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Miniatures Adventure => Post-Apocalyptic Tales => Topic started by: Mr. White on January 27, 2023, 05:31:28 PM

Title: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Mr. White on January 27, 2023, 05:31:28 PM
There was a recent announcement of another post apocalyptic ruleset. I'm not familiar with any of the authors. Thoughts on this so far?

https://ospreypublishing.com/us/doomed-9781472854254/
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: TheDaR on January 28, 2023, 07:35:34 AM
There was a recent announcement of another post apocalyptic ruleset. I'm not familiar with any of the authors. Thoughts on this so far?

Chris McDowell has been primarily an RPG author up until now.  He's most famous for his Into the Odd/Electric Bastionland books, which are an interesting extremely minimalist take on D&D type games.  This carries over into his other works, and he's got a pretty keen eye for boiling a game down to the very minimum core necessary to convey his vision.

I watched Doomed go from initial playtest (where it started as "Grimlite", a minimal take on Necromunda), and then slowly developed the current more survival-horror sort of theme.  It's pretty heavily narrative and light on crunchy mechanics.  There's a lot of cleaving toward cooperative interpretation of the rules, more like an RPG than a boardgame.

Mechanics tend somewhat towards A Song of Blade and Heroes, with most units having single primary rating (Quality) plus some additional extra per-model or per-weapon special keyword rules, and then rolling to activate for attempting various action types.  Somewhat like Crossfire, there's no measuring of distances, movement is a straight line until you hit some other terrain or something stops you like coming within attack range of an enemy, likewise range for missile weapons is just line of sight.

There's a lot of emphasis on the mix and match of the particular Horror you're facing off against plus the "scene" (the battlefield layout, objectives for the board, etc).  There's plenty of advice on how to create your own horrors or reskin the default factions and horrors.

It's an interesting little game if you're willing to give a try to something a bit more narrative in your skirmishing.  If you're looking for a tournament ruleset with the promise of a ton of future expansion content, it's probably a pass.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: mikedemana on January 28, 2023, 03:39:43 PM
Great review! Thank you...

Mike Demana
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: zemjw on February 03, 2023, 11:50:10 AM
From the Amazon pre-release page (probably Osprey as well, I couldn't be bothered fighting the cookies to find out  :-X)

Quote
A quick-playing, rules-light skirmish wargame of Horror hunting set in a bleak sci-fi world on the brink of impending doom.

Hunger, Hatred, Domination, Oblivion, and Ruin. The world is dying, poised on the brink of falling to one of these great dooms. Factions pursue their own interests, as likely to be the heralds of the world's destruction as they are its saviours. Horrors - monstrous abominations that defy logic, science, and nature - roam the land. Bands of hunters follow bold leaders, seeking out and destroying Horrors, gaining fame as word of their deeds spreads amongst the desperate survivors. Rival bands compete for prestige, clash over ideology, and pose as much of a threat to each other as the Horrors they hunt.

The Doomed is a quick-playing, rules-light skirmish wargame in which small warbands of hunters compete to hunt unique Horrors in a bleak sci-fi world. Scenarios are defined by the Horror being hunted and by the Conflict in which the hunt takes place. Each Horror has its own strengths, weaknesses, and tactics, often breaking the rules in unique ways, and must be approached carefully - stealth, cunning, and brute force will all have a role to play. Each Conflict, meanwhile, provides a distinct set-up for the scenario and a secondary objective that pits the warbands against each other as well as against the Horror. Campaigns build towards a climax, with hunters gaining prestige and renown, offering access to new, unique options for their warband. In the background, the five dooms also grow in power, threatening to deliver their own climax to the campaign if the hunters are not successful enough.

Looks like it could be interesting. On the downside, it's another 176 page hardback costing £25.00 :(
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: robh on August 07, 2023, 06:35:38 PM
It is available now from the usual outlets, including Osprey themselves.

