Tell me about Song of Blades and Heroes

[NickNascati]

All,
     So I am slowly putting together a game based on Greek Myths and the Sword and Sandal movies of my youth. My initial plan is to use Pulp Alley, which is generic enough to use for any setting.  Simple is better though, and a game that uses only D6 sounds good to me.  How complex is the game?

                                                                     Nick

[rumacara]

Nick, i´ve never played SBH but i did try the Song of Drums and Shakos and Song of Shadows and Dust (same system) and i loved it.
Simple to learn and play, with forces of between 8 and 12 figures per side (you can increase or decrease as you wish simply by reducing or increasing the points per side), suficiently umpredictable to have fun.
Same game, same scenario and diferent results and game time.

[theoldschool]

SOBH is a fun game, easy to play, but would need some  work to fit the genre. You could look at 7th Voyage from Crooked Dice. It is designed specifically for  sword and sandal movie epics. Uses D6s.

[NickNascati]

7th Voyage looks to be very costly to get into.

[Whitwort Stormbringer]

7th Voyage is pretty much as cheap as you want it to be. The rules are available as a PDFs, you don't need any official or licensed minis, pretty much all of it is just standard characters from Greek and Persian myths and legends.

SOBH would be fine as long as you're not looking to do big monsters, IMO. I don't know that the system would really need to be tweaked all that much, since generic fantasy already covers just about everything you need, but there is supposed to maybe at some point be a Song of Spear and Shield ancients version, I think.

[john Hollyoak]

Nick
Song of shields will be purely historical but you said Greek myths. If you want to introduce heroes and monsters you may want to look at Of God's and Mortals by Ganesha. This is more small army than small skirmish, depends what you are looking for. OGAM uses the basic SOBH engine, adds reactions and a mechanic for worship of your chosen god. I have the rules but have never played them.
John

[Jeff965]

Nick, SOBAH sounds like just the thing your looking for and as written above OGAM uses the same engine and I think, allows for larger games. I've played Blades quite a bit and enjoyed the games but the idea of fighting with " squads" wears off after a while and I wanted larger games.
Song of Spear and Shield is supposed to be a larger game and I was really looking forward to its release, but I've been waiting a long time and Lion Rampant has now come along and filled that void for me. Dragon Rampant is due soon and you may want to give them a once over as well.

Jeff

[NickNascati]

John,
        Just checking, isn't Of Gods and Mortals by Osprey?

[julesav]

I have played both SoBaH and 7th Voyage. SoBaH is a simpler system and has the facility to cover most aspects of Greek myth although you may need the supplements for full mythic coverage.

At the moment 7th Voyage is a one book/pdf system - markers and cards can be made/printed out so you do not NEED to buy anything more than the 7th Voyage in PDf format. The 'out of game' element about it being a game of a tv series/show does give a sort of 'interfering Gods' feel which you might like?

Both systems are solid and play well. It is really a matter of pure personal preference as to which is better.

OGaM uses groups of followers so is not quite as 'skirmishy', if you see what I mean?

[Jeff965]

John,
        Just checking, isn't Of Gods and Mortals by Osprey?

Certainly is Nick, and written by Andreas Sfiligoi  the author of SOBAH.

[mass.mosc]

If you want to know more on OGAM go to the website:
http://www.massimomoscarelli.it/ogam/

A preview: before the end of the year Ganesha Games will publish a book with more detailed lists for one of the pantheons present on the Osprey book...

In the meantime, if you want look at this new kickstarter by Ganesha Games: dwarves miniatures and Advanced Song of Blade and Heroes rules
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/9742092/song-of-blades-hammer-and-forge