Tabletop Gaming: Part 12

Historical wargaming is a big part of the community because it is the cornerstone of all gaming systems. It was through tin toys and early skirmish rules, decided over a pint at a local pub, than an entire industry was born. For this everyone must take a moment and appreciate the history and tradition. There would be no Warhammer, no Warcraft, no Command and Conquer, no RTS genre had it not been for historical wargaming.

With that said how do the systems go?

Well, actually this is the most humble part of the industry as well. Most historical wargaming systems have gone relatively unchanged in many years. Some of the systems are thin, published in black and white, with no fancy graphics and spiral-bound, as if copied at a local Kinkos. Some of the systems never even made it to a publisher, there are plenty of systems that are written and burned to CD that you can pick up from vendors like Old Glory. These are the polar opposite of the hardcovers with beautiful paintings and full-color photographs that mark the most popular fantasy and sci fi systems. With historical wargaming once the rules have been hammered out there is very little do do other than collect miniatures and paint them.

One of the better magazines covering the whole scene, Wargames Illustrated, covers most of the systems features reviews and rules. There are tons of systems out there, these include chariot races from over 4000 years ago all the way up to the current war in Iraq. Oddly enough the biggest company was also the slowest to transition into the historical bandwagon but when they did the world took notice. This would be Games Workshop and their Warhammer Historical series. Just look at their massive collection of games set on ancient warfare. GW introduced a standard for neophytes and created a series of books that appeals to fans of history rather than fantasy.

Let me highlight some of the best manufacturers for both miniatures and systems, I'll go alphabetically.

A&A Miniatures these people are a goldmine of ancient figures. Be sure to look through their gallery and be awed by the sheer numbers of the armies they produce.
Artizan Designs will be mentioned again in future blogs. They make a few ancient figures, but it is their World War II miniatures that really sets them apart. Speaking of World War II, Fire and Fury Games makes a WWII skirmish system called Battlefront .
Brigade Games is a store that carries a variety of systems, their vehicles and tanks from WWII are pretty solid.
Black Scorpion makes superbly detailed minis and some contemporary figures for the war in Iraq. Take a look at their Marines and even their Iraqi Militia. It's almost kind of sad to know that these figures are part of a skirmish game, but that is history repeating.
Blue Max / Canvas Eagles is a system set during the golden era of aerial combat, World War I. I really dig this part of history and am glad that somebody had finally decided to show it some love.
Speaking of World War I, Brigade Games has some award-winning minis dedicated to that period. Not to mention several rulebooks for WWI and WWII.
Chiltern Miniatures creates miniatures for ancient systems but also for most of the 20th century battles, including the Vietnam War.

Cold War Miniatures makes a good PT Boat model for Vietnam scenarios.
Copplestone Casting is a good miniatures company (c'mon, I'm not going to nominate any crappy companies here) that creates figures in a variety of genres. Their First World War figures are solid and their skirmish rules are no-nonsense classics.

Clash of Arms publishes a number of historical systems, fans of naval combat from WWI, WWII and even the modern world should check them out.
Crusader Miniatures makes a series of minis for ancient battles, the dark ages and even WWII. Their website organization is a little weak but their minis are good.
Dixon Miniatures covers the line of classic miniatures, including Napoleon, the American Revolution, the Civil War, Samurai and Vikings as well.
Flashpoint Miniatures focuses on a system and 15mm miniatures set entirely during the Vietnam War. If you are a history buff concerning that era then you should check this company out.
The Wargames Foundry, or Foundry for short has been in business for a long time. They do not publish gaming systems but rather focus on making miniatures, scores of miniatures, tons of miniatures on every era in world history, fantasy and sci-fi. They lack the style of the modelers at Rackham or Privateer Press but make minis very friendly to the Games Workshop universes. I suggest bookmarking their page and going over it a few times.

