WHAA versus SoBH Smackdown!

[Ruarigh]

Well, maybe it's not really a smackdown but I have updated my blog with some notes on our first Song of Blades and Heroes game and also my partially coherent thoughts on how Warrior Heroes: Armies and Adventures compares with Song of Blades and Heroes.
http://ooh-shiny-complex.blogspot.com/

It is an interesting comparison to make because both games attempt to reduce the 200' general's control of the battlefield but both use different mechanisms to achieve the same end. I hope this is of interest.

Cheers,
Ruarigh

[Luckyjoe]

Thanks for the comparison of the two systems. I have both and have not played either, yet, so I was glad for the information. One question I had was regarding play time. Which game plays faster? From reading the rules of both it looked like WHAA would take longer to play? Was that your experience?

I've also enjoyed the battle reports. I noticed you used some WorldWorks Games terrrain in your pictures. You should link your pics into the WorldWorks Games forums, I'm sure people there would be interested.

Luckyjoe

[Ruarigh]

Hi,

I really should link to WWG but I always figure my builds are too basic to be of any real interest.

Playing time for both games is similar, given similar numbers of figures, I think. Our SoBH game took about 45 minutes, while the last WHAA game also took about 45 minutes in total. I suspect that WHAA does take slightly longer per figure to play out, but we can still play a couple of games in an evening and have time to socialise and drink beer. I think that with practice we might get a standard 300 point game of SoBH down to about 30 minutes playing time but that might be a little optimistic.

Cheers,
Ruarigh

[Rich J]

I happily play both ... I am a THW fiend and have been for years but SOBH has taken our club by storm as not every one can cope with the whole THW reaction loss of control.

Different games but both excellent :-)

[Ruarigh]

not every one can cope with the whole THW reaction loss of control.

Based on my Q rolls in our SoBH game, I reckon that SoBH creates just as much loss of control.

Different games but both excellent :-)

I would agree with that assessment. I have enjoyed both and shall be playing them again.

[Rich J]

Hi
What I meant about the THW 'loss of control' was more to do with the mechanics of the reaction tests rather than the results ... for some unknown reason my local group of very experienced gamers and playtesters can't handle the reaction tests in player v. player games ... in single side games with someone telling them what to roll and the outcome they love it ... put them against a real opponent and they hate it ... wargamers !!!!!

However they love the fact you can fail to do what you like with SOBH ... I think it is the fact you just fail to act rather than being FORCED to act in a way you don't want to :-)

[Ruarigh]

Ah, now I understand. That is a good point really. WHAA does not have the same level of loss of control as some earlier THW systems, but it is there. I actually like that side of things. It reminds me of the reactions we used to get when playing the full version of Once Upon A Time In The West. That was good fun, but it took us ages to work up to the full game, whereas the THW games are really easy to pick up.