Osprey's The Doomed

[Flinty]

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.

[zemjw]

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 

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

[Ultravanillasmurf]

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

^__^

[Mr. White]

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.

[Hobgoblin]

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!

[3Fingers2]

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 ?

[ced1106]

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!

[Mr. White]

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. :/