"Most Under-Rated Ruleset (Round 1A)" Topic

I haven't played them all, so how should I know?

"Most underrated" is a very dumb qualifier.
So I just voted for the only one in that list that I have played. In fact, we'll be playing it Saturday.

I haven't played five of those.

Last Conformist – they would be played more if they weren't so under-rated.

Dare I include Corner Kick. I've not heard about someone who has played and not enjoyed it.

2e BattleSystem Miniatures Rules, fantasy mass battles very loosely based on 2e AD&D RPG. It is a kitchen sink set of rules, covering just about everything you would need in a pseudo-medieval miniatures game: remove magic, and it plays like a medieval game. There are rule for: siege warfare, including tunneling, siege engines and towers; flying creatures/units; battle platforms; and conversion rules for creatures/races/battle platforms not covered in the rulebook (kitchen sink, Baby!).

I enjoy these rules so much that I created my own Index using the word search function of Adobe Reader. On top of that, I massaged the legally purchased PDF into a format that Lulu.com would make into a POD hardcover copy for myself so I wouldn't need to worry about my aging softcover copies from e-Bay.

2e BattleSystem Skirmishes Miniatures Rules: all of the role playing without the tedious minutia of combat -- instead of an hour at the table to resolve five minutes of in-game combat, you can finish it in 10 minutes.

I rarely play this game, unfortunately. My players prefer the more complex combat system of the TTRPG. That is why I've never massaged the PDF into a Lulu-acceptable format. The 25mm sized spell templates are very useful, though, in my TTRPG's. I printed them onto transparencies and cut them out: colorful, addressing many spells and effects not covered in other spell templates on the market (Black Dragon Breath Weapon template, for example). This game resolves combat fast, and I love that!

Neither game really got much love from the publisher. Too bad. Both are excellent games.

Both books contained figure painting guides full of beautiful color photos. They even discussed terrain making techniques. Of course they are considered "old school" painting style, but they get the job done. There are dozens of ways to paint figures to put on the tabletop, and these methods still work today. The painting and basic terrain making guides would work for any genre, as far as they go. Cheers!

I haven't played any of these, nor even read them. "None of these/no opinion."

My other would be Carnage & Glory II

AK47 Republic is probably one of the most loved games published in the last 30 years. Ditto Crossfire. How does that qualify as underrated? Perhaps underplayed would be a better term to use?

We'll be playing the Siege of Jadotville with AK-47 Saturday.
Great game. First edition.

I'll confess to never being quite sure what's measured in underrated and overrated polls. Probably just shorthand for "things I like I don't see much" and "things I don't like which still seem to be popular." But the discussions can be informative.

Heard of a few. Outside of Blood Bowl have not played any of them. Maybe cuz they are so darn underrated!

+1 rp
It's basically meaningless. It means whatever you want it to.

Well, I've still got my original copy of 2e BattleSystem Skirmishes Miniatures Rules but have never played it -- but going by Sgt. Slag's recurring praise of these rules, I'm going to have to pull them out and read thru and give 'em a whirl. Is it better than Dragon Rampant? Or the Wiley Games "Fistful of Lead" fantasy variant? (Forget the name, it's in three volumes). I have yet to play either of those. But they are recent and popular (?) and sort of kitchen sink as I understand it.

My 1st choice would be Field of Battle. Truly one of (IMHO) grail sets of rules. Covers a lot of eras, great mechanics. Fast, fun and gives results that are quite historical. Battle Command is a newer variant and is in the same boat.

It's too bad the Ral Partha's Chaos Wars doesn't use only Dragon Rampant's mechanics. Chaos wars has some of the best lore, scenarios and variety of forces I have EVER seen in a fantasy set. Just awesome! Dragon Rampant seems to have used and tweaked for the better some of the core battle mechanics. IF Chaos Wars adopted those they would easily be be the most underrated rule set. I think there is 13 volumes for the rules. It is pretty incredible. Army sizes are very reasonable as well. Support for the rules has dried up in our area.

Thanks.

John