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POLL: Best Toolbox Rules (Round 1B)


223 votes were cast by total voters.


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Dave Crowell writes:

HOTT is one of the best "toolbox" games I have ever seen. Any game that lets you fight Macaroni vs Martians one day and Romans vs Gauls the next using teh same rules is definitely a toolbox.


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329 hits since 15 Jan 2026
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VOTING RESULTS
AnswerVotes%Chart
Dropzone Commander
2
1%
bar of chart
Fields of Glory
11
5%
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Fire and Fury
31
14%
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Fistful of Lead
19
9%
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Fistful of Lead: Big Battles
12
5%
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Flames of War
11
5%
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Force on Force/Tomorrow's War
14
6%
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FUBAR
9
4%
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Gaslight
20
9%
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Gloire
5
2%
bar of chart
GURPS
26
12%
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Hail Caesar
17
8%
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Heavy Gear Blitz
1
0%
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Hordes of the Things
22
10%
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Horizon Wars Zero Dark
0
0%
 
all of the above
3
1%
bar of chart
other (explain)
3
1%
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none of these/no opinion
13
6%
bar of chart
this is ridiculous
1
0%
bar of chart
not my genre
0
0%
 
not my cup of tea
3
1%
bar of chart
POLL IS CLOSED
POLL DESCRIPTION

Personal logo John the OFM Supporting Member of TMP writes:

The Sword and the Flame has well established and deserved reputation as a "toolbox set of rules". In other words, the basic mechanics are not really "period specific". I've used it for FIW and AWI games with very few changes. Obviously, rifles are very scarce in both, despite the prevalent mythology. So, use Carbine ranges. Are Grenadiers and Highlanders superior? If you want them to be, you can give them a +1 if you wish. I just call them Regulars who think highly of themselves. Do what you want! Or as Johnny Ringo said to Doc Holliday, "Age quod agis". Add bows? Sure. Why not. If you're fluent with the rules, you know what to do. There are 3 flavors of Native troops. Choose one, or make up your own.

But I would like to recommend another set if rules that can be considered "toolbox", and that's GASLIGHT. I've used it quite successfully for "small unit" skirmishes. Last of the Mohicans, for one. I have had Sasquatch controlled by a Lakota shaman. Even strangers at a convention accepted that with no complaint.I've run Wyoming Massacre games using both rules, with small modifications.

I'm throwing this open to the Hivemind Mib. What other rules would you recommend as "toolbox rules" that are adaptable for out-of-period play, with very few mods?

Poll set up by Personal logo Editor in Chief Bill The Editor of TMP Fezian, based on this pre-poll discussion.