Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Medieval Adventures => Topic started by: ulverston on September 22, 2019, 12:50:22 PM
-
Hi Chaps,
For the last few weeks I have been preparing for my upcoming two weeks holiday. For once not much needs to be done and my wife and daughter are visiting grandparents abroad....
I have purchased a Gripping Beast saga army The Sub Roman Brits and a Dark Age box but what ruleset would you recommend? I have the Osprey set by Dan Mersey (not opened it yet) but have looked at saga and Dux Britanniarum by the Too fat lardies, are there any others to consider? Hail Ceasar would be too big I think as I play solo.
I look forward to any suggestions or tips you may have as this is a new period to me. Indeed the fun has almost started as I begin a few buildings this afternoon.
-
Large games or skirmish?
-
If you are looking at a skirmish game then I recommend Dux Brit by the Too Fat Lardies, not least because the game allows, even encourages, a campaign system.
-
I will be playing solo mostly so it would be skirmish... I do like the idea of the campaign. I don't know much about the mechanics though
-
Dux solo works well as it is card driven
-
Another vote for Dux Britanniarum. However, don't discard using Saga either. Actually, you can use both indistinctly. I know I do.
-
Funny, I feel Dux doesn't work so well solo because of the the cards. It is a hand building exercise and knowing each sides hand, for me at least, just doesn't work. I think the randomness of activation in Lions Rampant (with the dark age modifications that can be found) works quite well.
-
I have not seen an adaption for Lion Rampant. Its a great game. I don't think I want to be messing around with a lot of cards or boards. Does anyone use Dan Merseys ruleset?
-
Dan's modifications for Dark Ages:
http://merseybooks.blogspot.com/search/label/lion%20rampant
Dux Bellorum is not a bad game. I have played a few games of this solo without problems.
-
Better link to the mods
http://merseybooks.blogspot.com/2016/01/landwasters-and-raven-feeders-official.html (http://merseybooks.blogspot.com/2016/01/landwasters-and-raven-feeders-official.html)
-
Dux Bellorum 8)
-
Thanks for the link Nord this will be very useful. Dux seems to be getting approval. Thanks for the help Guys
-
The Dux Rampant forum is the site for all things Dan Mersey. There are a lot of discussions about the official rules, house rules, period variants and more.
When playing solo I made up cards for terrain so I could generate a random table. I also find I identify with one side more than the other and so have a randomised/blinded deployment of the "other side" which, to counter any bias is given more points than "my" side.
Otherwise, the activation system does a good job of having a fog of war even when playing against yourself.
-
Dux Britanniarum or Lion Rampant with the Dark Ages modifications available on Dan's site would get my votes.
-
Dux Britanniarum or Lion Rampant with the Dark Ages modifications available on Dan's site would get my votes.
Wot he said.
They are both really skirmish rules, but I've also found Sword and Spear works well for larger battles of shieldwall-type armies.
-
Skirmish is as usual understood here as : small warband. Now if you are also into real individual skirmish clashes, nothing compares with Blood Eagle to me, for the time being at least. You can easily adapt the Viking context to earlier Arthurian.
-
Nobody has mentioned Saga yet. Great game which also works well solo (no hidden information).
-
Nobody has mentioned Saga yet. Great game which also works well solo (no hidden information).
I have! Nobody pays me any attention! :'( :'(
-
I’d suggest taking a look at the free Medieval rules by Ral Partha, ‘Rules By Ral:’
http://www.angelfire.com/games3/jacksongamers03/rulesral.htm
They were printed in, ‘The Courier,’ many years ago.
-
I don't have any experience playing the game but I have read that Swordpoint is supposed to have great mechanisms for command and control in scrum of larger Early Medieval battles (re: Dark Ages), allowing for melee last longer rather then the charge, hit, combat someone legs it type of thing.....
-
Don't overlook Dux Bellorum. It's not technically a skirmish game, but armies can be pretty small. My Irish army is very useable and only has five units in it most of the time.
-
Thanks for the suggestions Guys. Good to hear of others playing solo as well! I will certainly look at the free Ral rules link, thank you.
My figures arrived whilst I was at work today so they will be in my mitts tomorrow. I do like the idea of the Lardies map...
Thanks again for the suggestions
-
;D Love me some Dark Age Skirmish!
-
Well my box of Gripping Beast Sub Roman Warband arrived the other day-very quick delivery so I will make a start. I also ordered some shield transfers... maybe the box of generic spearmen next.
Has anyone played the Lardies game? I have found a youtube video and the game looks very interesting but no reviews as yet. I would really like to know a little more before I buy as...well I am thrifty.
Thanks in advance.
-
It's a very messy read it needs a re-edit, but it's a great game. Small number of figures needed, very scenario story driven.
Try the Lardies forum or the FB group.
-
Yeah, what he said. There's a decent game in there, especially the scenarios and campaign, but it's very jumbled and explained poorly and disjointedly. If you can get your head round it, it's really quite simple and quite fun.
-
Thanks Guys I never knew they had a group so will join that one. Progress on the figures is being made.
-
Redzed is absolutely right. I would also add that once you get a hang of it, Dux Britanniarum is quite an intuitive game. It also has a very manageable rate of army growth for the slow/busy painter. Two or so models at a go most times.
In terms of figure count, I would rank the following Dark Age games thus:
Dux Britanniarum > SAGA > Dux Bellorum > Lion Rampant (Land Waster and Raven something)
In my own Dark Age hobbying I've worked my way successively up through these rulesets as a means to incrementally build my collection. Of course, I've bought far more than I can paint! ;D
It's a very messy read it needs a re-edit, but it's a great game. Small number of figures needed, very scenario story driven.
Try the Lardies forum or the FB group.
-
My group has yet to be disappointed with a game of Saga. Design your own scenarios and it works brilliantly. First Ed is better than second, in my opinion, but both are fantastic
-
Thanks Chaps, a lot to think about, I will keep painting and just hang fire with the rules purchase.