Flagship Games publishes a series of rules in various genres including ancient Samurai Warfare rules. I'll talk about their pirate system tomorrow.
Gripping Beast makes very good ancient armies that can stand up to anyone else's lineup. Their shield transfers have been seen on models from other manufacturers, which goes to show that they know what they are doing.
Mongoose Publishing has rules for WWII naval combat, titled Victory at Sea. They also publish modern (semi-future) warfare rules and pre-painted miniatures under the Battlefield Evolution series. These pre-painted sets come with instructions to get you up and gaming in no time at all.
Perry Miniatures is possibly the best of the best as far as historical miniatures go. The studio is small but absolutely serious about getting details right. This includes the eras for the samurai, crusaders, American and British revolution and Napoleonic wars. Be sure to check out their catalog.

Redoubt Enterprises covers the basics in history and has some very animated characters. Be sure to check out their Early Italian figures. Some of their best work, the pirates, will be talked about more next week.
Renegade Miniatures has just about cornered the market on ancient China. Their models are comparable to the fine sculpts at Artizan Designs. They also make minis for the often overlooked WWI era.
Roman Seas is a naval combat system based on cardstock models, making it inexpensive to pick up and learn.
Steve Barber Models is all over the map, that's a good thing for historical fans. He creates minis in a variety of ranges, from 10mm to 42mm. His 25/28mm scale includes warriors of the often-overlooked Mongolian invaders as well as mythological Greek characters.
Tiger Miniatures focuses their efforts mostly on turn-of-the-century USA, Spain and Cuba. Think Teddy Rosevelt and the Rough Riders.
Thunderbolt Mountain makes some truly great sculpts of fantasy figures. It is their Age of Arthur minis that you should consider if you decide to pursue that era of history.
Victory Force makes a variety of minis in sci-fi but their WWII sculpts are very good as well.

So there you have it, a super list of the major systems and manufacturers of historical wargames. Is there a genre I skipped? Oh yeah, nothing could be more fun that 28mm pirates and high adventure! Plus what if you want a system set in an alternate history, something with crazy inventions and steampunk science? Come back next week to find out!

Tabletop Gaming: Part 11

You've probably had your fill of swords and sorcery, am I right? You might even be jonesin' for a system built around giant robots or battles in space. Well then today is your lucky day! Today we look at robots, spaceships and the tabletop systems that bring them to life.

The grandaddy of robot miniature systems is Battletech, created by FASA. I had gotten heavy into the tabletop gaming culture around when Battletech first came out, over 20 years ago. The system was probably better known for stealing the designs of early Macross anime, something eventually settled out of court. The game was fun and easy to play and you can still find models and rules for the system under the "classic" label. Battletech was eventually replaced by the more popular MechWarrior series, now owned by WizKids.

If you are not a fan of the pre-painted Clix designs there is a more traditional system called Combat Assault Vehicles (CAV) by Reaper Miniatures. Cav has a similar look and feel to MechWarrior. Both systems allow other vehicles to join in the combat, including tanks and bombers. However fans of fast and light anime designs like 5 Star Stories or Macross might not like these games. Heavy mechs still dominate the miniatures scene, probably because they are easier to cast. The closest you'll come to a middleweight / Virtua-On / Gundam-scale robots are in a third system known as Heavy Gear by Dream Pod 9 (DP9). These designs are very fluid, each of the factions adds something unique to the table. DP9 also publishes miniatures that are very much in the vein of Gundman for their Jovian Chronicles RPG. The Jovian Chronicles are the space opera version of Heavy Gear.

As long as we are in space then it's time to finally introduce space-based miniature combat! Of course the most popular IP has a game, I would be talking about Star Wars Starship Battles by Wizards of the Coast.

The closest contemporary from a television series would be Babylon 5, A Call to Arms by Mongoose Publishing. Both systems feature pre-painted minis and designs from their respective universes. Unfortunately the Star Wars models are not to-scale and you will see small fighters near the same scale as a Star Destroyer. The Babylon 5 ships seem to be evenly scaled. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't remind you that Games Workshop had a similar system years ago called Battlefleet Gothic set in their Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Small company Monday Knight Productions also has an outer space system called Galactic Knight for which they also sell miniatures. People interested in finding what other miniatures-based systems there are for outer space can check with Starship Combat News. Of course what good are the outer-space battles without some decent terrain and scenery? There is a producer for just about anything you would need. From mini asteroids and planets to terrain maps set in outer space. As with any other game I've shown you it's all about using your imagination and having some fun!