Chris still has the original version of the rules and scenarios for download on his blog:
https://www.bastionland.com/search/label/GRIMLITE (https://www.bastionland.com/search/label/GRIMLITE)

Does not cover everything in the published version but should give an idea on what to expect.  It is a very cool little ruleset and a perfect game for creative figure converters/scratchbuilders.
Just get a bunch of different big monster type things for the bosses and go hunting. Very cheap options on loose plastic boardgame figures off eBay.

As mentioned Grimlite is its earlier title, there was a version prior to that as well but I forget the name of that iteration (was more PvP rather than PvScenario)
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on August 11, 2023, 06:28:27 PM
Our gracious host had it on special for preorders.

The review above covers it quite well.

I have built a warband from the recently released Scavengers with heads from the Mercenaries sprue.
Not really sure about other warbands (until the Wargames Atllantic's Damned turn up).

Horrors are a bit more difficult, there are probably some Great Womble plastics that might be suitable if costly.

I am looking at some Crooked Dice Shoggoths and protoplasmic horrors as one option.

North Star Chronohounds are another one (or three).
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on August 11, 2023, 07:01:30 PM
I got hold of it last week - a lovely-looking book with lots of kitbashes and painting by Blasphemia Blackwood of this parish. The game looks lots of fun, and the author reprises his terrific Into the Odd trick of giving you just enough detail to fire the imagination.

For horrors, I reckon there's lots of potential in some of the chunkier Reaper Bones monsters (some, like the Bathalians, will work well without conversion). I'm also looking at kitbashing things like the Mantic sci-fi rat-ogres, GW and Wargames Atlantic giant spiders, and tyranids and genestealers.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on August 12, 2023, 08:32:46 PM
Mantic has some interesting items.

The Mind Screech (Nightmares) has a definite Angel look.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_in_Neon_Genesis_Evangelion (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_in_Neon_Genesis_Evangelion)

The Abyssal Dwarf Charnox also would work.

Not sure what to use for minions and nexus.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Reboot Guillotine on August 13, 2023, 04:38:19 AM
This sounds like it might be a great opportunity to use models from CMON's The Others and Death May Die.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on August 13, 2023, 12:40:14 PM
This sounds like it might be a great opportunity to use models from CMON's The Others and Death May Die.

Yes - board games are a fertile source for this. I was having a look through a box of Reaper and boardgames miniatures and noted that the elementals from Descent 2nd edition would work well for at least a couple of the horrors. I've already converted a Descent ettin to be a two-headed ork thing, and he'll work well for one or two as well. Tyranid hormagaunts will do as the twin leapers - and as minions for some of the other horrors.

Mantic has some interesting items.

The Mind Screech (Nightmares) has a definite Angel look.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_in_Neon_Genesis_Evangelion (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_in_Neon_Genesis_Evangelion)

The Abyssal Dwarf Charnox also would work.

Not sure what to use for minions and nexus.

Yeah, there's loads of weird stuff in the Mantic catalogue - and there are now hard-plastic Nightstalker sprues, which are perfect horrors.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on August 13, 2023, 07:22:11 PM
Yeah, there's loads of weird stuff in the Mantic catalogue - and there are now hard-plastic Nightstalker sprues, which are perfect horrors.
Definitely, especially for Forsaken.

Crooked Dice' The Weed and The Fungoids (not a popular beat combo) are another combination.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: 3Fingers2 on September 16, 2023, 10:12:42 AM
I have seen some interesting conversions of adding skittari heads and equipment to Cawdor bodies which is the route I would of gone if I done this , but I think I would of used the Cawdor weapons with maybe a skittarri one reserved for the band leader ?
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: NickNascati on September 17, 2023, 01:37:31 AM
Osprey already has Zona Alfa, which is a great game. Why create another one in the same genre?
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: carlos marighela on September 17, 2023, 11:29:52 AM
Osprey already has Zona Alfa, which is a great game. Why create another one in the same genre?


$$$$$$,£££££££££££££££,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€,$$$$$$$$$ That's why.

Rules lite, 176 pages and twenty five quid. What a bargain!
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on September 17, 2023, 01:57:29 PM
Osprey already has Zona Alfa, which is a great game. Why create another one in the same genre?

