Translating Conan the Boardgame to a tabletop wargame AAR testgame added

[Pijlie]

As a tabletop wargamer I have been playing with the idea to translate Conan to the tabletop with as little change as possible. So.....in replacing the board with a 3D environment one needs to replace the board’s funcionalities with environmental rules. Here's what I have thought up:

Speed & Movement
The figures’ speed is their Movement factor combined with the board’s areas. I don’t want to change anything in the use of the dashboards so the changes must happen in the translation from board to tabletop.

This is best accomplished by translating the Move factors to fixed Move distances on the tabletop. An average board area is about 4”(?) across so this seems a good standard Move distance. I plan to use pre-made rulers during play to avoid measuring tapes and such.

Proximity
In the board game this is facilitated by the board areas. Figures can interact with all figures and objects in the same area and are Hindered by them.

Using similar distances as in Movement figures may interact with and are Hindered by all figures and objects within 4”(?).

Measurements are taken from base edge to base edge. This gives large creatures (on large bases) a longer Range, which does not seem unreasonable or undesirable. When using very large creatures measurements are taken from the right front limb or edge, whatever is present.

Range
In the board game this is facilitated by the board areas as Range is measured in areas. Range on the tabletop is measured in Movement lengths. One Move per Range Factor.

Line of sight
This seems easy, as physical terrain pieces will block line of sight instead of the LOS dots. In the boardgame terrain is either Blocking or not. Not wanting to add any fundamental changes to the game this means that no rules are necessary regarding partial cover and such. If a figure can be seen even partly, there is no cover.

Since the dots are now replaced by the figures’ relative position to each other, LOS will become more complex and influential.

All this gives me the excuse to build more terrain for Conan!

Waddayathink? I'd love comments.

[Elbows]

Honestly, I'd use the figures and just make my own (or use an alternate rule set).  I liked the Conan miniatures okay, but the game left me really cold.

[Skrapwelder]

I used a standard CD centered on the character figure to indicate zones for both movement and fighting.

[Pijlie]

I used a standard CD centered on the character figure to indicate zones for both movement and fighting.

What a great idea! I stole it immediately 

Here's the AAR:

http://pijlieblog.blogspot.nl/2018/03/conan-board-pardon-tabletop-wargame.html

Honestly, I'd use the figures and just make my own (or use an alternate rule set).  I liked the Conan miniatures okay, but the game left me really cold.

Well, we must agree to disagree then I think it is the best boardgame I played in years and it yields a very nice tabletop skirmish game when used that way. But there is no arguing about taste! 

[DivisMal]

That looks pretty awesome, and I'm kinda envious how far you seem to have progressed with Conan (and Mythic Battles, if I recognize the minis correctly). I really do consider Conan a very good boardgame, though I rarely play it, but the models really shine through the 3D-terrain.

[Pijlie]

Thanks. I finished the Conan miniatures in about 6 months I think. I am now working on the MB figures.

Both games offer beautiful figures, but Conan is by far the better game.

[DivisMal]

Thanks. I finished the Conan miniatures in about 6 months I think. I am now working on the MB figures.

Both games offer beautiful figures, but Conan is by far the better game.

Is it? I would have thought, it was exactly the opposite from people’s reactions towards MB:P. Modelwise, I regret not having gone all in with Conan as I’m missing a lotof the extra stuff.

I had read some mediocre reports on Conan and was pleasantly surprised when I read the rules. Now I’m just curious how they will develop the system with Batman!

[Pijlie]

Perhaps it is merely a matter of taste. I consider Conan the better game because I like playing scenarios, love having to solve lots of tactical dilemmas and relying mainly on skill instead of luck. In Conan only the dice have you depend on luck. The rest is your own decision. It is very atmospheric because of the narratives in the scenarios. The turn sequence is fluid and all players are constantly involved all the time. I have played dozens of games so far and am still eager to try more.

In MB you don't play scenarios so much as you create an army through a point system and pit that against an opponent. You try to create the max combo to win a game. Apart from the dice you also need luck with your Activation cards. No card, no Activation. This can really ruin your game and there is little you can do about it. There is little narrative, as you simply have to either kill your opponent's God or capture more Omphalos tokens than he. It's an IGO-UGO game so in a multiplayer game you will spend quite a lot of time waiting for your opponents to finish. I played a handful of games and my interest is already waning.

[DivisMal]

Perhaps it is merely a matter of taste. I consider Conan the better game because I like playing scenarios, love having to solve lots of tactical dilemmas and relying mainly on skill instead of luck. In Conan only the dice have you depend on luck. The rest is your own decision. It is very atmospheric because of the narratives in the scenarios. The turn sequence is fluid and all players are constantly involved all the time. I have played dozens of games so far and am still eager to try more.

In MB you don't play scenarios so much as you create an army through a point system and pit that against an opponent. You try to create the max combo to win a game. Apart from the dice you also need luck with your Activation cards. No card, no Activation. This can really ruin your game and there is little you can do about it. There is little narrative, as you simply have to either kill your opponent's God or capture more Omphalos tokens than he. It's an IGO-UGO game so in a multiplayer game you will spend quite a lot of time waiting for your opponents to finish. I played a handful of games and my interest is already waning.

Thanks. I had not bothered to really play MP:P and rather saw it as an opportunity to increase my models for Conan, but I can see your point. Conan surprised me with a lot of clever ideas and the game is oozing atmosphere. MB:P also has a lot of atmosphere, but seems to be a straight forward combat game.