Title: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Calandale on July 24, 2014, 12:46:03 pm I've never seen one which matches my desires for a really engaging story, but of the
mass of fairly generic feeling games out there, a few stand out. First, in the generic empire builder field, I'd say AWE's Scandinavia is far and away the best I've seen. With individual leading characters, and good differentiation of the different territorial forces, it gives a level of flavor that is very appealing. There may be some balance issues, but in more than two players, they should work themselves out in BoP fashion. Basically, it's the next step up from Barbarian Kings, which had held this position earlier for me. Albion - this game has some serious flaws (stacking, victory conditions), but provides a rich fantasy world within a fairly standard wargame feel. Dark Emperor - a varied and rich world, but the fact that only one player gets to play for most of the game (under good play), makes this one tough to sell to others. It doesn't help that that player has the more active and difficult task. Dragon Pass - a complex and rich world of different unit choices. I guess my biggest gripe is that it becomes too much a puzzle of how to best use all those different types, which just isn't my type of game. Still, if I step back from the thinking man's puzzle, and just let the game rip, it can be a lot of fun; I just feel I'm missing the full experience, by not optimizing fully. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: usrlocal on July 24, 2014, 12:48:36 pm I've heard good things about 'Divine Right', but haven't played it yet (I have the 25th Anniversary Edition).
What about SPI's LotR games? Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: rstites25 on July 24, 2014, 12:54:16 pm Have you ever tried to track down: Fornaldar: Nordic Saga?
It is supposed to be based on Albion, but I think it cleans up a lot of the rules/issues. Or at least attempts to do so. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Calandale on July 24, 2014, 01:00:18 pm I've heard good things about 'Divine Right', but haven't played it yet (I have the 25th Anniversary Edition). What about SPI's LotR games? I played DR. It wasn't terribly impressed one way or the other, but only played it opposed. SPI's War of the Ring was a big disappointment to me (back in the day even). The pure character game was ok, but the military game didn't have the proper tension. ICE'S Fellowship of the Ring is better at the character game, and FF's WotR is better than the SPI design. Haven't tried Sauron or Gondor - definitely am interested in Gondor though; I like sieges. Speaking of which, TSR's Battle of Five Armies was pretty crappy. I'd like to try the ICE game of the same name. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: usrlocal on July 24, 2014, 01:29:18 pm I've heard good things about 'Divine Right', but haven't played it yet (I have the 25th Anniversary Edition). What about SPI's LotR games? I played DR. It wasn't terribly impressed one way or the other, but only played it opposed. SPI's War of the Ring was a big disappointment to me (back in the day even). The pure character game was ok, but the military game didn't have the proper tension. ICE'S Fellowship of the Ring is better at the character game, and FF's WotR is better than the SPI design. Haven't tried Sauron or Gondor - definitely am interested in Gondor though; I like sieges. Speaking of which, TSR's Battle of Five Armies was pretty crappy. I'd like to try the ICE game of the same name. Didn't SPI also have a quad wargame covering 4 LotR battles? Or did I hallucinate that? Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: anarchy on July 24, 2014, 01:40:49 pm Didn't SPI also have a quad wargame covering 4 LotR battles? Or did I hallucinate that? The Games of Middle Earth (1977) had three games in it: Sauron, Gondor and the War of the Ring. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Calandale on July 24, 2014, 01:42:56 pm Didn't SPI also have a quad wargame covering 4 LotR battles? Or did I hallucinate that? The Games of Middle Earth (1977) had three games in it: Sauron, Gondor and the War of the Ring. My father found a copy of it for a couple bucks, but sadly, it only contained WotR - and not even all of that. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Carl Marl on July 24, 2014, 01:46:45 pm SPI Quad? I think it was just Sauron and Gondor. They were available as folios or bundled with the War of the Ring.
I remember Divine Right being fun. Perhaps it was the people I played with. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Calandale on July 24, 2014, 01:55:33 pm I remember Divine Right being fun. Perhaps it was the people I played with. The high point was The Scum getting thrown into the volcano. It was a good enough game - just nothing that really stood out for me compared to other fantasy wargames. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: The Grinch on July 24, 2014, 05:03:07 pm I used to play Divine Right a lot about 35 years ago. It was a lot of fun but we also worked a lot of house rules into it.
Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: rodvik on July 24, 2014, 08:18:36 pm Have you ever tried to track down: Fornaldar: Nordic Saga? It is supposed to be based on Albion, but I think it cleans up a lot of the rules/issues. Or at least attempts to do so. I own it. Still haven't played it. I should really. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Calandale on July 24, 2014, 08:49:04 pm Have you ever tried to track down: Fornaldar: Nordic Saga? It is supposed to be based on Albion, but I think it cleans up a lot of the rules/issues. Or at least attempts to do so. I was interested. Not willing to put it together though. I think it had a fee as well. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: rodvik on July 24, 2014, 11:35:27 pm I will check tomorrow (its down in the studio and its dark out there :) ) but I THINK it came with die cut counters and a real map. Pricey though.
Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Rockhopper on July 25, 2014, 06:54:54 am I guess Warrior Knights fits in here? We played it a handful of times with the expansion, pretty fun. The diplomatic stuff is cool.
Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: rstites25 on July 25, 2014, 08:04:18 am I will check tomorrow (its down in the studio and its dark out there :) ) but I THINK it came with die cut counters and a real map. Pricey though. Did you contact the designer directly or buy it second hand? From what I've read on BGG you can contact him via e-mail to get the game. Also, I was under the impression that you didn't have to do any mounting of counters or piece a bunch of maps together. I thought it was a complete game, ready to play. It would be great if you could comment on the components. If you bought the game new, I would also be curious of about how much you had to pay, if you don't mind. Before contacting the designer, if that's the best way to acquire it, I'd like to know if the price is in the ballpark of what I'd be willing to spend. Thanks in advance. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Calandale on July 25, 2014, 10:52:19 am I guess Warrior Knights fits in here? We played it a handful of times with the expansion, pretty fun. The diplomatic stuff is cool. Oh yes. The new edition is very good, IMO. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: rodvik on July 25, 2014, 11:26:08 am I will check tomorrow (its down in the studio and its dark out there :) ) but I THINK it came with die cut counters and a real map. Pricey though. Did you contact the designer directly or buy it second hand? From what I've read on BGG you can contact him via e-mail to get the game. Also, I was under the impression that you didn't have to do any mounting of counters or piece a bunch of maps together. I thought it was a complete game, ready to play. It would be great if you could comment on the components. If you bought the game new, I would also be curious of about how much you had to pay, if you don't mind. Before contacting the designer, if that's the best way to acquire it, I'd like to know if the price is in the ballpark of what I'd be willing to spend. Thanks in advance. No worries. I will get you some pics of the game. The price was $55+$22 shipping so $77 total this was back in 2011. I ordered direct from the designer who shipped it from Belgium. here ya go. changed to links. too spammy http://i.imgur.com/4btbkGk.jpg http://i.imgur.com/8Yjf8a7.jpg http://i.imgur.com/rqw0PGZ.jpg http://i.imgur.com/JeOjg67.jpg http://i.imgur.com/GyLNuY3.jpg the one image show it laid on top of the dark valley with a ruler laid out for scale. Counter thickness was about decision games standard. Rule book is dense text wise. Hope that helps! Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Calandale on July 25, 2014, 01:08:19 pm Looks nice. It's just tough for me to spend full game price on
something that is an unknown. Doesn't help that it's based on a magazine game that cost me under $3 new. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: rstites25 on July 25, 2014, 01:10:12 pm I will check tomorrow (its down in the studio and its dark out there :) ) but I THINK it came with die cut counters and a real map. Pricey though. Did you contact the designer directly or buy it second hand? From what I've read on BGG you can contact him via e-mail to get the game. Also, I was under the impression that you didn't have to do any mounting of counters or piece a bunch of maps together. I thought it was a complete game, ready to play. It would be great if you could comment on the components. If you bought the game new, I would also be curious of about how much you had to pay, if you don't mind. Before contacting the designer, if that's the best way to acquire it, I'd like to know if the price is in the ballpark of what I'd be willing to spend. Thanks in advance. No worries. I will get you some pics of the game. The price was $55+$22 shipping so $77 total this was back in 2011. I ordered direct from the designer who shipped it from Belgium. here ya go. changed to links. too spammy http://i.imgur.com/4btbkGk.jpg http://i.imgur.com/8Yjf8a7.jpg http://i.imgur.com/rqw0PGZ.jpg http://i.imgur.com/JeOjg67.jpg http://i.imgur.com/GyLNuY3.jpg the one image show it laid on top of the dark valley with a ruler laid out for scale. Counter thickness was about decision games standard. Rule book is dense text wise. Hope that helps! Thanks! Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: rodvik on July 25, 2014, 01:20:29 pm No prob. Yeah it is pricey. I was impressed cracking it open though. It seems like a fairly heavy fantasy game, which are rare.
Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Calandale on July 25, 2014, 01:26:02 pm Albion certainly was. But, the play always disappointed.
Unlimited stacking (albeit with attrition costs) caused big problems for me. I get the same feeling out of Imperium Romanum II, maybe for the same reasons - there's no maneuver, just getting the mostest to somewhere the opponent needs to defend. The end game conditions that made both players lose if they took too many loses was problematic too - the losing side could force what feels like a draw every time. I guess if I could consider the 'loss' as worse than 'not winning' (as I would in Republic of Rome - and it makes sense here, because losing means the humans wipe out the elder races), that would be excusable. But, much as I espouse those views, it's very hard to actually FEEL that way when playing. :( Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: rstites25 on July 25, 2014, 01:31:33 pm Albion certainly was. But, the play always disappointed. Unlimited stacking (albeit with attrition costs) caused big problems for me. I get the same feeling out of Imperium Romanum II, maybe for the same reasons - there's no maneuver, just getting the mostest to somewhere the opponent needs to defend. The end game conditions that made both players lose if they took too many loses was problematic too - the losing side could force what feels like a draw every time. I guess if I could consider the 'loss' as worse than 'not winning' (as I would in Republic of Rome - and it makes sense here, because losing means the humans wipe out the elder races), that would be excusable. But, much as I espouse those views, it's very hard to actually FEEL that way when playing. :( I would really like to see you vid Albion to see how it plays. To me, it seemed like there were a bunch of holes and contradictions in the rules that I just didn't want to spend time resolving. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Calandale on July 25, 2014, 01:34:30 pm It's always kicking around in my head to do.
Definitely a game that I remember when thinking of things. Others I might like more, but fade from memory. Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Jeb123 on July 26, 2014, 11:50:39 pm How about Runewars? I have not yet played it but it does look interesting ...
Title: Re: Standout Fantasy Wargames Post by: Calandale on July 27, 2014, 05:01:57 am New thread: http://thegamebox.gamesontables.com/index.php?topic=19.0 |