Rules Suggestions Needed!

[john Hollyoak]

Are you certain there are no rules for henchman in Goal System? I have played Chaos in Carpathia and Chaos in Cairo and they both have (simple) rules for them. If they don't I'm sure it would be easy to port them across.
John

[Nord]

A lot of players like Lord of the Rings system, you can pick up an older version really cheap on ebay and it was originally designed to recreate scenes from the films, so small numbers not necessarily equal, very scenario driven. You would have to tinker with the profiles to match your collection, but should be easy enough and there are lots of extras around the basic rules -scenarios, campaigns, etc. Use it as a toolbox for your own needs, ignore the original background.

[Hobby Services]

I am looking at GoalSystem Fantasy, but unless I am missing something, henchmen groups are not covered, and the system does not seem very well suited for larger skirmishes, either.

I don't have that rulebook but even if it doesn't cover henchmen groups most of the other Goalsystem games certainly do.  It ought to be trivial to port the rules for them over, and henchmen groups (aka troop units) ought to fix your concerns about larger numbers of models on the table.  Past experience with the chaos series and Supersystem tells me you can easily play a two-player game with twenty+ full hero types on the table and/or dozens of henchmen figures, although you might want to keep the complexity of each build down and limit healing abilities for really big games.  It's also a very solid game engine for asymmetrical fights where you have a few heroes versus a horde of henchman monster types.

[abbot_amaury]

I am looking at GoalSystem Fantasy, but unless I am missing something, henchmen groups are not covered, and the system does not seem very well suited for larger skirmishes, either.

If you like Goalsystem Fantasy and miss the henchmen rules you could try 'Warband: Goalsystem Fantasy Skirmish'. Unfortunately these rules got stuck in the test phase some years ago (don't know why  ). But the test phase pdf is still available for download in this thread (see Reply #98 for the download link over there).

Cheers, Hagen

[Sir_Theo]

King's of War Vanguard certainly would appear to fit the bill.

Relicblade by Metal King Studio is also well worth looking into https://relicblade.com and caters for bands of 3 or 4 models a side.

Of course you may also want to join the Oldhammer revolution, with one of the early editions of Warhammer Fantasy
 Battle (1st, 2nd or 3rd)

[ecurtz]

OK, tell me a bit about the mechanics of the game, then - it has an unusually hefty price-tag for a pdf?

Rangers of Shadow Deep shares a lot of mechanics with his other game, Frostgrave, which is available in a nice and reasonably priced hardcover, so you could always check that out. Basics are opposed d20 for most task resolution, small war bands where each player has one main hero who has spells and/or special abilities and some fairly generic henchmen (somewhat more fleshed out in RoSD), 2-4 players (head to head for FG, co-op for RoSD). Rangers of Shadow Deep has pre-written scenarios where the map layout is described and there are tables for random events and simple AI rules for the creatures, but the systems are simple enough that a totally random dungeon crawl would be easy to do. I haven't actually played any yet, as it's pretty new, but I think Frostgrave is quite good, the obvious modern heir to Mordheim.

EDIT: There are also some play sessions on YouTube if you want to check it out.

[dadlamassu]

If these sort of games are what you are looking for http://www.morvalearth.co.uk/me_games.htm

Then try our club rules free http://www.morvalearth.co.uk/me_simple_abridged_rules.htm

A whole adventure starts here http://www.morvalearth.co.uk/Graf%20Silth%20Mission/Gsm%20Intro.htm

If you like them PM me with an email address and I'll send the main rules to you.

[Argonor]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

I shall be looking through some of the options I do not already own during the holidays (I have seven days off from the 26th), and see if I get bitten by one of them.