Rules

[Ironworker]

I'm planning on running a Pulp and Weird War II game for my game club in a few months and I need a rule set that will fit my specific needs.  What I'm looking for is something of a cross between a Wargame and a traditional RPG set up for miniature use.  I need rules that can resolve combat on any scale quickly and allow for character advancement.  So I'm looking for something with far less complication than a traditional RPG but far more character emphasis than a traditional Wargame.  

Can anyone make any suggestions?

[Prof.Witchheimer]

definitely .45 Adventure! There is a Weird War II supplement, too.

[Grimm]

45 Adventure is a must have but you supposed to know that you not play with lots of units you only have a few figures a side .

[Ironworker]

I was looking fairly closely at .45 but I wasn't sure if I was going to go with it or not.  How big a fight can you manage in that system?

[Grimm]

Ok that base on you for me I would say max.10 figures a Side (max 3 with higher Level and the rest low Level). but I think that there are people that play with more figures.

[Mo]

IW,

It sounds like you are describing .45 Adventures in your first post. It's a good pulp system that allows for 3-10 models per team. There is an exceptional Weird War supplement with rules for Super Soldiers, Nazi Zombies, rocket troopers and more. Plus there is a campaign system in place for characters to advance that is not overly complicated like an RPG.

I'd suggest downloading the free .45 Adventure demo rules and looking them over to see if you like the system. If so, you will need the basic rule set, Amazing War Stories (for the weird war archetypes)  and Gargoyle: Death Soldiers of the Jade hood (for the campaign system).

Marc

[Howard Whitehouse]

Ignore Rich's minions. He pays them to recommend his rules. No, I take that back. He does surgery on their brains. Yeah, that's it -- ::

Not that they aren't good rules.

Have a look at "Astounding Tales!" if you want fast, Saturday-Morning serial action and lots of nameless extras dying fast as heroes shout 'cut!' and re-shoot things that didn't go right the first time.

[Neldoreth]

I have never read .45 adventure rules, but I have no doubt that they are good...  I use Two Hour Wargames rules for all my stuff though. I wrote my own weird war supplement for those rules as well, so you everything you need from werewolves to ghouls to zombies to giant walkers of the Weird War.

I like NUTS! especially because it gives a good view of the WWII stuff (late war). However, NUTS! and Chain Reaction 2.0 are pretty close and definitely good. They give you a RPG sorta feel on the table while (once you figure out the rules) allowing you to play with very many figs per side. The most I have ever played with was 35 figs per side, but you could definitely play with more. The other thing I like (and the thing that makes these rules stand above many other sets imho) is the reactive system. Although the turns are I-go-you-go, the reaction actions make it a necessity for both players to be involved in every moment of the game! Not only that, but players can even play cooperatively!

Here is a link to Two Hour Wargames:

http://www.angelfire.com/az3/twohourwargames/index.html

Here is a link to my Weird War Supplement:

http://www.blackbirdmedia.org/miniatures/content/articles/WeirdWorldWarII.pdf

Hope that helps!
n.

[revford]

I'll second the recommendations for Nuts! and .45 Adventure, both great in different ways.

Nuts! is more realistic, when people are shot they either fall down screaming or die, people spending most of the time ducked in cover or sneaking about trying to find good places to give supporting fire from.  Works well with 10 to 25ish models per side.

.45 Adventure has far more detail on the characters, people can be shot dozens of times and keep going by taking arm or leg wounds, good rules for traps and other non-combat things.  Works well with 3 to 6 models per side, 12 or more if using the "Hordes of Mooks" rules available on the website.

Also good for this kinda thing is "Legends of the Old West" from Warhammer Historical, it's a nice system and include most of the weapons you'll need, treat a burst of SMG fire as Fanning a Sixgun, when people are shot they usually end up running for cover.  Good advance scheme and works well with about 10 models a side.  A balance between Nuts! and .45.

[Ironworker]

I'll download the .45 rules.  I've also considered writeing my own Pulp and Weird War rules for the No Limits system.

http://www.wargamesunlimited.com/nolimits/index.html