Anyone Played/Thoughts on Achtung Cthulhu

[PhineusPhule]

As the title says anyone have experience with this?I've been looking for a good weird war type game to get into for a number of years. Started with Tannhauser, tried Dust board and table top games, and my favorite to date has been the Incursion board game. None of them have really scratched that itch of a weird war game that leans more supernatural rather than mad science. Played Spartan's Dystopian Legions so have experience with that and understand Achtung uses a modified version of that ruleset. Have looked at Konflikt '47 but again seems more mad science and not enough horror. Can't find any video play throughs online so was hoping someone could offer some insight.

[Ballardian]

 I've played a few games of AC Skirmish & think it's pretty decent - if you know the DL ruleset you'll understand the basic gist of the rules - it'll give you a slightly smaller than platoon sized game (just like DL). The ruleset is also available quite cheaply (the 'Commander's Set') - so not too bad if you were to decide you didn't like it.
 I would also put a word in for Secrets Of The Third Reich - while there's a greater emphasis on super-science, it's very flexible & certainly includes many monster units (zombies, were-wolves/bears, vampires, golems etc.) If you liked the Incursion universe it's worth a look.

[Giger]

I have the AC rules but haven't given them a try yet but I can vouch for SOTR which is very enjoyable and can include a lot of horror based miniatures (my Germans have vampires, werewolves and the like and I'm looking to expand to some Lovecraft inspried minis from AC).

[DeltaBlue]

For the setting of weird war/WW2 occult IMO Achtung Cthulhu is one of the best sources.
True I’ve only ran and played the RPG version with and without miniatures, I can’t speak to the skirmish game.

However, if you wanted skirmish games rules you easily convert to AC “ in her majesty’s name”,  is one  a set of VSF/Steampunk rules but are very simple and quick and the rules  have a horror supplement, and has rules for the creation of factions, powers and weapons.   
And “This Is Not A Test” which is a post-apoc/fallout, setting  but again good set of skirmish games rules and a lot of stuff from the equipment and mutations/psychic powers can be convert to horror

[LeadAsbestos]

Try Dracula's America for rules. Probably the best system I've ever played. You'll need to do the.factions yourself obviously, but the.system is excellent.

[robh]

This previous discussion on ideas for Weird Vietnam games may give you some ideas:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=106210.0

[Andrew_McGuire]

I've been wondering about this myself, particularly because of the Lovecraftian setting. Some of the miniatures appeal to me, though I don't know how close the representation of the creatures is to Lovecraft's descriptions. Having read all of the responses, I'm not much wiser. I can't find any sign of a 'Commander's Set' ; there is a boxed starter set with miniatures (Rise of the Back Sun) at around £90, and the ACHTUNG CTHULHU SKIRMISH: CORE RULEBOOK, presumably included in the boxed set. I know nothing of Dystopian Legions, so have no idea what the system is like. Some clarifications would be appreciated.

[Ballardian]

 Hi Andrew, the Commander's Set is available direct from directly from Modiphius (modiphius.net/collections/achtung-cthulhu/achtung-cthulhu-skirmish) for twenty-five quid & contains the rulebook, dice & cards needed for the game.
 You can also download a PDF of the rules for free from the same site - that'll probably answer your questions better than I. The game currently keeps to smaller Lovecraftian gribblies (no Cthulhu here) like Servitors of Nyarlathotep, Deep Ones & Nightgaunts but also includes creatures more indirectly linked to the mythos - like Draugr (essentially zombies). Games include a mix of fairly straightforward WWII combat & spellcasting & with a fairly low figure count should take about 90 minutes - hope thats of some use

[Andrew_McGuire]

Thank you, Mr Ballardian. Your suggested route of exploration appears sound, and may save my sanity a little longer while I wrestle with this and other unfathomable mysteries.

[Andrew_McGuire]

A further point occurs to me, as they are liable to do. I realise that there is a separate board for Cthulhu-themed games, which I frequent on occasion, but as we're discussing Achtung Cthulhu! some crossover and widening of the envelope seems reasonable for the moment. I hope I may therefore be forgiven for throwing the discussion a little wider, and requesting comparisons with Strange Aeons,. As far as I'm aware - which is, quite obviously, pitifully little - this is the only other Lovecraft Universe-themed miniatures game. (I realise of course that the mythos creatures can easily be incorporated into games using more generic horror / pulp rules, but the specialised nature of these two rule systems seems to make the restriction a reasonable one.)

I am, of course, open to correction as well as enlightenment. Any contributions will be appreciated.

[Ballardian]

 Re: Strange Aeons & ACS - They're really pretty different, SA is (an excellent) skirmish game with a very small figure count (if you're playing Threshold - the 'good guys', you're probably only using three minis. The 'bad guys' here are Lurkers & your opponent simply picks to the same points level - though may well have more models on the table). AC is a platoon level game, 20+ models a side & possibly vehicles (though like Bolt Action, K'47, Secrets of the Third Reich etc. they're points heavy so you'll probably field only one or two).
 In SA your characters will improve with each victory, gaining skills & equipment (do-able due, once again, to that low model count) - there's no character growth in ACS - like most games of its type, but it's none the worse for it - they're just different approaches.
 SA is open to being set at a variety of different times - the rules aren't too dogmatic in that respect despite the 1920's setting of the material , so if you wander through the appropriate section of the forum you'll that find many players (myself included) set our games in WWII.
 Both are good games - if quite different in terms of gameplay

[Andrew_McGuire]

Thank you again. That's very helpful. The solution, as is so common, would appear to be to get both...