Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Medieval Adventures => Topic started by: racm32 on April 28, 2013, 05:24:17 PM
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I'm looking at venturing into Dark Age adventures and looking for a good rules set. I have played one game using Hail Cesar but we where fighting Romans vs Germans. At Salute I saw a few different rules sets, including SAGA and one by Ospray. Would like your lots opinion on rules for Dark Age combat
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I've just downloaded the rules for Dux Britanniarum by Two Fat Lardies and, while I've yet to play even solo with them, they read well... as do the various game reports online. Sorry, on my phone so no links to hand.
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Dux Bellorum. http://www.ospreypublishing.com/store/Dux-Bellorum-%E2%80%93-Arthurian-Wargaming-Rules-AD367%E2%80%93793_9781849086806 (http://www.ospreypublishing.com/store/Dux-Bellorum-%E2%80%93-Arthurian-Wargaming-Rules-AD367%E2%80%93793_9781849086806)
Fun, simple, quick to play and satisfyingly 'small mob of hairy warriors with axes' feel to it.
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again for Dux Bellorum, try Amazon for a good discount.
and THIS LINK (http://luddite1811.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/dux-bellorum-wars-of-roses-unofficial.html) for a WOTR conversion.
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Strandhogg, not one of the new "trendy" rule sets but a superb dark age skirmish game. Really gives the flavour of the physical slog style of combat.
Or Impetus if you are asking about large army scale battles rather than skirmish.
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Dux Britanniarum is brilliant for skirmish type games. Osprey's Dux Bellorum is great for the bigger battles. I base figures singly and use sabot bases to create movement trays/element bases for each game
I was one of the guys demoing Dux Bellorum at Salute, by the way (the Arthurian Britons on the smaller game were mine).
Check out my blog for loads of battle reports from both rule sets...
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and THIS LINK (http://luddite1811.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/dux-bellorum-wars-of-roses-unofficial.html) for a WOTR conversion.
Looks familiar... :D
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I'd say Dux Britanniarum and Dux Bellorum.
You could always use the Lord of the Rings skirmish set if you want a smaller, hero based game. I used it before i bought Dux Brit.
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Looks familiar... :D
do you know him? lol
(you could put a link in your profile or sigi :))
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Also Pig Wars
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Another vote for Pig Wars, slightly mofiied with D12 instead of cards, etc...
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Before offering any suggestions would you mind if I ask what sort of game you are after playing?
You mention HC, which as you know is very large scale, and SAGA which is 40-50 figures per side.
So are you after large scale battle or small skirmish, set piece or part of a campaign, how much book keeping or 'clutter' you mind on the table, and whether you are looking towards the Late Classical end of the Dark Ages or Hastings+?
Kind regards,
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Before offering any suggestions would you mind if I ask what sort of game you are after playing?
You mention HC, which as you know is very large scale, and SAGA which is 40-50 figures per side.
So are you after large scale battle or small skirmish, set piece or part of a campaign, how much book keeping or 'clutter' you mind on the table, and whether you are looking towards the Late Classical end of the Dark Ages or Hastings+?
Kind regards,
I'm assembling a Norman force that is roughly based on the 1066 time period. I'm using 28mm so Skirmish size is what I want to start with and then later on maybe move up to a larger force.
I prefer simpler rules and not a fan of 'Card driven' games.
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I'd say Dux Britanniarum and Dux Bellorum.
You could always use the Lord of the Rings skirmish set if you want a smaller, hero based game. I used it before i bought Dux Brit.
Second the lord of the rings skirmish rules, usable for everything even zombie games! Wasn't there also a free ruleset called Brythenwalda, which was also set in the period and featured warbands?
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Yep, they can be downloaded over at:
http://brytenwalda.blogspot.com/2010/10/brytenwalda-released.html
I haven't had a chance to play a game of it yet. My group decided Saga was our Dark Age game of choice.
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Given your time frame, I don't think Dux Brit is the best fit. Whilst the system is versatile, the rules are firmly set at the Late Classical/Early Medieval start of the Dark Ages.
The Lord of the Rings rules work very well, and I intend to give the suggested Dark Age version a try myself.
SAGA are fun and I think the battle boards add a degree of subtlety to the game that might be missing in some other systems. You'd only need the basic rules and, contrary to popular belief, you don't need the funky but costly dice :)
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The GW LotR rules are basically their core skirmish engine used in many games from Necromunda to LEgends of the Old West to Gladiator.
The basic rules are available free in Mordheim form here...http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?catId=cat480008a&categoryId=6700006a§ion=&aId=21500021a (http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?catId=cat480008a&categoryId=6700006a§ion=&aId=21500021a)
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If you go for LOTR, stats are very easy, just use the basic ones. When i played i added a Shieldwall rule, meaning if at least three men stood in a line they got +1 defence. You can also add a couple of special rules to each force/nation to give it a little individual touch. I did write loads of ideas down, just got to find them!
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If you go for LOTR, stats are very easy, just use the basic ones. When i played i added a Shieldwall rule, meaning if at least three men stood in a line they got +1 defence. You can also add a couple of special rules to each force/nation to give it a little individual touch. I did write loads of ideas down, just got to find them!
I added that rule too (I stole it from the Dragon Warriors RPG rules for Thanes)! I like LotR SBG and use it for both LotR and Historical gaming, but have yet to get the Saga and Dux rules to see how they fare. When I get some spare cash I will probably get them all in one go and see which one works best for each size army.
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I have a 28mm Viking army all based singularly which I use for skirmish games using the Saga rule set. They are fast and brutal and the battleboards do add some brain teasing. Have just finished a small linked campaign using the rules and scenarios. Great fun, got through 5 games over 2 days using 6 point armies. Unfortunately I lost 3 of the 5 games but killed the Anglo-Dane warlord in the last turn of the last game!!!
I also use Hail Ceasar for bigger games. I find they work well, flow smoothly and can be tweeked for personal preference. I use the same Viking army but with the figures put into movement trays.
Looking to try the lardys ruleset soon particularly for the campaign ideas.