"Shock of Impact" Topic

Speaking of rules sets, anyone have something to say about Shock of Impact. I bought these rules years ago and only played them once (a long time ago). I'm not overly excited about the system but I think the ideas behind the rules are actually quite brilliant.

I also used to play them in the age of WRG 5, and 6. The formed and unformed melee and the troop type thing was perfect, (Shock Impact vs Shock Momentum stuff). Better than WRG of the 1980's. Since then, the world has moved away from figure based ancients and uses element or unit based systems.

Since then I've moved on to Might of Arms, but wish that I could add some of those elements back into that game system.

What it needs is a serious rewrite into a form of English not written by the English. We could minus the antiBarker diatribes and simplify the combat system to something like MOA.

Hey ... I have those (picked up from a friend) and never even read them. Have to give them a look.

Sorry, I meant to ask if there are any groups still playing, discussion groups, etc.?

Hi

I went over to these rules when WRG 6th came out.

I had great fun with them - Alexander leading his companions was unstoppable, and his high speed pikes were also great fun.

Ah, nostalgia...

Wonder if I have still got them!

John

I tried and played them a few times about 20 years ago. Conceptually, I thought they were much better than WRG and the house rules most of the gamers in the area were playing. I found the player was forced to think like a general of the times. Yes, a pike phalanx was very difficult to crack, but once you got inside you could tear it up. So, to be successful fighting a phalanx, you'd have to use the terrain to disrupt and disorganize the phalanx, wear it out, then make a penetration when the conditions were right. IMHO, that's about as historical as a set of rules can get.

We used them all the time instead of WRG - I loved the way the line of contact could 'waiver' some of it pushed back while other bits advancing etc - they weren't the easiest or quickest to play though if I remember rightly.

Rich J

Rich J - it was no slower or harder than 6th edition WRG...

For me the problem came when you had an unformed melee with several units involved - that DID get slow and hard!

John

Use to play all tyhe time. When we formed a group we had to go to armiti. The asome of the guys couldn,t handle them.

They seem to be the best for similution. There berserker rules just rock.

imho

James d

These were actually my first encounter with Ancients rules (Chainmail predates them in my collection, but those are medievals). It is a small wornder that I stuck with the hobby, considering I had no-one to teach me how to play.

Played and liked them up to the melee. Things always seem to bog down about then. I have a friend who still wants to play them. I am worried about him though, he also wants to put on a con in Dallas!

Was there an army list book to go with them? I have the rules, which have a point system, by I'm always curious to look at different army lists.

Wasn't implying they were slower etc than WRG - just that compared to the rules we tend to use today they were slow and hard :-)
I think the majority of people now play faster, simpler rules as a whole - not just in ancients etc.

Rich J

CATenWolde- The Army lists were in a seperate book. Close to WRG, but had a provision to select units at random (percentage die)that I thought was a great idea. Wish I knew where I put mine....

I've been thinking of spending the time to rewrite these rules and simplify the combat system (a typical TT/Newbury system with almost untold modifiers). I too love the idea of formed/unformed combat. Brilliant. And the reaction tests. I'm pleased that so many of you speak well of the system.

Marcus Brutus,

I think there is much to be said for many of the more "weighty" (by today's standards) rules of the late seventies / early eighties. In many cases, I think a fresh eye could trim some fat and still retain the core of a satisfyingly complex game, making it more playable. Keep us posted if you do any work!

I remember the rules well, and they are everything you say - - very good at handling contemporary opponents, and the formed/unformed melee system works.
I also agree that they are slow-ish compared to most recent sets of rules, especially AW. The rapid descent of my favourite units from A or B class to D (because of my abysmal dice throwing) used to annoy the hell out of me!
As a matter of interest, a friend and I are doing a rewrite of these rules at the moment - - I wish more people played them.

So that makes at least two people doing a rewrite? Great!My one caution would be not to take *too* much away. The Firing and general casualty system seems to be pretty streamlined already, although the morale check system is a bit cumbersome.

Does anyone with the army lists book also have easy access to a scanner? I would love to look over the Late Roman vs Barb's (West) lists.

Keep us up to date on the rewrites!

Cheers,

Christopher

PS - are the original authors still around?

I'm curious about private soldier's rewrite. With all respect to Christopher's comments, the rewrite I imagine would have to be significant if these rules were to be made playable. Too much unnecessary detail in my opinion.

I'll try to keep you informed of progress - if any - Marcus B. At the moment we are trying to retain the national characteristics of the armies, while trying to do without some of the morale bumph.

Where should I send the scan, CATenWolde?

@private soldier,

Thanks! I can be reached at:

christopher@tenwolde.us

or through my hobby web site at:

10mmWorld.com

Hi

Before people start scanning and posting army lists and stuff, they are still for sale - Essex and Caliver both advertise them!

John