Whats your favourite set of rules?

[Vermis]

No, they don't mean the same thing. IGOUGO means that one player has his complete turn, then the other player. Alternate activation means that one player activates a figure or unit, then the other player, until all figures or units have been activated.

Not that we're not on the same page.... but on the face of it...

I know the definitions, it just mildly amuses me the terms used basically amount to the same thing. Isn't playing one figure or unit before turning over to the other player, 'you go, then I go'? Can't movement of your whole army, then movement of your opponent's army, be described as 'alternate activation'?

[Munindk]

The confusion regarding the terms aside I generally prefer alternate (unit) activation games.

The IGOUGO games I like best are those without phases though, I much prefer to finish a model or units entire activation in one go, movement, shooting and all.

[Madhouse Workshop]

I do like the "I go you go".  Like I said I liked WAB 2.0.  It was what Warhammer should be.  I also like Clash of Empires.  Not a fan at all of Hail Caesar.  WAB at least for me was easy to organize a tournament style event with lots of my buddies and we would come together and play and have a good time and all of us had grown up playing old War Hammer Fantasy, so it was very easy for us to pick up.  And the WAB 2.0 rules, at least for me made lots of sense and played well mechanically unlike the broken mess that Warhammer Fantasy had become.  I do miss it, and so do many of my buddies, some of us still get together play it.  Most though have moved on and we are still looking for that game to bring us back together.  Some moved on to HC, but HC does not play well in my opinion as a competitive game and definitely not in tournament sense.  I really do like Clash, but no one I know plays it, nor can you find it locally.  My hope is that Gripping Beast can put its weight behind something that can get our old nationwide group back together once again, but I doubt it will happen as the fractures are too large.

[fred]

I must admit I'm a bit confused about people stopping playing WAB just because GW stopped making new books. If you all liked WAB so much, why didn't you just continue to play it?

We have been playing Warmaster and Epic for many many years after GW stopped supporting them.

[Charlie_]

In regards to Hail Caesar, which I have been curious about but never actually played, I decided to buy the rulebook the other day to give it a good read through. My thoughts....

1 - It is DEFINITELY not for competitive play. It is for friendly games with your mates, the more the merrier, and an umpire is recommended. Personally, I really like this, but I imagine lots of players don't. If you play to win at all costs this is not the game for you.
2 - It looks like it works much better for BIG battles, on a huge table, with each army consisting of several divisions each of several units, and each commanded by a different player. Doesn't look very appealing with just a few units a side.
3 - With both the above points in mind, it seems to lend itself really well to interesting scenarios, and all the battle reports I've seen of it (mostly from the rulebook itself and the Perry Bros facebook page) are evidence of this. Definitely has made me realise how note every massed battle has to be two armies lining up across a field against each other.

So is it the game for me? I don't think so, and I am going to continue with my own home-brew rules. But it sure does look like a cool game. When my collection gets big enough, I'll definitely be interested in trying it out and will no doubt love it.

I'm also waiting with great interest for Swordpoint, even if its just to see if it has any nice ideas I could borrow!. I will probably at least grab the digital rulebook for a read-through. I saw a demo game of it being played at both Salute and Partizan this year, and was planning to have a go but never got round to it at either. Did have a little chat with the guy though, and the table and armies looked fantastic!

[fred]

HC works for medium sized games too. Me and my mate played it loads a few years ago, with just 1 player a side, with 3-4 divisions a side with several units per division. We were playing with 10mm figures, so dropped the distances a bit and were able to play on 6'x4' table.

The command roll mechanism does mean that you need a few commands per player, otherwise you can sit around doing nothing for too long.

[Gracchus Armisurplus]

HC is definitely not for competitive gamers. It's easy to break the system by looking for and exploiting loopholes in the rules, and some situations depend on a gentlemens agreement rather than an interpretation of the rules. As such, gamer used to much tighter rules and playing in a more competitive nature probably won't enjoy HC as much.

[Stecal]

Hail caesar definitely  shines in larger games.  The game creates lots of difficult decision  points as units rout and commander s fail their rolls to give orders.  The one thing we really noticed is that the game rewards the historical  use of reserves and second lines since units can just evaporate on bad melee  result leaving gaping holes in your battle line.

[Madhouse Workshop]

I must admit I'm a bit confused about people stopping playing WAB just because GW stopped making new books. If you all liked WAB so much, why didn't you just continue to play it?

We have been playing Warmaster and Epic for many many years after GW stopped supporting them.

That's the way its been here in the U.S.  I'ld still play, but I have like only a couple of people that will play it now, everyone else moved on to other things and rule systems.  That's the way it goes.  I can't explain their reasoning.  They all seemed to enjoy it when we played....

[Codsticker]

I enjoy Hail Caesar (as well as it's siblings), Saga and Lion Rampant. In the past I have been disinclined towards card-based rules however since playing a couple of different systems that use cards I have come around. I just recently bought To The Strongest! and look forward to trying it.

[fred]

That's the way its been here in the U.S.  I'ld still play, but I have like only a couple of people that will play it now, everyone else moved on to other things and rule systems.  That's the way it goes.  I can't explain their reasoning.  They all seemed to enjoy it when we played....

That's a shame. While its obviously harder to get new players interested in an OOP game, for those who have invested in it, it should still be perfectly playable. But much the same happened with WHFB.

[Vermis]

I wonder how many WAB players came to it through WFB? The main side of GW is notorious for fostering an attitude of abandoning 'dead' games and editions, once support is withdrawn. (I.e. stopping the conveyor belt of new products that you 'have' to buy) Not that it's exclusive to (ex)GW players, but still...

[Charlie_]

I wonder how many WAB players came to it through WFB? The main side of GW is notorious for fostering an attitude of abandoning 'dead' games and editions, once support is withdrawn. (I.e. stopping the conveyor belt of new products that you 'have' to buy) Not that it's exclusive to (ex)GW players, but still...

Perhaps it's just the fact that as soon as you hear a game you play is going OOP, you naturally feel inclined to have a look around at other alternatives, whereas before when everyone you knew happily played the same game you didn't feel the need to? And then you suddenly realise there are lots of people playing other games, many of which are claimed to be better than the one you play, and perhaps some which are now just being released or undergoing a surge in popularity due to the death of your own game.... and you don't look back.

Looking back at old GW games, I've go to say the only ones I'd feel any desire to play now are Mordheim (which I did play back in the day) and Warmaster (which I've never played). And for Mordheim, I have absolutely zero attachment to the ruleset anymore, and would happily adapt it to different rules... it's just the setting I loved, and which still looks great to this day! With historical games such as WAB, the exclusive settting isn't really a thing is it? So if you've lost any devotion the the actual ruleset, what do you have to keep you playing it?

[Codsticker]

... I've go to say the only ones I'd feel any desire to play now are Mordheim ...

I have recently had a unrge to build a Mordheim table, paint up a few warbands and bully some friends into playing it.