That wraps it up for today. Tomorrow I'll (finally) start talking about historical wargaming. Be sure to come back!

Tabletop Gaming: Part 10

WizKids has been producing click-based systems for many years now. These games have a pre-painted figure over a numbered base. The base contains the vital information for the character, dubbed the "combat dial" and allows gamers to play a miniature adventure game relatively easily. The first major system featuring this innovation was the wildly popular Mage Knight. After studying the trends of collectible card-based games, WizKids (WK) learned that by inserting random "rare" figures into packs that more boxes would be bought by gamers and collectors.

Within a short span of time WK had developed enough cash to license popular IP, including superheroes, which they dubbed HeroClix for both Marvel and DC. They even began licensing independent comic book characters as well. Over the years they have continued expanding their clix line to include more adult-themed systems such as the gruesome yet cool HorrorClix which includes movie licenses like Aliens Versus Predator. For pre-painted systems the sculpts and designs are good. The popularity of these systems has caused for the industry to call the 1 1/2-inch height of these figures "heroic scale."

Other companies like Wizards of the Coast, known best for creating Magic: the Gathering, have also gotten into the pre-painted miniature genre. Since the own the Dungeons and Dragons IP they began producing collectable miniatures for it. They also began making minis for Star Wars. However their latest system, Dreamblade takes a closer cue from the Clix series. The little figures have stats on their bases and are played on a grid. Combining a little strategy and a good roll of the dice Dreamblade plays like a 3D version of Magic. Fans of collectible card based games, and are interested in miniatures should check these games out.

WizKids and other manufacturers make accessories to spruce up HeroClix games, such as little maps making up a park or building along with 3D trees and soda machines. Thanks to the advent of desktop publishing an entire genre of hobby scenery has popped up. Heroic scale fans can now use a home (work or school) printer and cardstock to print and a little tape or glue to assemble 3D buildings. Cabil is one such company that offers skyscrapers in that scale as does MicroTactix. The undisputed king of cardstock modeling is Worldworks Games. In all honesty they are in a league of their own. Check out the detail they put in models like Mahem Rail (perfect for HeroClix), Castle Works Ultimate, Cave Works, Gothic Realms and Shellendrak Manor. You would be hard pressed to find better models for the price.

Self-contained games made out of cardstock have become quite popular in the past few years. WK makes a few self-contained systems roughly the size of trading cards. These cards are punched out and everything from Spaceships to Pirate Ships can be assembled. Pirates is especially neat with their variety of ships and self-contained experience. Not to mention that the game reminds me of the old Man O' War system.

If, however, giant robots are more your style then check out WK's other clix-based system, MechWarrior. MechWarrior is actually based on a system published more than 20 years ago. This new version combines the ease of use of the clix with good quality pre-painted miniatures.

Best of all there is a company that makes exceptional terrain for HeroClix, Pirates, MechWarrior and a variety of other systems. Gale Force Nine is a company that is very good at securing licenses and supplying hobbyists with the things they need to enjoy their games, from scenics to dice and spell counters. I strongly suggest checking them out.

I just dropped a quick link on robots, are there any other systems based on them? When am I going to get to outer-space combat? Find out tomorrow!

EDIT: My pal Kusa dropped a link on me this morning, it seems that Xbox Live Arcade and the Playstation Network are going to get versions of Games Workshop's Talisman and WizKids Rocketmen. Talk about perfect timing for these blogs!

Tabletop Gaming: Part 9

There was once a miniatures company known as I-Kore. It produced a line of paints and a fantasy and sci-fi system. The fantasy game Celtos was actually good. It carried a strong world theme, set entirely within a Celtic world with druids and warriors. This is the type of theme modeling that was used by Crocodile Games in WarGods. Even the dwarfs, elves and undead had an ancient Scottish / Irish look. You can still find many of the models at local hobby stores or even online stores like Brigade Models and Fantization.

