Lead Adventure Forum

Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Topic started by: grubman on January 10, 2008, 03:36:02 AM

Title: Song of Blades and Heroes!
Post by: grubman on January 10, 2008, 03:36:02 AM
OK, I just finished the SBH rulebook (a very easy read) and the core bits of the SGD book.  All I can say is that I’m in total awe…seriously.  

Now I don’t heap praise lightly.  I’ve read and played (literally) hundreds of role playing, war, and mini games (over 500 last time I tried to make a comprehensive list), and there are VERY few of those that I consider to be truly great.  In actuality, I usually sell off most games after one session or sometimes without even playing them.  My shelf of games I regularly play is very slim and it is very rare that I add one to the collection.

That said, not only has SBH earned a spot on that shelf, but I’ve even got to say that it pretty much supersedes all the other mini games I enjoy.  That might sound pretty funny, having not even played the game yet…but I’ll tell you, I’ve been doing this long enough to recognize when a game is going to work, when it has done away with all the silly stuff and reduced things to streamline, concise, and practical rules, and most importantly…when it is going to be fun!

The rules don’t appear perfect (I’ve noticed a few missing elements, questions I have, and such…and a few more will probably arise as I play), but I must admit that the rules really impressed me with how well Andrea Sfiligoi streamlined and simplified skirmish rules…yet created a game where the level of available tactics are so high!  Honestly, IMHO, these are all around the best mini rules I’ve personally read (for the type of gaming I like to do).

I’ve been high on Legends of the Old West (as Western skirmish game) from Games Workshop lately, but reading these rules has already made me decide to drop those rules and write up a wild west plug-in for SBH.  The beauty of it is that it really won’t take that much work to capture that genre (or any other, for that matter) with these rules.

Oh well, that’s my take and the love I’m sharing today.  Expect a full review soon as well as lots of threads with pics!

Thanks to the guys here who recomended it to me, I may have never found this gem on my own.

(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s182/grubman/gse_multipart59575.jpg)
LINK:  http://www.songofblades.blogspot.com/
Title: Song of Blades and Heroes!
Post by: KeyanSark on January 10, 2008, 07:43:29 AM
I agree with you...

Simple rules, easy to introduce people to the game, but however challenging for a quick skirmish. It works very well with 28mm miniatures. A lot of original and innovative ideas here.
Title: Song of Blades and Heroes!
Post by: xeoran on January 10, 2008, 11:27:05 AM
You've put it perfectly. It, early Warmachine and Infinity are the only games I consider revolutionary in the last decade or so. And its heavily influenced all my home made rulesets which are now going back in to be rejigged.
Title: Song of Blades and Heroes!
Post by: Jase on January 11, 2008, 04:44:40 AM
Can you tell me how the system works and why it is so easy to use and adapt?

Thanks!
Title: Song of Blades and Heroes!
Post by: matakishi on January 11, 2008, 07:50:47 AM
I have a link to the free preview rules here:
http://www.matakishi.com/bdbwargamesclub.htm
Title: Song of Blades and Heroes!
Post by: grubman on January 11, 2008, 12:27:06 PM
Quote from: "Jase"
Can you tell me how the system works and why it is so easy to use and adapt?

Thanks!


You’re not the first one to ask me this, and to be honest it’s a little hard to summarize, since the rules are so straightforward and concise it’s difficult to explain anything without simply cutting and pasting the rules themselves.  I started writing a response, but it started getting so long I decided to make it into my review for RPGnet.  I’ll post it on this thread when it’s done.