The Doomed isn't remotely in the same genre as Zona Alfa. It's not 'post-apocalyptic' in the conventional sense - the background is only hinted at, but it's set on some far-flung planet haunted by (possibly) Lovecraftian horrors. It's a science-fantasy game; the 'apocalypse' is whatever has allowed the supernatural entities into the world.

Rules lite, 176 pages and twenty five quid. What a bargain!

Having paid for it, I'd say it's a pretty good deal. The rules are simple and take up only a few pages, but the bulk of the book is scenario content: the 36 horrors, each of which have different behaviours and - in most cases - minions; and the 36 'conflicts' (objectives). These are typically combined, so you get a huge number of potential set-ups. There's also what looks like a fairly robust campaign system.

I've really enjoyed it so far: I think the scenario-heavy content is a refreshing change from the many, many games in which the rules are the main deal and the scenarios are bland afterthoughts. And the set-up, with players competing against each other but also having to cooperate against the horror, is interesting in itself.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on September 17, 2023, 09:32:28 PM
The Doomed isn't remotely in the same genre as Zona Alfa.
Definitely agree, Zona Alfa is a lot more serious (but fun).

The Doomed is very over the top, the big boss monster is an opportunity to build your own horror.

The rules are light, but the scenarios make up for it. They look like they will play well solo as well.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Mr. White on September 17, 2023, 09:53:48 PM
Does this game work with "near future" post-apoc minis... like in Mad Max or Zona Alfa...or is it more far-future post-apoc?
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on September 17, 2023, 10:34:38 PM
Does this game work with "near future" post-apoc minis... like in Mad Max or Zona Alfa...or is it more far-future post-apoc?

You could play it with pretty much anything. This is the entirety of the background:

"We are a forgotten world.

The Company came with their ships and guns, then abandoned us.

Only the doomed and the horrors remain."

Warbands come in four flavours: essentially, humans, cyborgs, mutants and aliens (though none of them are explicitly described in those terms). Weapons have descriptive names like "piercer", "dread glaive" and "thunder hammer" (there are lots of melee options). So you could easily stat up a post-apocalyptic warband; equally, you could stat up a group of space orks or space marines or a Stargrave crew.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on September 17, 2023, 10:40:24 PM
The author provides a pretty good summary here:

https://ospreypublishing.com/uk/osprey-blog/2023/a-doomed-world/ (https://ospreypublishing.com/uk/osprey-blog/2023/a-doomed-world/)
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Mr. White on September 17, 2023, 11:52:06 PM
What’s the table size? Can this play on a ~2’x3’?
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on September 18, 2023, 07:44:15 AM
Yes - the recommended sizes are 2' or 3' square.

You could certainly play it on a bigger table: the main thing is to have enough terrain so that there aren't 'corridors' across the table. Like Rogue Planet, it's a game with measureless movement - so it needs lots and lots of terrain to break things up.

(It does occur to me that this thread should really be on the sci-fi board, as the game is much closer to Rogue Planet, Mutants and Death Ray Guns and grimdark 40K-ish games than conventional post-apocalyptic games.)
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Munindk on September 18, 2023, 08:11:03 AM
...it's a game with measureless movement...
How does that work?
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on September 18, 2023, 09:36:56 AM
How does that work?

It's like most of those measureless games (e.g. Rogue Planet and a WW2 one - Crossfire?): you can move a figure any distance in a straight line until it hits terrain.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Mr. White on September 18, 2023, 12:49:00 PM
Yeah, looking over the four factions this appears more sci-fi than the traditional near future post-apoc usually discussed here.

I like the sound of the simplicity of the rules, but not sure my post-apoc models fit any of these gonzo factions. Can those factions be ignored?
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: zemjw on September 18, 2023, 01:12:13 PM
I cannot make up my mind about this game o_o

I was looking forward to it, but the article from the designer in Wargames Illustrated put me off. The kitbashes have also been pushing me away from it, as they have gone down the Blanshitsu(sp)/Turnip route, neither of which appeal to me aesthetically,

Lovecraftian Horror does appeal, but I'm not sure that's enough to prise open my wallet. I have enough on my plate just now that it's failry easy to ignore it, but I reserve the right to change my mind at some point lol
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Mr. White on September 18, 2023, 01:58:51 PM
I cannot make up my mind about this game o_o

I was looking forward to it, but the article from the designer in Wargames Illustrated put me off.