The second system I-Kore used to make was called Void 1.1. This sci-fi skirmish game was nothing extraordinary. The aliens were neat but the humans only so-so. Void did have some nice vehicle models however. These include wheeled assault vehicles, motorcycles, alien monsters with gun turrets strapped to their back and robots of various sizes. Void also made a lot of miscellanea in miniature scale, things like oil drums and walls that could be used for cover. Collectors and painters should consider picking up some minis just to have bits to swipe from.

Ah, but where was I? Oh yes, I-Kore closed shop and was sold to Urban Mammoth. The new company scaled-back Celtos and dropped Void. Scotia Grendel picked up Void and continues to produce the minis. Urban Mammoth's new system is a sci-fi skirmish game called Urban War. So far I like the factions being pitted against each other. Yes the Asian faction is a little stereotypical but overall the miniatures are good sculpts. The larger combat system derived from this is called Metropolis. Metropolis is still a work in progress but the miniatures for it are being previewed. I'm keeping my eye on this system, the robot miniatures look like fun. When Metropolis drops I'll be sure to check it out and let you know.

Seeing as how this blog is turning out shorter than I expected, let me drop a few more links and sci-fi systems on you guys.

Alpha Forge Games has a system called Star Mogul. Their system looks average, their humans look like watered-down space marines and their aliens decent but some of their robot miniatures are off the hook! Check out their Asteroid Miners and their Wardroids. They also make vehicles and bits to spruce up terrain. Modelers should check these guys out.

Aberrant Games is getting into the sci-fi genre with a system called Rezolution. Later this month they will also look into the fantasy genre with Dungeoneer. So far I like the cyberpunk look of Rezolution. They have cyber ninjas, Halo-looking soldiers, mechanical abominations and Future Catholic Soldiers? Well, at least they are using their imagination. Let's keep an eye on this and see where it goes.

Okay so let's say that you are thinking about getting into tabletop gaming but everything I've shown you is too advanced or too time consuming. What are these click-figures you've been reading about? Find out tomorrow!

Tabletop Gaming: Part 8

Howdy friends! It's good to see you back. Today we look at a tiny company run by a group of die-hard gamers. Crocodile Games is from the good-old US-of-A. Even if their website has only been stable a handful of days these past few years they are still in business! A couple of the founders worked for Games Workshop so they know what it takes to make it in the industry. They only make one system but it is solid slowly expanding.

Age of AEgyptus is the introductory system to the WarGods universe. What makes this system unique when compared to other fantasy titles is the thematic experience. AEgyptus is a mythological Egypt, the old gods exist and they have armies made up of man and creature. The classic characters we associate with ancient Egypt, the cat, crocodile, jackyl, serpent, hawk and ram all have avatars. Crocodile Games went out of their way to make sure this universe made sense for gamers. Each of the sculpts look incredible as well!

The look and feel of this world is reminiscent of the Tomb Kings from Games Workshop. Could AEgyptus have been where the kings of Nehekhara originally came from? Quite possibly, considering that the founders of Crocodile Games were with GW during the undead relaunch. The miniatures from Crocodile look and even "feel" like something right out of Warhammer Fantasy Battle. This is a compliment mind you! Certainly those with some imagination will find a way to combine rules and miniatures and either add WH to AEgyptus or vice-versa. Fans of this period in history (or fantasy) should immediately check out the system. There is plenty of potential for hobby modelers. History is not the only thing that draws me to this system.

I went to a convention years ago with my brothers. We had a chance to meet some of the creators when Privateer Press and Crocodile Games were just starting out. Here they were, two new systems budding for the attention of the gaming public. The big publishers had plenty of floor space in the hall, companies like White Wolf, Bandai and Wizards of the Coast had the most real estate. Privateer had less floor space but they were generating buzz thanks to their great displays and Mike McVey in person to promote the company. Tucked away in the corner (literally!) was a small table with a plain tablecloth and a handful of amazing miniatures. My brothers and I were drawn over to it. We wondered if this was a couple that painted miniatures for a living. They told us that they were actually starting out in the business and their system was called Age of AEgyptus. They explained to us the rules, how magic works and other features with their system. They talked about how their world was set up and where they planned on going with it. We realized that this system was the sleeper hit of the show. The publishers and manufacturers hogging the convention center should have been trying to cut a deal with these people, or at the very least invest in them. We wished them the best and walked away.

