"Armies of Arcana now available!" Topic

The rule books are in!

Now just another week of web updates and then I can start painting again!

***Haiku Warning***

Stacks of new rulebooks
Each letting eager players
Slaughter each other

***Haiku Warning Terminated***

www.thanesgames.com

Are the rules free?

-=Bashkar=-

Bashkar, no free rules
You must buy them from Thane Games
Please get credit card

Sorry, no warning!

Oh. I like to sample the rules before buying them. Obviously having them free is even better.

-=Bashkar=-

Returns are welcome (never had one though), and lots of details are available on the website. If you have questions, let me know.

@bashkar free rules are better if you are selling miniatures, not if you are selling rules. thane isn't in the buisness to get rich, but to fill a void with a creative ruleset that he enjoys.

check out his web page and you will see plenty of examples and intros of how things work with his system.

Free rules? Hmmm
Okay, here's a story I will share about "free". I have an extensive restaurant, catering background, so "free" is a term that is used alot. I relate this story as it happened. You decide if it's applicable.
Mnay years ago I opened a small espresso shop in WA. As we were new I thought I would pass out business cards with a 'Free cup of coffee" to the bearer. About the tenth guy I came across asked, "What kind of coffee is it?" I told him SBC and asked him why did it matter, it was free. He replied "It may be free but it still could be sh*t" Well, the coffee was good and I'm not implying anything but...
Bottom line, free doesn't make things better...it just makes them free.
Good luck Thane and keep plugging.
Ed

Yeah, people don't always realize the time it takes to put a good wargame together. But its normal for people to want free stuff, especially with the internet.

I do want to put a 2 page quick rules set together for people who do want to try out the rules a bit first, but since I've never actually seen anybody use a "light" rules set, its not been a high priority. All of the descriptions and battle reports probably give a better idea of how the game plays anyway.

Your web site is blocked to me at work here - What gaundra is it?

Actually I think a 2-page lite rules set would be great. I wouldn't actually use it, but it would be helpful to see what the game is like before buying it.

The battle reports are pretty good, but getting a glimpse of a rules before buying the game is a must for me after getting burned by a number of miniature rules that looked great on the cover but turned out to be less so once I read them.

From what I saw, the game looks good though... I noticed that you even mentioned having a point formula available in the rules which is always a good thing to see.

Wasteland Warrior,

The cup of coffee example is actually a perfect reason why to give away the coffee... after people taste it they will know if it is good or bad. If its bad then you won't see them again, but at least they won't leave thinking they wasted money on a worthless product.

-Bashkar

Bashkar
Good point but the amount of people that think that way versus the people who just want something free is miniscule. Even if the product is good the vast majority of people who search out "free" don't come back. They just want free. You're one of the few and the reason that companies do give away free stuff.
BTW as for free I offer an online version of BUGS! on my website for free just for that reason. Have been doing so for about a month AND you don't get put on a mailing list! :)
Ed www.twohourwargames.com

LOL, Bashkar, you've been spoiled by Hundred Kingdoms, methinks. Thane doesn't make his money off his own line of minis like Black Orc Games does, y'know...

Thane, I'm glad you posted on the message boards, but cripes, send Bill/TMP a news story with a nice scan of the new cover and stuff. Not everybody reads this section, and AoA getting a new edition should be front page, not personals...

Rich

Heh, way ahead of you, sort of. I sent in a news story late thursday night, but I guess the system failed. Fortunately, I had sent along a backup of some of the pictures, which is the only reason Bill knew I had even tried. I've sent a new newstory which will hopefully go up sunday or monday.

This thread was mostly a backup, plus I didn't think my Haiku would go well in the News :)

So basically, you are seeing the effects of having a back - up plan in action. Not as impressive, but better than nothing. After the fiasco of trying to get Empires of Arcana printed, back-up plans now factor heavily in my life :)

I got to play one and watch another game today, with no handouts, playtesting rules or updates. It is great to not be playtesting again. Of course, that is going to last about a week, because we are going to work on the siege rules from last month again next week. Still, watching earth elementals bash down the front wall of a castle is rewarding in its own way.

Heh.

Murphy's Law strikes Thane
Opposed as always by
Boy Scout Principle

Ninjas will come for me after that mutilation of a fine poetic tradition...

Rich

Woo Hoo! glad I preordered, don't you. Now I've got to buy more miniatures, gosh dang it all :)

Like you wouldn't have bought more minis anyway :)

There's the new book in all its glory on the front page.

Now you all can see,
I'm not irresponsible,
but just unlucky!

I bet Japanese culture wishes it had never let Haiku off the island :)

Remind me to have my future Samurai army whoop your butt for that, Thane. ;)

Good to hear from you Thane! I will say your rules work great. Chris