As another one kinda interested, what about the article put you off? I haven’t read it… I don’t think. Was it just the aesthetic or is there more.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on September 18, 2023, 02:02:17 PM
Yeah, looking over the four factions this appears more sci-fi than the traditional near future post-apoc usually discussed here.

I like the sound of the simplicity of the rules, but not sure my post-apoc models fit any of these gonzo factions. Can those factions be ignored?

The factions are just lists - the descriptions are vague and evocative, and not specific. So you could use just about anything. I wouldn't bother trying to mix and match from the lists: you can easily fit a band of models into any one of the lists.

For example, a 'blaster' could be a sub-machine gun or some sort of sci-fi weapon; a 'piercer' could be a bow, a crossbow, a needle gun or a laser gun. or just about anything else. 'Claws' could be a pair of knives (or one knife), and so on.


In our games, we've used a group of Stargrave troopers led by a space marine as the Inheritor Courts, and a bunch of kitbashed weirdos as a Warped Coven.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Gunbird on September 18, 2023, 02:07:57 PM
I cannot make up my mind about this game o_o

I was looking forward to it, but the article from the designer in Wargames Illustrated put me off. The kitbashes have also been pushing me away from it, as they have gone down the Blanshitsu(sp)/Turnip route, neither of which appeal to me aesthetically,

Lovecraftian Horror does appeal, but I'm not sure that's enough to prise open my wallet. I have enough on my plate just now that it's failry easy to ignore it, but I reserve the right to change my mind at some point lol

Same feeling, went from Must have to Nah after that. And it's not like I don't have anything else to do....
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: zemjw on September 18, 2023, 02:17:30 PM
As another one kinda interested, what about the article out you off? I haven’t read it… I don’t think. Was it just the aesthetic or is there more.

I have (unusually for me) been tidy and thrown the magazine out :-[ From what I remember, it was little things. The background didn't do it for me, just a bit too vague. I complain when things are too specific as well, but I just felt it lacked a context, something to hang a game on. Aliens left the whole world in a big mess was just too little, and largely without any hope to fix things.

The design and artwork definitely put me off, just too Blanchitsu (checked how to spell it this time) and Grim Dark.

It just felt like he'd had an idea and made a game from it, but I couldn't see anything that really appealed to me. I know that's a bit hand-wavey, but there are some games I can see a use for and some I can't, and this one fell into the latter category for me :(
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on September 18, 2023, 05:00:10 PM
I'm the complete opposite! For me, the (very) lightly sketched background is a real attraction. The tiny bits of description that the book gives you are just spurs for the imagination, which can send you down all sorts of interesting and kitbashing rabbit holes. I much prefer that to any amount of 'lore' (I thought Mantic's decision to sell a KoW rulebook without any of the 'fluff' was a masterstroke - it means I never have to read it!).

I'd say the real attraction, though, is the gameplay. Although all the monsters/NPCs follow a simple, standard 'AI' procedure, each of the 36 horrors has its own response table (what it does at the end of a turn) and a set of behaviours as each of its 'nexuses' (links to the real world) is destroyed. And these are all quite different from each other.

For example, some nexuses are just passive targets (they need to be destroyed before the horror can be harmed). Others are active and dangerous gun turrets!

And then you have the 36 conflicts layered on top of that. So you've got 1,296 different scenarios, each with much more detail than you normally get in a skirmish game.

Also, you don't have to play with horrors - you can just play it as a straight one-on-one game. But I think the horrors, their minions and their nexuses add a lot to it.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on September 18, 2023, 08:23:23 PM
My first warband:
Inheritor Courts
Sheriff + Slugger + Maul

Pathfinder+Slugger+Maul

Champion+Ancestral Blade+Slugger

Legionnaire + Thunder gun

The figures are Stargrave Scavengers with Merc helmets and assorted arms. The sluggers are actually the grenade launchers (and the maul hand is a repurposed grenade arm). The Ancestral Blade is from the Frosrgrave Soldiers sprue.