In the past five or six years I've watched the system grow from a handful of miniatures to near a dozen complete armies. This is impressive when you consider that the company is made up of seven people, most can paint but only a couple can sculpt. Still their system continues to grow. Most recently they have expanded their world to introduce new kingdoms. The first creatures introduced from outside AEgyptus were the Wendigos from the land of Hyperboria. Again, these are some amazing sculpts that can compete with any of the big boys. What the community is most excited about are the addition of new gods and soldiers. You remember your history, when Egypt was in power what other kingdoms were there? If you've read their webpage then you know that Olympus will be added to the world soon, these include armies of Spartans, Mycenians, Demigods and Titans. The preview pics have barely dropped. This isn't about a studio cashing in on a fad, this expansion has been in the works for a long time.

The timing could not be better with God of War II and 300 fresh on our minds. Crocodile Games should have a strong showing during the summer convention circuit and might pick of scores of players. Sadly they do not publish a magazine or produce a line of paints to help offset the cost of production. If only they were larger like Rackham or Privateer Press then they'd have the type of support it takes to make a significant dent in the world of tabletop gaming. Either that or maybe there is an investor reading this and ready to help the cause. Did I mention that AEgyptus would make a great videogame? I hope you seriously consider this company if you are looking to get into the hobby.

That does it for today. Tune in next week to learn about a great new sci-fi system built from the ashes of a dead company.

Tabletop Gaming: Part 7

Welcome back! Today's tabletop gaming system is made by Corvus Belli a company from Spain. The company makes miniatures in three ranges. They make a series if 15mm figures for historical wargames (I'll talk about the whole historical genre in an upcoming blog) and they also make 28mm fantasy figures. These WarCrow figures stand somewhere in between the designs of Games Workshop and Rackham. Unlike either companies though, they use a decidedly medieval Japanese flair for their sculpts. They don't have a fantasy game (yet) so these minis can probably be incorporated into any other system.

Corvus Belli makes one major system called Infinity. This game is heating up the charts for a variety of reasons. The art and design of the game is unapologetically swiped from Masamune Shirow. Fans of Appleseed and Ghost of the Shell can identify the influence right away. I wouldn't call the company a bunch of thieving bastards however, seeing as how Japan had at least 20 years to invent their own tabletop gaming system and didn't.

This game is set in the future and there are various factions vying for power. The unique human groups are the Asian-themed Yu Jing and the Islam-based Haqqislam faction. For some unknown reason most miniature combat systems are very Euro-centric. Games Workshop talks about the far off land of "Cathay" and even produces a miniature or two based on the Orient, but they've never developed a full set of miniatures for that part of the world. I know I have more than a few designs that would fill out an army, but that's for another day. Anyhow, most miniature makers do not cast Asian styled characters, especially not in sci-fi. As for a group of characters based on a religion like Islam... well that is very rare indeed! Either Corvius Belli is thinking very progressively or they are using a religion as a gimmick. I hope it's the first though.

Aside from warring with each other, the humans now have to contend with the first wave of alien invaders. The Combined Army of alien races is also unique to sci-fi combat. Rather than separate the aliens, Infinity introduces the concept of a union of species determined to claim space for themselves. This allows designers the freedom to slowly build sides without having to worry about creating artillery, vehicles and heroes for every species just to preserve a sense of balance. The system itself does not have magic users or psychics as special characters but rather hackers. Very much like saboteurs in Ghost in the Shell.

The world of Infinity is explained in detail in the rulebook, there is some amazing art to go along with the system. This helps ease players into the world and provides them with plenty of scenarios. Currently there is no dedicated magazine to support this system but that should change in time. As far as tabletop games go, Infinity is well thought-out, people interested in a solid sci-fi experience should check it out.

That does it for today. Tomorrow I'll introduce a little-known system created by a tiny company but whose ambition rivals the big boys. Please don't miss it!

