Cthulhu skirmish with RAFM???

[rupshall]

Can anybody recommend a rule set to play a skirmish Cthulhu game using the RAFM models?

[revford]

It depends on the size of the forces involved and what they are.

For small sides with plenty of non-combat action, I'd go for .45 Adventure.  It's got good systems for doing a full range of adventuring, not just fighting.  Huge fun and works well with lots of players.  Games work well in a 2'x2' area, small tables seem to be better for this one.

If you are planning on bigger battles, 6 to 20 models a side, I'd try Legends of the Old West.  It's a cowboys game at it's core but has great mechanics for skirmish battles and seems to lend itself well to all kinds of eras.  This game works better on a slightly larger area, 4'x4' seems best, but you we have played on anything from 18"x2' to 6'x4' and had great fun.

These are the systems we use here for basically everything.

If you can tell us more about exactly the games you want to play, how big are the sides, how much space you have and if you want just a big fight or lots of general action and adventure we can help more.

[coggon]

FWIW, our group has plays .45 Adventure on a 4ft X 5ft table with 5 or six players and had no problems, just longer games as everyone jockeyed for position.  And since I am even slower at making terrain than I am at painting, it works out just fine ::

[rupshall]

It depends on the size of the forces involved and what they are.

For small sides with plenty of non-combat action, I'd go for .45 Adventure.  It's got good systems for doing a full range of adventuring, not just fighting.  Huge fun and works well with lots of players.  Games work well in a 2'x2' area, small tables seem to be better for this one.

If you are planning on bigger battles, 6 to 20 models a side, I'd try Legends of the Old West.  It's a cowboys game at it's core but has great mechanics for skirmish battles and seems to lend itself well to all kinds of eras.  This game works better on a slightly larger area, 4'x4' seems best, but you we have played on anything from 18"x2' to 6'x4' and had great fun.

These are the systems we use here for basically everything.

If you can tell us more about exactly the games you want to play, how big are the sides, how much space you have and if you want just a big fight or lots of general action and adventure we can help more.

I hadn't thought about it much ... maybe something with 5-10 models.  I just love the RAFM models and want an excuse to buy em all.  

Both option sound interesting, but how do you bring the "monsters" into either of these systems?  I can see both systems working well for humans in a Cthulhu setting, but I don't see how the Dunwich horror of the great Cthulhu would work with such rules?

[Rhoderic]

I suspect we'll see rules for big monsters in Rattrap's upcoming rulesets Fantastic Worlds and/or Broadsword Adventures, once they're released. They should transfer over well to .45 Adventure, but of course it's a bit of a wait.

If you're going to game the CoC mythos in miniature, I would suggest going for "survival" scenarios first and foremost. Ones where the characters just have to get out alive (and preferably sane, but that shouldn't always be a guarantee), not actually take on the horrors. A scenario with humans versus the big C would be pretty lopsided, regardless of what ruleset you're playing

[Operator5]

Both option sound interesting, but how do you bring the "monsters" into either of these systems?  I can see both systems working well for humans in a Cthulhu setting, but I don't see how the Dunwich horror of the great Cthulhu would work with such rules?

I'm back from vacation so I can jump in here.  

Adding big monsters is fairly easy for .45 Adventure, especially if you're willing to try things out yourself. A couple of suggestions, if you join the HLSS Yahoo Group, you will see that I have both a T-Rex and Kong stats posted. This will give you some idea on stats for a bigger creature. You can also look at the Quest for La Calavera Negra de la Luna from the website as it has a giant spider in it.

Then if you look at Amazing War Stories or the free Special Abilities download list, you will find an ability called Cause Fear. I would add that to any of the Cthulhu monsters at varying Grade levels.

Finally, I will be adding more horror type things to the game in time. Rhoderic is right that both Fantastic Worlds and Broadsword Adventures will have some creatures in them and both will be out within a year. Creatures should be easily moveable from one game to the other.

Any questions, feel free to post them here, e-mail me, or hop on to the HLSS yahoo group and ask.

[revford]

Well, as the man himself has covered all the .45 Adventure stuff, I'll have a go at the Legends of The Old West end.  

There are two good Yahoo Groups for LOTOW and variants thereof:

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/LOTOldWest/

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/LOTRvariants/

Technically LOTRvariants is for Lord of The Rings, but as LOTOW is itself a variant of Rings, it all works out.

Speaking of Rings, it's a great source book for monsters and magic, used in combination with LOTOW it has all you need for supernatural pulp skirmishes.

The GW website has all kinds of bits and bobs for Rings, it can be quite handy to have a root about and see what they have come up with for various ghosts and beasties:

http://uk.games-workshop.com/thelordoftherings/

All of these are great places to find info, but it's mostly about making stuff up.  Have a look at what other people have done and twist that to fit the game you want to play.  

[rupshall]

Thanks for all the feedback.

I have been a Cthulhu fan for years and only recently stumbled across the RAFM models.  I have been looking for a system to use them in ever since.

I will take a look at the systems mentioned, I had been considering trying Legends of The Old West, this will give me more incentive.

I will list the system I currently play and enjoy and maybe it will help you folks guide me in the best direction.

I currently play:

1. Confrontation(rackham)
2. Wargods of Aegyptus(crocodile games)
3. Warlod(reaper)
4. Dark-Age(dark age games)

Out of these system I would have to say I enjoyed Confrontation the most, I enjoyed the micromanagement of combat.

I really liked the command counters of Wargods.

I enjoyed the action point system used in Dark Age.

Warlord, I think its just a combination of things, nothing that really stands out.

I plan to look at the other systems but I was wondering if this would maybe give me some extra feedback for a Cthulhu choice.

[WitchfinderGeneral]

For a game without much fights you could use the Call of Cthulhu RPG rules, you just need to decide on movement distances which should be easy.

You can find the quick start rules on the Chaosium website (my local shop also gave me a printed version for free).

[Plynkes]

I actually played in a Cthulhu-Mythos table-top game using Warhammer 40K (Original Rogue Trader Edition), believe it or not.

It had a Vietnam setting, an "Apocalypse Now" kind of deal where the players were US soldiers sent to find out what happened to the "Kurtz"-type character. In this version it turned out he had fallen into the worship of Shub-Niggurath, in a particularly dark and nasty part of the jungle where one of her Dark Young held sway.

It was a "players vs. the GM" affair and our little GIs had to search the jungle, running into crazed cultists, a creepy grove of worship, and eventually the Dark Young itself. It was pretty atmospheric and creepy (we didn't know what was going on, and couldn't see our foes until we ran into them), and surprisingly good old Rogue Trader coped with it pretty well.

[Howard Whitehouse]

I'd use "Astounding Tales!', but then - since I wrote 'em - of course I would.

They have a section on Lovecraftian Horror. Not a longs ection, I'll admit, but most Lovecraftian horrors are nameless, shapeless and make you insane before you can describe what thye are up to.

The game is generally a GM versus players affair, which I think best suits the genre  

[zbyshko]

I'd use "Astounding Tales!', but then - since I wrote 'em - of course I would.

i would second this recomendation, having played it at Cons with Howard.  i would suggest a thesaurus on the table though - to find a descriptive word to explain the unexplainable or to say in 17 sylables per word when 1 would suffice. :wink:

[demi_morgana]

I was wondering about playing skirmish game using CoC models:
maybe Chain Reaction rules would work? they're extremly easy and dynamic, perfect for fast skirmish game

[mahon]

i'll be doing the same thing. still unsure which rules will i use.

probably either something from TwoHourWargames or .45 Adventures (if I choose to go with less miniatures).

One could consider We Could Be Heroes as well....