I might swap the judge and the Champion figures.

I need to get some photographs of them.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: ced1106 on September 18, 2023, 10:40:34 PM
> How does that work?

Make a quality check (?). If you succeed, you continue until you hit something. If you fail, your opponent moves you *up to* that distance (between your start and end points). Oh, look. He moved you into his unit's LOS. Fancy that. :D

> I cannot make up my mind about this game

A link to the WIP was posted so you can see the actual rules, many scenarios, and even between-scenario encounters. Can't do better than that.

> For me, the (very) lightly sketched background is a real attraction.

After going through the rules and scenarios, I also find it easy to scrape off the serial numbers (and you won't need to kitbash despite the hype, just find a weapon that has similar abilities). One of the factions even reveres medieval technology, though not to the point of spellcasters. You'd still want the Horrors and likely faction stats. Range is LOS, and I'm not seeing rules for one-shot items, so spellcasting, psionics, potions, grenades would need house rules? The point system is simple -- one point, two points for better, and a point for any special abilities. And that's it -- no rabbit hole of trying to accurately simulate how a particular weapon would work. Good for solo, though obviously not so good when you're playing with That Guy.

Don't expect to get to the rules until after this Lasting Tales campaign, but I've already painted my Battle Systems First Born terrain, and have their Shantytown to build. Plus I have some GW gothic buildings. Oh, hey maybe I'll paint those two boxes of Sedition Wars after all... :P
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on September 19, 2023, 09:26:01 AM
We played another game last night. This one was quite different from the last, in that we managed to take out the nexuses in the first turn, so there were far fewer minions involved (we got just one on the table). And then the horror was killed with a lucky reaction shot in the third turn.

One thing we'd missed earlier was that units gain a bonus to Move activations (only your first is automatic) if they can see their leader. That's one of the many tactical elements in a deceptively simple game. There's quite a lot to consider with the order of activations because certain leaders can coax Free Actions out of Readied (i.e. unactivated) followers. And, as ced1106 says above, there's lots of fun to be had with your opponent's failed activations.

I agree entirely with ced1106 on 'scraping off the serial numbers'. A friend of mine has a Mordheim witchfinder warband ready to go; I suspect our first game with it will be a game of The Doomed, because the witchfinders will fit right in as Inheritors.

With both melee and ranged weapons, the key distinction is in the number of dice you roll and the amount of damage each die does. So you have weapons that hit easily but give you just one chance of a wound, and weapons that are all or nothing but cause a lot of damage when they hit. That means reskinning is very simple. A 'blaster' could be skilled use of a bow or a spell or whatever. And there are lots of melee options.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Vanvlak on September 19, 2023, 04:40:03 PM
I'd forgotten I bought this a couple of weeks ago, and almost bought it again!
The terrain I'm working on  (https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=142747.msg1821352#msg1821352 (https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=142747.msg1821352#msg1821352)) is very different compared to the pics in the book - but the dimensions are (almost) just right, and the expected clutter of stuff is there.
I also have a band of AT-43 Therians which might work as a Martyr retinue, although I am very tempted to kitbash a more esoteric band. 
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on September 19, 2023, 05:12:21 PM
That looks a great set-up (presumably, with lots of internal clutter added)!
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Vanvlak on September 19, 2023, 05:24:11 PM
That looks a great set-up (presumably, with lots of internal clutter added)!
That's the plan - although I intend to build it as a spaceship carrier (with ships and parts serving as clutter - useful, if not quite in line with the Doomed setting), everything will be removable, and an alternative version will have tools, machinery, containers etc. in the way; a third plan is to have structures in the central open spaces, built in the abandoned structure by someone arriving there after it was abandoned :D
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on September 19, 2023, 06:16:13 PM
I'd forgotten I bought this a couple of weeks ago, and almost bought it again!
Oops (nearly).
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on September 19, 2023, 10:29:53 PM
Inheritor Court Warband.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qAR7sCNU6aAXNdkUf_sTg_xYZ_Akar9jXthXeCgbIZsEobj1hA2KeMxsSo6rcCJ81HIzah6mafLe5unSPMBkPOUFzhoihLguRlLYyeNTKQe3mUJsmeHlWFlTSBYpeFwActMQP7jcUEqGIWknWa5SIJ-ncyNaHszVTP8HeR3CRuRzTAxxtUtRhVyLynM6/s1000/the-doomed--band-1-5.png)
North Star Scavengers with Mercenary Heads and Frostgrave Soldier big sword.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on September 19, 2023, 11:47:50 PM
Those look terrific! The guy with the sword is especially good.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: 3Fingers2 on September 20, 2023, 12:43:35 PM
Love the look of those
With the low tech melee weapons and non strict background this could possibly used as a vsf planet being abandoned or even a medieval /black powder era with cthulhu gribblies ?
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on September 20, 2023, 01:37:50 PM
With the low tech melee weapons and non strict background this could possibly used as a vsf planet being abandoned or even a medieval /black powder era with cthulhu gribblies ?