Tabletop Gaming: Part 6

Welcome back friends! Are you getting hyphy?! Lord knows what that means but I'm feeling it. Today we talk about the new hotness, the tabletop gaming system that is easy to get into and fun to play. Privateer Press is finally putting the good old USA on the map (even if some co-founders and investors are Brits). They have a very progressive series of systems, their own universe, models and paints. In a nutshell they are poised to corner the market and are already competing with the big boys. Their games, their community has the same vibe as Games Workshop was back in the day. There is an undeniable feeling that something good is going to happen with these guys because their games are so much fun.

The big game from Privateer is Warmachine. The game is built with both skirmish and larger-scale combat in mind. The makeup of the universe is what makes the system great. The game is set in a medieval world with the major difference being the existence of steam-powered robots. I dare say that this is the best mix of magic and machine ever invented. Spellcasters and sorcerers are not dainty but rather bold generals of their respective armies. To borrow a phrase from one of the co-founders, "these wizards are badasses!" They fight alongside their troops with enchanted armor, steam-driven hammers and explosives. The wizards, rather "Warcasters" control the steam robots or "Warjacks." Each Warjack has a weapon or firearm, depending on which nation made it. In addition to having giant robots wailing on each other during combat, the wizards can amplify and direct their spells through the arc-node (an antenna) of the Warjacks and hit characters clear across the board. Talk about good times!

Flip through the pages of the various models, you will not be disappointed. The kingdom of Cygnar are like the Germans, their Warjacks are the peak of engineering and design. The Protectorate of Menoth are a religious cult an independent kingdom that gets hand-me-down and piecemeal Warjacks from other kingdoms. Menoth salvages what they can and whereas every other kingdom needs a cortex in the machines in order to bring them to life, Menoth is capable of animating the Warjacks through divine will alone. The frozen kingdom of Khador is very much like the old USSR. Their Warjacks are designed for maximum impact, there is nothing graceful about their purpose. Which leads us to the main baddies of the universe, the Cryx. As you can guess, the Cryx are the antithesis of humanity, they are chaos and machine made into one. Their weapons and soldiers were once members of the other kingdoms, but as necromancers are want to do, they raise the dead and scrap together new monsters. Sooner or later the dead will overpopulate the living in Warmachine, which side would you want to be playing then?

Gamers that aren't into miniature gaming can always choose the role-playing version called Iron Kingdoms which is licensed within the very popular d20 system. Privateer has a third gaming system, the newest in their lineup. No, it is not their sci-fi answer to 40k or AT-43, rather it is a system that compliments the universe of War Machine. HORDES features compatible miniatures and rules, the difference being that this skirmish game focuses around living armies. These are the races in the world that do not have the benefit of steam technology, so they rely on magic and massive creatures. Even though the bigger Warjacks are 15 feet tall, the "Warbeasts" of the Horde would give them a run for the money. Flip through the Hordes gallery and check out the amazing models and spectacular paint jobs.

Both systems feature cards that come with the miniatures, similar to the cards used by Rackham. What I like about these new cards is that they provide small counters to keep track of hit points. Drop these cards in a plastic sleeve and you can use a dry erase marker to check off damage. It makes games move much faster and shortens the learning curve. I'm certain that the cards will eventually be sold laminated. In a recent development Privateer also announced that they would be creating a collectable card game as well. Not to mention they publish a bi-monthly magazine with hobby tips and new scenarios called No Quarter... so what do you think, should Rackham be looking over their shoulder?

Many of the best modelers and painters in recent times have been contributing to Privateer Press. Mike McVey, a Games Workshop legend, bought a partner share of the company and has been with them ever since as the miniatures director. There is a picture of a young Mike in my oldest issue of White Dwarf, I had a chance to meet him and talk about his time with GW. He could not be a nicer, more down-to-Earth person. He even says that his painting and sculpting ability is nothing really and that he pales in comparison with his wife, Aly McVey. Talk about a humble guy! Privateer Press has a lot of talent behind it and if they keep the momentum (and not alienate the hobby stores) then they can become a serious contender for best miniature gaming company. I certainly hope to see a videogame based on their IP someday (soon!).

So there you have it, two days of great systems and great companies. Next time we'll look at a system set in the future with miniatures inspired by a legendary manga artist!