Review: PULP!- Osprey Games

[Easy E]

My faithful readers know, that I always get the latest Osprey Wargaming Series books.  I have every single one, starting with #1 Dux Bellorum.  I also make it a point to get every single one that comes out.  Why?  Am I some sort of crazed fan?  A completist collector?  Addicted to wargames rules?  Well, maybe.... but the real reason is very simple.  If they do not sell, they stop being made. I want them to keep being made. 

Pulp! is the latest "blue book" and I of course have it!  In the books own words, the rules are "a scenario based, skirmish wargame where players take on the roles of heroes and villains inspired by the pulp fiction of the 1920's and 30's."  There are some great miniatures out there for this genre, and it is a popular niche for skirmish wargaming.  That means you can play characters like Doc Savage, The Shadow, Flash Gordon, and Dick Tracy.  The Pulp game has to be able to cover a wide variety from crime thrillers, to space opera, to horror, to historical fiction, and beyond.  That is a tall order for any game system to cover such a spectrum of potential game types.  I am interested to see how the game manages the abstractions. 

So, let's lead into this review with both fists swinging......



You can read the full review at the Blood and Spectacles blog here:
http://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2023/02/review-pulp-osprey-games.html

[Pattus Magnus]

Thanks for the review. I bought the rules and read them but haven’t played yet, but for whatever it is worth, my impressions are similar. It seems like it could give a fun game but there are some unexplained assumptions and missed opportunities (like lack of vehicle rules) that undermine my desire to put the rules to work.

[Mr. White]

I read an interview from the author of Pulp! in one of the recent Wargames Illustrated. I knew he was a board game reviewer of some renown, but tbh, I don't know how much experience he has with tabletop minis games. His answers in the article made it sound like he doesn't really care to use models when gaming (paraphrasing). I've read other commenters bury these rules. I wonder if the gaps you found are due to lack of experience with table top gaming experience, lack of care, or simple oversight?

[CapnJim]

Good review.  I reached very similar conclusions in my play-through and review. 

Not to (slightly) hijack Easy E's thread (sorry there, Easy E  ), you can read my battle report and review, along with a comparison between Pulp! and Fistful of Lead on pages 4-6 of my "CapnJim's Pulp Stuff" thread (after playing the same scenario with both rulesets), if you haven't already.

Anyway, great job, Easy E!

[Easy E]

I read an interview from the author of Pulp! in one of the recent Wargames Illustrated. I knew he was a board game reviewer of some renown, but tbh, I don't know how much experience he has with tabletop minis games. His answers in the article made it sound like he doesn't really care to use models when gaming (paraphrasing).

I wonder why on earth he decided to make a miniature based wargame if he doesn't even like miniature games? 

As for the Gaps, I think the word count may have caught up to him quicker than the author expected.  For example, he spills a lot of ink in the movement section, but it is poorly organized and a bit scattershot so takes up more space than needed in a confusing way.  There are other places as well where I felt like he did not use his space wisely. 

However, there are two good things I will take away from the game either way:

1. The idea that special rules are 1 use only, and you need to select them more than once for multiple uses.
2. The section about how to design a scenario was also useful

   

[CapnJim]

Yep - liked both of those too.  Except I don't think we pre-picked the special Special Actions in our game.  We only limited how many per game per unit, by Unit Class.  I guess I'll have to re-read that part...

[Codsticker]

I thought about buying these rules out of curiosity but I have a hard time believing they would supplant Pulp Alley, my currently preferred rule set.

[Easy E]

I may have misread or be misremembering the exact details of the Special Abilities as well. 




One advantage over Pulp Alley, is that you do not need a special deck of cards to play them.  However, that is also one of the best features about Pulp Alley too.  Unless of course, when you ordered the rules you did not order the deck of cards, then it is a sad.    

[Mick A]

A good review and I agree with your points. It's a shame as I was really looking forward to these rules as I love Pulp style games but having read through them a couple of times now they're just not for me. I'll stick with Pulp Alley for skirmish and Xenos Rampant for larger games.