Yes, definitely. It would be perfect for either of those set-ups. The weapon types could even be interpreted as 'fighting styles' or 'combat' skills rather than specific bits of kit (one swordsman hits seldom but hits hard; another hits often but lightly, and so on).
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Vanvlak on September 20, 2023, 04:17:17 PM
Oops (nearly).
Yes, I was THAT close  :o
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Vanvlak on September 20, 2023, 04:18:32 PM
Inheritor Court Warband.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qAR7sCNU6aAXNdkUf_sTg_xYZ_Akar9jXthXeCgbIZsEobj1hA2KeMxsSo6rcCJ81HIzah6mafLe5unSPMBkPOUFzhoihLguRlLYyeNTKQe3mUJsmeHlWFlTSBYpeFwActMQP7jcUEqGIWknWa5SIJ-ncyNaHszVTP8HeR3CRuRzTAxxtUtRhVyLynM6/s1000/the-doomed--band-1-5.png)
North Star Scavengers with Mercenary Heads and Frostgrave Soldier big sword.
Nice lot, they give the right sort of vibe, I think  8)
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on September 20, 2023, 08:42:33 PM
For other warbands I am wondering what to use.

I have thought about Wargames Atlantic's Cannon Fodder with the mechanical hands from the upgrade sprue. I think there are some cyborg heads in the Stargrave sets.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on September 20, 2023, 10:03:57 PM
For Exiles, I've got a converted Skaven almost finished, along with some demon/snakeman kitbashes.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Flinty on September 24, 2023, 12:43:50 PM
Quote
With the low tech melee weapons and non strict background this could possibly used as a vsf planet being abandoned or even a medieval /black powder era with cthulhu gribblies ?

The main reason I just bought this was the flexibility of the system- the Designers opening statement is explicit on the system being a ''source of inspiration rather than a restrictive set of laws''.

The template for the given factions (with a rather neat idea of a visual theme for each one)  are easily translatable into whatever setting / faction you fancy. The basic game mechanics are all there, with the interesting bit (to me) being a way of making each of the 35 listed Horrors deploy and act (and are supported by minions) in a way that makes them distinct without being overly samey.

Not only does this do the basic work for me, but allows me to tweak to my hearts content to fit it into whatever setting I want.

For example, I play Zone Alfa with the Spectre Operations combat system and randomised card activations. I can now use the Doomed to make the zone hostiles more flavourful, react in more meaningful ways reflecting their abilities, and add a bit more interest/challenge using the nexus system. A rat swarm can be just that, or perhaps the next one will be something more challenging. I've  been mashing systems together for years in an attempt to make a better/perfect (for me) Mordhiem  - this will be hugely applicable here.

