nothing like being spoiled for choices… Cheers!

Thanks all for the recommendations. Much to ponder here. I checked out Dragon Rampant but it looks a bit light on rules crunch. I am looking for something at least similar to Kings of War.

Battlesystem looks interesting, and I'm familiar with AD&D rules.

Things I'd like are rules for flank/rear attacks, charging, outnumbering, etc. I don't mind fine detail.

EDIT: Just checked out the Middle Earth SBG products on the GW website. For those prices, I'm swiftly moving on and dropping it like a hot coal. Wouldn't be so bad if it were just the core rulebook, but there's an army book that costs around the same amount.

Just checked out the Middle Earth SBG products on the GW website. For those prices, I'm swiftly moving on and dropping it like a hot coal. Wouldn't be so bad if it were just the core rulebook, but there's an army book that costs around the same amount.

Yup.

I have not played the new version of the rules, but from everything I have heard the difference is in the subtle magic – as opposed to a more overt magic in the original ones. (and combining character profiles)

So, if you have the original book, use it! There's not much difference.

If this is for ancients, then I would also suggest War and Conquest:

warandconquest.co.uk

TMP link

If you're looking for something like Kings of War but not, Warlords of Erewhon is a good set of generic fantasy skirmish rules.

I've been looking over KoW and I realise it's rank and flank at 28mm. I thought it was individual figures (predominantly at least).

Erehwon looks pretty good