Basically, if you like narrative gaming, this is a better than most springboard, whilst still being a neat game in its own right.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: zemjw on September 25, 2023, 01:57:52 PM
Well, I caved and bought them. It hasn't been my most self-controlled of weeks, as I now also own a spaceship that was touted on another thread  ;D

I'm just glad this forum doesn't push crypto investments or timeshares lol

Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on September 26, 2023, 12:33:08 PM
I'm just glad this forum doesn't push crypto investments or timeshares lol
^__^
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Mr. White on January 27, 2024, 01:46:43 AM
I decided to give this title a chance as I was convinced I already had most of what’s needed painted up.

TBH, I’m surprised Osprey published this book in this state. This might be the most poorly edited set of rules I’ve purchased. Typos and grammar errors abound, sections repeated in their entirety, formatting issues, etc. After my first read through, I like the simplicity of the rules and look forward to getting in some games, but it wasn’t pleasant to read and figure out.

I’m going to have to reread how minions work and triple check the Horror’s behaviors and rules before starting.

As previously mentioned, the rules are brief. Very brief. This may have been the most Osprey bluebook friendly ruleset of all if they cut the number of Horrors and Conflicts down to fit that format.
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Hobgoblin on January 27, 2024, 07:55:14 AM

TBH, I’m surprised Osprey published this book in this state. This might be the most poorly edited set of rules I’ve purchased. Typos and grammar errors abound, sections repeated in their entirety, formatting issues, etc. After my first read through, I like the simplicity of the rules and look forward to getting in some games, but it wasn’t pleasant to read and figure out.

Yes - it's a book where the writing is very good - especially the evocative, minimalistic bits of flavour text - but the editing and proofing appear almost non-existent. Not the author's fault (lots of good writers rely on copy-editors to tidy things up), but a bit of a shame. I also noticed that certain singular horrors are it at one point in the text and they at an other, which makes things a bit confusing - especially as you have plenty of plural antecedents floating about with the nexuses and minions!

I'm not sure if there's been some change at Osprey that explains it, but I also noticed that Xenos Rampant had much poorer editing than the other Rampant books: there are quite a few run-on sentences/comma splices that the copy-editors should have zapped. I wonder if those crept in with the co-author, as Dan's self-published rules are much 'cleaner'. In any case, the editor should have sorted it out.

I’m going to have to reread how minions work and triple check the Horror’s behaviors and rules before starting.

On the plus side, the book does have two ribbon bookmarks, which are very handy for this. Pretty much all the rules for the minions and horrors are in their respective sections, so you just need a bookmark at the appropriate horror page (with the other at the wounds table, probably). That is really good rules publishing (which makes the copy-editing lapses all the odder).

As previously mentioned, the rules are brief. Very brief. This may have been the most Osprey bluebook friendly ruleset of all if they cut the number of Horrors and Conflicts down to fit that format.

Yes - but I'm glad that they went with the huge range of options. It makes the game very flavoursome. And it is a really good game, I think - especially at it so neatly sidesteps the curse of skirmish wargaming: the straight fight!
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: 3Fingers2 on January 27, 2024, 11:42:08 AM
I was tempted to give this a try , as you can really let your imagination run wild and I feel it could cover a wide range of settings  from medieval fantasy / witch hunters even Cthulhu up to a certain gothic sci fi ?
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: ced1106 on January 27, 2024, 12:31:56 PM
I was tempted to give this a try , as you can really let your imagination run wild and I feel it could cover a wide range of settings  from medieval fantasy / witch hunters even Cthulhu up to a certain gothic sci fi ?

You can get the previous digital version and try it out : https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gihGM6astiE-SYN9tuviNi3-0ZbMixMH

This version doesn't have all the scenarios, but looks like it has plenty of content!
Title: Re: Osprey's The Doomed
Post by: Mr. White on February 02, 2024, 02:50:09 PM
I'm struggling with the Horror/Minion actions. For example, looking at Horror 1-1, Devourer, I see a Response chart where Scavengers can appear or the Devourer takes a free action, but...when to the Scavengers or Devourer take a turn? pg 9 lists the actions an Unbound unit would take (Unbound = Horror and Minions), but _when_ do they take these actions?

I must be missing it, but with the editing in this book I can't be too sure it's included. :/